I am the Lightning Thief

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

All was quiet. The only sound that was heard was the low rumble of the Jumbo Jet as it soared through the quiet night air heading eastbound toward Paris the city of love. Nestled deep in the empty dark luggage compartment, hugging the the sides of the jet a figure in black waited. Since the flight took off four hours ago he had been there silently praying that no one would find him. His clothes weren’t the clothes of the baggage man, black long sleeved shirt that ended with thumb holes, black pants, stretchy black electro magnetic gloves and socks, a discreet black tool belt filled with small emergency gadgets, a black ski mask that only showed his sea green eyes, a black triangular plate on his back and a black tube with straps strung over shoulder. This was the outfit of a thief. Nervously he checked his watch 1:23 a.m it was go time. The plane hit some turbulence knocking him to the ground and jitters up and down his spine. Don’t throw up Don’t throw up! Don’t throw up!  Queasily he padded down the belly of the plane until he was a the the very end. He pressed a button on his tool belt allowing energy to pass through wires up his arms and down his legs into the socks and gloves. Once fed with the life giving energy the gloves and socks seemed to have a mind of their own as they pulled Percy to the wall of the jet. Spiderman would be proud with the way he crawled up the wall to the ceiling careful not to make even the slightest noise. The compartment wall curled as Percy ascended until he was dangling by his hands and feet off the ceiling. Cautiously Percy put his ear to the ceiling and tapped it twice. A lower note returned to his ear, it was hollow on the other side. Feeling around his tool belt he found a small circular puck that had a antenna like stick poking up from the center which Percy grabbed with his teeth and pulled on. The metallic stick extended until it was it was the length of a ruler satisfied with the length Percy stuck the bottom of the puck onto the ceiling of the baggage compartment then moved the antenna until it was vertical before pressing a button located on the side of the puck. The tip of the antenna started to glow a robin eggs blue and slowly it began to circle around leave a short blue ghost tail on the ceiling. As the tip heated up a laser shot out and hit the ceiling at an outward 45 degree angle making sparks fly and aluminate the dim baggage compartment. Spinning faster and faster it slowly started penetrating the thick ceiling until light seeped through the circular cut the laser made. Percy hit the off switch then returned the laser puck to his tool belt. Then he pushed the laser cut area up and to the side letting the light flood onto him momentarily before hauling himself up. Just as he expected he was in the jets bathroom, in between the toilet and the wall. Suddenly a huff and a mumble shattered the silence. Percy’s heart raced, his body rigid. Slowly he turned to see a security guard perched on the porcelain toilet with his navy blue pants and Sponge bob square pants undies at his feet, like any security guard he was wearing sunglass, ear communicator, and a gun. Percy’s blood ran cold as he eyed the gun and thought of the man grabbing it came to mind. But he didn’t. The security guy just sat there hands lolled either side of him while he breathed deeply He’s asleep Percy realized before he chuckled He must of gotten one of the drugged drinks I set up. Percy silently thanked Nico for the idea. Slowly he angled himself around the sleeping body careful to breathe quietly and move slow. He opened the door from the bathroom to the passenger seating area a crack and gazed through into the dimmed area. The coast was clear.  Slithering through the door and up the wall he blended in with the darker area. Percy noted that the all the seats that usually were meant for passengers were ripped out, the back half of the plane was completely empty except a ring of heavily armored guards facing outward. In the center of that barrier laying on a weight sensitive stand was the treasure he was after. This expensive object was the key to life, if he failed to retrieve it murder would be made in a castle standing in New York. A few Guards were lingering on the sides but most were drowsing in their bunks. Looking closely at the guards you could see slumped shoulders, fluttering eyes, yawns, small discreet stretches and head lolls. These guards were exhausted all thanks to the coffee they drank before boarding, the coffee that was served to them by a happy fellow named John with black hair, a black beard and sea green eyes. Percy smiled at the memory. They were protecting one of the most valuable pieces on earth, the sceptre with the cross, while it toured the world. They were using stealth mode to get it into Paris, the guards were dressed in tourist clothing and they were using what looked like a normal airplane just to avoid the lightning thief only to be served coffee at Korners Cafe by the top notch thief. One of the security guards standing in the circle started to slowly drip his head down until it hit his chest, soon he was dozing in a stand position but nobody noticed. Perfect. Eagerly Percy crept up the wall and onto the ceiling trying to hug it. Apparently the ceiling hated hugs. Percy found himself swinging loosely by one hand. Percy mentally slapped himself, of course the whole friggin plane wasn’t going to be metal! Just the spine! This was going to be like walking over a beam that was 200 meters in the air. Yeah try to call that easy. One hand and foot at a time Percy made it to the middle of the security circle. He gazed down at the sceptre and analyzed that his looked identical thanks to Leo with a sleek long golden neck and one of the largest diamonds in the world. Only Percy’s version was only plated with gold and the diamond was only glass but with a silver lightning bolt in the middle. Carefully Percy lowered his upper body until he was dangling by his feet and took out his elegant fake of the sceptre of the cross from the tube on his back. This switch would either kill or save his family. With skilled quick hands he switched  them then held his breath. Nothing. Slipping the sceptre of the Cross into the tube Percy carefully crawled back to the bathroom. No one had noticed. He was still untouched. More importantly his family was still untouched. Percy shook his head and crawled back into the hole pulling the cut out lid over again sealing him in darkness. The Heist was 2/3rds down all that was left was the escape. Silently he snuck down the side until he was at the bottom of the plane then he grabbed a small oxygen mask and pulled it over his face covering his nose and mouth. Pulling out the Laser puck again he repeated the process from stage 1 and this time the puck made an inward 45 degree angle so that the Percy could cover the hole again. Using the magnetic gloves Percy lifted the circular shape out and to the side. The wind howled and pulled at Percy pushing him toward the hole. Quickly he slithered out into the night air, reached in and sealed the hole making sure to add the puck back into his belt. The frigid wind tugged and ripped at his clothes pulling him back. One quick flick of the control panel and Percy was flying toward the ground at a ear popping speed just the height was making his brain skitter and his stomach to churn. Note; the one weakness of the Lighting Thief is Heights. Quickly Percy pressed a small green button on the control panel. The triangular plate on his back whirred and stretched catching the wind as it grew. Soon Percy was gliding silently on his personal hang glider. Now he just had to find his ticket back to his blackmaile- er employer to deliver this piece. He placed himself between the north star and the Moon while he panickly searched for a broken old barn below. Success. Percy nose dived spinning toward the rusty brown barn while bile rose in his throat and his knees shook as the wind yelled in his ears For them do it for Them Do it for them. Closing his eyes he sent a silent prayer up then evened out the hanglider barely skimming the top of a small birch tree as he whizzed by. The barn was right in front of him and was coming closer by the minute, he had to angle himself just right or he would be in for the hospital and they were too nosy for Percy’s likings. Whoosh. He made it through the barn doors and landed running on the hard packed earth floor. Swiftly Percy hit the green button on the tool belt control panel and the hang glider slowly collapsed and folded but that didn’t stop Percy from running to a black hover craft hidden in the blanket of darkness in the corner of the barn. He leaped inside rolled once then stood up. As expected he was greeted with a fist pump and small victory high five by a guy with olive skin, shaggy black hair and death black eyes and a lean latino guy with a scoop of curly brown hair and deep brown eyes. “World:0 The Lightning Thief: 57” Leo whispered as he shot Percy a grin. Percy grinned and turned to Nico “how did hacking the security cameras go?” “All that the footage will show is a few dozing guards throughout the entire trip” Nico mumbled while pointing to a small laptop that was placed on the floor. “Lets get this baby started” Leo announced while flipping some switch. The hovercraft began to hum and shift as it started floating, the fan on the back started to spin, the noise started to get louder. Leo tracklessly steered the hovercraft out of the barn doors then cranked it up to full speed flying over the countryside at a thrilling pace making hair jump and cheeks blow as they sailed toward the beach.

                                                         

                                                                .o0O0o.

Percy hated airplanes. Just the thought of it nauseated him but here he was sitting in the passenger seat of Air France airlines plane while he tried to ignore the snoring of Leo and Nico who were conked out besides him. The dimmed lights suddenly turned up momentarily blinding Percy “Thank you for riding air france” a flight attendants voice sweetly sang through the speaker “Please remain seated while we land”  Percy nudged Leo and Nico “But I don’t want to leave, give me 5 more minutes with pookie?” Leo dreamily grumbled “We’re here” Percy hissed in his ear. Leo sat upright and spilled the bag of peanuts that had been sitting on his lap “already? but we just took off 10 minutes ago” “No” Percy corrected “ we took off 7 hrs and 25 minutes ago.”  Nico yawned and stretched almost punching Percy in the eye “Lets get our luggage and get the hell outta here” Nico said opening his dopey eyes.Three burgers, Two chocolate milkshakes and one energy drink later Percy was unlocking the door to the new apartment his dad Poseidon Atlantis had purchased for him. He had so much as opened the door a crack when two giants emerged and pretty much assaulted him with kisses  “Festus! c’mere boy, I missed you so much” Leo barely finished before being knocked over by meaty rottweiler who was squirming and whining like a puppy on the return of his owners. A doberman launched itself at Percy whimpering with joy “Aww Mrs. O'leary did Dad feed you yet?” on the mentioning of food both dogs became attentive to Percy still wagging their entire hind quarters. Percy laughed and pushed open the door revealing a most attractive living room with two large grey chesterfields (large sofas) with white and black cushions decorating the top. A white carpet made the sofas pop and a lamp shone beside the sofa sitting on a glass side table which matched the glass coffee table in the center of the room. A flat screen tv was mounted on the wall opposite the chesterfields with a cabinet beneath it contain an x-box and 20 or so games. Leo whistled “Your dad has really outdone himself now” Percy laughed “He’s the second highest billionaire in the world, it was probably hard for him not to order us a pent house with a diamond ball pit and liquid gold swimming pool.” “Wheres the kitchen?” Nico asked. Three minutes later and Percy was sitting on the counter admiring the sparkling black marble counter island, the grey can’t-slam cabinets and drawers and the newest of new stainless steel appliances. “Alright to bed” Percy commanded pointing down the hall “Tomorrow is the first day of highschool for all of us and it would be a pity if you got jet lag” Nico sighed “I’m guessing you have business?” Percy studied the two fifteen year olds, they were way too young to be dragged into doing this, Percy tried to exclude them as much as possible but Percy himself was only 16 and he started his thievery at 12 (long story) he never let them come with him to drop off the stolen pieces. “Ya” Percy muttered looking down. Leo groaned “well goodnig- actually its 9:30 a.m now so good day” After saying a quick good bye Percy stepped out and locked the apartment. He was going to see them and he was going to exchange the sceptre for another 2 months of his family’s lives.