The Half-Blood Project

9- Everything That Is And Is Not

Percy Jackson.

You're a fool Perseus. You should have read the signs sooner. Greek monster, water abilities. The way the water heals you.

You're a fool Perseus and the world will find out just how stupid you are.

The voices are the same as always, singing in my ear constantly, talking in the same metallic voice. The knife scraping against the iron sides. I shake myself out of a groggy, unwelcome sleep that was clogged with unwanted nightmares and visions.

I saw Luke and his regal face, the scar slashing across, it's white now, not like when it was stitched up. He always told me a dragon bested him.

I don't think it was just a dragon, was it? He always lied, so what was the truth?

Luke and his countless lies. They sicken me. Every time I think of him, I punch out the memory, in hopes that I don't see him when my eyes close. But when I do that, I see Bianca, I see Zoe, I see all of those who have died because I tried to make their lives better.

Only made them worse, didn't I?

Only made the visions worse for myself and the life I'm trying to live to darken with their shadows that linger.

You got Bianca killed. Your cousin, sisterless and lost in a world that he can't possibly comprehend because he is only seventeen. He doesn't yet realize what went down that night. He still blames you for her death. He wishes it was you.

I untangle myself from my sheets and throw on a faded orange shirt and tug on some shorts a pair of Nike's. I'm going for an early morning run around the compound. 

Fresh air hits my lungs and I feel the constricted feeling in my throat lessen and nearly vanish as my feet hit the ground continuously, over and over on the cracked concrete that runs around the zigzag of warehouses. The smell of pressed coffee beans infiltrates my nose as I run by the streets of LA, outdoor cafes, people posing for early morning Instagram posts. 

I love being in California, every day is good weather for running unless you have an earthquake, that's not as good.

Running gives me a sense of peace these days, it lets me relax in the form of working out, I can feel the earth move beneath me and the pull of the ocean nearby, just seeing the ocean gives me more strength than it did before. 

My Nike's hit the beach, sand splaying around me and into my shoes, it would drive me mad later, but the salty breeze and the tug, the pull of the ocean brings me to the shore, where the water laps at my feet. 

Without thinking I wade into the water and disappear beneath the early morning waves. I hold my breath until I can't and sink back into the comfortable feeling of breathing underwater, bubbles swimming to the surface. The water gives me a sense of strength I'll never really understand. It can't be restrained, like me, a dam can only hold back the river for so long. Nature will always outweigh human construction and the belief of taking over. 

Creatures swim past me, stingrays and a multitude of colorful fish and guppies glide past, eyeing me curiously, my heat sensitive eyes bore into the darkness of the ocean, that the sun can't penetrate. 

Percy...

A voice, not the angry ones that echo in my head. A dark, deep voice, not like Kronos and the rough splintered tone he carries, but it's different. An undertone of warmth and pleasure comes from this voice in the dark of the water. 

Percy...

It ring's out again, I'm not sure if I'm hearing it right. 

The voice is familiar, maybe I've heard it in one of my dreams? But my dreams have been of the upcoming reign of Kronos and the evil uprising of half-blood's Luke has turned to his side.

My gut tells me to not go and find the source of this voice, it could be something dangerous. Riptide weights down my pocket but I do not reach for the familiary of the bronze sword, I kick my legs back from the darkness and the unfamiliar shadows of the water. 

When I do break the surface I look back to the shore, I'm several hundred feet from the beach and my arms propel me forwards, using the strength I have over the liquid below.  I'm still dry to the bone. 

Sun beats down on my back and it's much later into the morning than when I left, so making sure that my Nike's are all laced up, I start the run back to the compound where I'm sure everyone is waiting for me, as it's a lovely Saturday morning. 

--

"Hey, where did you go?" Jason clapped me on the back friendly-like but his electric eyes looked me up and down carefully, analyzing me. 

"On a run." My voice was clipped, and short, I did not need to tell them of the voices I heard in the water. And I didn't like lying to my friends. I avoided looking at Annabeth, I figured she was doing the same, she was seated on the far end of the kitchen/mess hall, talking to Hazel and Piper. 

"We got reports of half-blood activity up in the San Francisco area last night, we want to send a team of scouts up there, find us some recruits." Jason slurped his orange juice. 

I furrowed my brow, we hadn't gotten many magical reports of half-bloods up in San Francisco for a while, but we desperately needed more to join our cause for the greater good. 

"After breakfast gathers the team in the ping=pong room. And bring some Easy-Cheeze and crackers." 

"On it." 

Rule #10. Always use Easy-Cheese and Crackers for important meetings. 

The kitchen was noisy, full of chatter on a fun early morning like this. Trainee's made themselves breakfast, talked, and even pored over some maps of the area I've never seen. They can plan whatever they want, but as their leader, I have to approve of it. 

Ten minutes later my team was in the ping-pong room, I kicked my feet up on the table and sprayed one of the numerous cans of Easy-Cheese into my mouth. Piper faked gagged at me. 

"So, you have reports of activity up in San Fran?" 

Jason nodded and layed out a bunch of starch white papers with tiny, messy handwriting scrawled on. Leo must have written the information down, he has the worst handwriting. 

"So? Give me the details." I urged them and Jason looked slighted pink in the face. 

"There was an explosion at a boarding school just outside the city, and multiple eye-witnesses claim two kids weighting off demons from hell with giant poking sticks." 

That was new. 

"Two possible half-bloods. San Fran is a long trip." I tapped my forehead in deep thought. Practically every trainee wanted to prove themselves in battle, out on the field, they wanted to show off their abilities so everyone can see them. 

I understood. 

"Frank, you take the lead on this one." Frank sat up a little straighter and the cracker in his hand snapped in two. "You leave in two hours with Miranda Gardener and Malcolm Pace. I want both of you back by Tuesday, if not, I'm sending reinforcements." 

A little gathering trip up north should take no more than three days. But they would probably get side-tracked and fight a dozen monsters and take back more than two kids with poking sticks. 

"You got it." Frank nodded and left the room to go find the eager trainees. Miranda was not a fighter, she was better off in the infirmary, but I was also eager for her to explore the bounds of her growth powers and what she could do. Malcolm was a strategist, he could plan everything and execute it with near perfection. This was the perfect opportunity to prove his worth out on the field. 

"Anything else Percy?" Jason asked, his blonde eyebrows raised and his electric eyes un-moving off of mine. 

You should tell them 

No, I can't. Not yet. 

Not until we know the full details. I wondered who Jason's dad was? Or Piper's mom or Hazel's dad. They deserved the truth, to know their heritage and what they are. 

"Nothing else. Today is a free day, do whatever you'd like." 

I want to tell them so badly. 

But I don't.