Forgotten Paradise by Average Canadian

Chapter 7: Still Aching

10 years later 

He drew his hand up to his forehead in a perfect salute. 

"At ease" the Captain commanded. "Perseus Jackson your new orders will be to protect Kevin Dare's daughter, Rachel Elizabeth Dare." 

A yellow straight file was thrust over the desk to the young agent. 

Seventeen year old Percy Jackson accepted a crisp file from the Captain and carefully opened it, reading the file accordingly. 

His locks of black hair messily arranged, his broadened shoulders straight and forward and his tall solid silhouette leaving a shadow from the suns rays hitting him through the window. His face completely deprived of emotion as he read the little file containing his assignment. 

Apparently Kevin Dare was pretty high up in the secret governmental service. 

Nothing Percy couldn't handle though. 

His expectations lowered dramatically as he read the file and a silent mist of disappointment dusted his heart. This mission was weak compared to what he was usually expected to do. 

"Dismissed" The Captain bellowed as he sat down to his lavish dark oak desk. 

"Er." Percy started unsure how to say what was on his mind. 

"You harbor some distaste milad?" The Captain looked up at him through his bushy grey eyebrows. 

"With all due respect sir, this mission sounds more like a glorified bodyguard assignment." 

"And this distastes you because?" Captain returned gruffly. 

"Well you see sir, I feel like this assignment won't be- won't be.... challenging my potential." Percy explained. 

The Captain cleared his throat. "I see." he responded huskily. 

The Captain pushed his desk chair back and waltzed stiffly to the front of his desk where he leaned against it heavily. A heavy silence layered the well decorated and orderly room. The office was in perfect symmetry. A large oak desk in the center, beautiful white paned bay windows on either side and neat matching rows of filing cabinets and books shelves lining the walls. Technically, if you saw one side of the room then you've seen the other. 

"Perseus, Your mission is to keep Rachel Elizabeth Dare safe" the Captain repeated slowly and drawled, as if he was still thinking about his words. 

Percy nodded curtly as a sign that he was following. 

"Rachel Dare has been targeted for unknown reasons." The seriousness in his voice was not unexpected. "Rachel's your age you know" The Captain added "And since you must protect her, you must follow her every where she goes." 

Dramatic pause. 

"Including school" The Captain finished with a sly wink and a light smirk. 

Percy's heart rate picked up as realization dawned on his oblivious mind. All the stories he heard, all the memories he never got from a place that apparently every normal person went to at some point. 

"Now to blend in, in this type of..... social place you must appear to be a perfectly normal teenager" the Captain emphasized the last part with a coy look twinkling in his eyes. 

"Which means Perseus Jackson, that while you protect Miss Dare you must live as a perfectly normal american teenager." 

Percy started to hyperventilate and he bit his lip to keep himself from smiling too brightly.