The Trials of Chaos

6

After what felt like an eternity, the door creaked open, and Percy's heart jumped in his chest. He wasn't sure who he expected, but the last person he wanted to see walked in. Luke strolled into the room with a casual confidence, but there was something off in the way his eyes gleamed.

"Nice plan you guys thought up," Luke said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Like, I was really convinced for a whole minute. Still not sure how you guys got ahold of the name Jason, but I guess I really underestimated you."

Leo and Percy exchanged a nervous glance, their stomachs twisting with dread. They were doomed.

"You know what the sad part is, though?" Luke continued, pacing slowly as if savoring the tension in the air. "We were just beginning to trust you guys. We were gonna let you out of here, maybe take you on a raid or two. You know, give you a chance to prove yourselves. And then, finally, let you join us." He shook his head, clicking his tongue in mock disappointment. "Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Percy's heart sank. This was his fault. He thought the plan was a good idea, a clever way to buy them some leverage, but they'd acted too fast. They hadn't given it enough time, hadn't thought it through. Now they'd blown it, and worst of all, he didn't know where Piper was.

She could be in real trouble, and it was because of him. He clenched his fists, his mind racing through a dozen what-ifs. Who the hell was Jason, anyway? How did a single name cause this much chaos?

Leo was the first to speak up, though his voice was strained. "Look, man... we weren't trying to pull anything. We just want to know what's going on. Where's Piper?"

Luke stopped pacing, looking at Leo like he'd just asked the dumbest question in the world. "Piper's fine, for now," Luke said, his tone almost too casual. "But you two? I'm not so sure. You see, lying to us was a big mistake. Now we have to figure out if you're even worth keeping around."

Percy gritted his teeth, his frustration bubbling over. "We didn't lie," he shot back, though even as he said it, he knew how weak it sounded. "We don't know who Jason is, we were just—"

"You were just what? Making things up as you went along?" Luke cut him off, stepping closer until he was towering over Percy. "That's a bad move when your life is in someone else's hands."

Percy's jaw tightened. "We were desperate."

Luke smirked, leaning in even closer. "Desperate people make mistakes, Seaweed Brain. And you just made a big one."

The nickname stung more than Percy wanted to admit, even though it hadn't come from Annabeth. Luke knew exactly how to twist the knife. Percy glared up at him, anger boiling beneath the surface, but he knew better than to lash out. He couldn't afford to make things worse, not with Piper missing.

"You want to find Piper? Fine," Luke said after a pause, his smirk widening. "But first, you're going to tell me everything you know about Jason. And don't give me any more of that 'we barely knew him' crap. If you want her back in one piece, you'd better start talking."

Percy swallowed hard. Jason again. The name kept coming up, over and over, and yet, he didn't have a clue who this person was. Piper's story had been convincing—at least, it had felt that way in the moment—but now it seemed like they were trapped in a web of lies, one they didn't even understand.

"I told you," Percy said, forcing himself to keep his voice steady. "I don't know anything about Jason. I've never met him. Piper and Leo barely knew him. They were kids when they crossed paths."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Convenient, don't you think? You never met him, and now you're all tangled up in this mess. Makes me wonder if there's more you're not telling me."

Percy's mind was racing. He had to say something, anything, to keep them from turning on Piper.

"Look, we were just trying to get by. Piper mentioned him because we thought maybe it'd help us—help us fit in, prove we've been through the same stuff you have. But we don't know him. She doesn't even know if he's still alive."

For a moment, Luke seemed to consider Percy's words. Then he straightened up, glancing between the two boys with a cold, calculating look.

"Well, isn't that convenient," Luke finally said, his voice softer, but still laced with suspicion. "Too bad you're not very good at lying, Percy. But lucky for you, I've got time to figure out what's really going on. And I have a feeling Piper's going to be a lot more talkative once she's on her own for a bit."

The mention of Piper sent a spike of fear through Percy's chest. "Don't hurt her."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Who said anything about hurting her? She's perfectly safe, for now. But how long she stays that way? That depends on you."

The coldness in his words made Percy's blood run cold. He glanced at Leo, whose face was pale, his usual humor replaced with fear and uncertainty. They had no leverage left.

Luke turned to the door, pausing before he stepped out. "I'll give you time to think. But don't take too long. We're not exactly patient people."

As the door slammed shut behind him, Percy let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He slumped against the wall, his heart pounding in his chest. This was bad—worse than he could've imagined. Not only had their plan backfired, but Piper was alone, vulnerable. And it was all his fault.

Leo sat in silence for a moment, before speaking in a low voice. "Perc, what do we do now?"

Percy shook his head, frustration and guilt swirling together in a sickening mix. "I don't know," he muttered, his voice thick with regret. "I don't know how we're gonna get out of this."

"You guys didn't even ever cross paths with this Jason kid, right?" Percy groaned, rubbing his face in frustration.

"Nope." Leo shook his head, leaning back against the wall. "Not once. I don't even know what he looks like. We made all that up."

Percy let out a heavy sigh, running his hand through his hair. "I can't believe this. We're in so deep over some kid none of us even knows."

Leo shrugged, a weak grin forming on his face despite the situation. "Hey, at least we know Piper's a good liar."

"Yeah," Percy muttered, but his stomach twisted with guilt. "Too good. And now she's the one paying for it."

Leo's grin faded, and the room fell into a tense silence, both of them painfully aware of how out of their depth they were.