Elysium, a Percy Jackson Fanfiction

Chapter 12

Percy's POV

Percy Jackson shot awake, covered in sweat, and the only thing he could think was Not Again.

He shock his head, in an attempt to clear away the familiar nightmare. Nervously, he looked around him. A quick glance to the side revealed that Thalia, Jason, and Nico were still counting the money from the concert.

Percy breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn't seen him, and it could have been much, much worse. He knew all to well.

He was about to sit back and try to go back to sleep, when, out of all the things that could have happened, the doorbell rang.

After a moment, Percy swung his legs over the edge of the couch and stood up. "I'll get it" He said to no one in particular. b

"Thanks Perce" Thalia said, not even looking up from her pile of loose change.

Shaking the sleep from his eyes, Percy slowly walked over to the door. Obviously he wasn't fast enough, as whoever was outside rang the bell again.

"I'm Coming!" He shouted, trying to get the person outside to stop pressing the bell. Finally, he opened the door to reveal a tall, African-American man.

"Can I help you?" Percy asked quietly.

"Uh, maybe." The man said nervously, While Percy thought to himself Well that's precise. "I was wondering if you knew anything about that band that was here a few hours ago."

Suddenly Percy's face jumped from one of nervousness, to an emotionless mask. "Why do you want to know?" He asked through gritted teeth. The guy outside looked too old to be a high school student, but he looked more like he was Thalia's age. Then again, Percy had no idea who this guy knew. He decided to play it safe.

"I want to offer them a job" He said.

Percy, stood there, gaping at this man in awe. Less than a day after their first show, some dude wants to offer them a job? It's unbelievable, he thought. "Umm, yeah, sure. Give me one second" Percy mumbled to the man, before closing the door. With shaking legs, he slowly walked back towards the living room. He stopped behind Thalia, and tapped her on the shoulder. "Umm.. Could you come with me for a minute?" He asked shakily.

"I'm a little busy Perce" She said, not looking um from the change on the floor.

"I think that it's worth it" Percy said, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Fine" She sighed, before standing up and following him to the door.

"Ah. Thank you" The man said when the two of them had opened the door again. " I'm Charles Beckendorf, and like I said to your friend, I would like to offer the band that was here a job" He said.

"What kind of job?" Thalia asked. Unlike Percy, she had not been left speechless by the offer. Percy, on the other had, stood leaned against the wall, still trying to recover from the man, Beckendorf's, announcement.

"I want them to be the live entertainment at a party my Fiancé and I are having next week."

"How much?" Thalia asked.

"I'll pay them two hundred dollars. After they've finished, of course" Beckendorf said after a moment's hesitation.

"Three" Thalia said before Percy could speak.

"Two fifty" Beckendorf countered

"Half up front"

"Deal" He said, shaking Thalia's hand.

"Now when and where" she asked.

"Next Friday." He said. Exactly seven days. Percy, still silent, thought. "Here's the address of the house" Beckendorf said, handing Thalia a slip of paper. When she took it, he turned around to leave.

"Wait" Percy said, pushing himself off the wall. He had finally regained enough of his senses to speak, but the words "Two Fifty" kept playing through his head. "What do you want us to play?"

"Your choice." Beckendorf said, a smile spreading over his face. "Just no Michael Jackson" At that, it was Percy's turn to smile.

"Done" He said. Beckendorf nodded, and left. Percy and Thalia went back inside, and as Thalia locked the door, Percy could only smile and say, "So that went well."