Chapter Text
“End of line, all change please!”
Percy woke Annabeth up gently and they grabbed their 60 liters rucksacks from the luggage rack before jumping off the train.
The sun was slowly rising in the horizon, the clock on the platform marking 8 o’clock. The couple had been up since 5 to leave their last motel on time and catch the first train towards San Francisco.
“Welcome to Beacon Hills” Annabeth read on the sign above the station’s door.
Thirty minutes into the journey, an announcement had informed them that due to an accident on the tracks, they had to be redirected and end their line in a small town, 100km away from Percy’s and Annabeth’s hopped destination.
Even if Beacon Hills wasn’t advertised in their Globetrotter’s guide as a must-see landmark, they didn’t mind the detour. For the past month, they had been traveling the US from east to west, rotating between train, bus and hitchhiking when necessary. This trip had been the break they’ve been needing for years and even though they were barely sleeping 6 hours a night and spent their time walking around with 60l bags, they had never felt in such good form. Their constant fatigue had magically lifted off after their first deadly-threats-free week.
Off the train a few hours earlier than expected, they quickly went looking for someone who could help them find a way to get to San Francisco before sunset.
A staff member let them know that no other train would be leaving Beacon Hills’ station that day and their only option was to catch a bus. They had a constraining slot since there were only 3 buses a day, every two days. They had already missed the 8am one and were hoping to either get the 12 or the 6pm one, as their last chance.
“The bus station is 20 minutes away if you walk, you can get there by following the main road. There’s a dinner halfway if you want to stop for a meal.” The cashier informed them from behind the glass.
“Thanks” replied Annabeth as she was writing down the directions. “Is there anything interesting to visit in town?”
“M’afraid not. All we have around here is the nature preserve. And I wouldn’t go there if I were you, lots of dangerous wild animals.”
“What kind of animals?” Percy asked, intrigued.
“The kind that goes on a killing spree every three months” he grumbled. “Been saying for years to track them and put them down. ‘They’re protected’ the sheriff told me, can’t touch them inside the forest apparently. I’m telling you kids, don’t go.”
*
“Isn’t that the stay-away-very-dangerous forest the man from the station warned us about?”
“Probably.”
“Should we go take a look?” Percy asked like a kid trying to extort some candy.
“No.”
Annabeth and Percy had been following the cashier’s instructions and were walking along the main road, hoping to soon come across the dinner and get a full breakfast. Unfortunately, the road itself was running along the forest. Having been warned not to go in, Percy was itching to do quite the opposite, making him a particularly hard-to-restrain hyperactive boyfriend, especially since there were no sidewalks.
“Percy, come back here, you’ll get run over.”
“It’s ok, we haven’t seen even one car, I doubt this ‘main road’ is very use-”
Throwing himself on the side, he narrowly escaped being smashed by the hood of a way-over-the-speed-limit blue jeep.
“What did I say?” Annabeth laughed as she observed arms crossed her boyfriend trying to find his balance.
“I want that car.” he declared, finally standing still.
Annabeth could picture the hearts beating inside Percy’s eyes, ready to pop out as he stared longingly at the curve of the road, where the jeep had just disappeared.
“I need that car.”
“Alright, let’s go. I’m hungry.”
“Annabeth.”
“Even if we could get you one, you don’t have a license Seaweed brain. Now can we please go?”
On rare occasions, Annabeth was dating a mighty war hero who could make mountains shiver at the mere mention of his name. The rest of the time, she was babysitting a child.
She rolled her eyes, grabbed Percy’s hand - who was still drooling at the thought of driving a blue jeep - and led the way down the never-ending road. 5 that felt like 20 minutes later, they caught sight of the dinner’s sign in the distance. Time does not fly by when you have an empty stomach.
“Wow you really are hungry!” exclaimed Percy.
“What?”
“Your belly’s gurgling.”
“That wasn’t me.”
“Don’t worry, I think it’s cute.”
“Percy. It really wasn’t me.”
“Oh. well then who-”
The previously faint growl let itself heard once again, only louder and… angrier?
This time, the couple was able to locate the point of origin and immediately rotated towards a dark bush behind the woods’ border. They drew their weapons and adopted a fighting stance instantly.
The sun had now fully risen, but the shade of the leaves made it difficult to identify the menace, only revealing two yellow glows.
“Is that-”
“Eyes!” Annabeth warned as the creature took a leap towards them at full speed, a clawed paw raised above its head, ready to slit their throats open.
Vacation mood was out, and the fight instincts kicked back in. Annabeth jumped on the side as Percy swung Riptide directly at the monster’s arm, tearing a smoking wound from elbow to wrist.
The monster screamed and stumbled backwards, but Annabeth would not let it take a break and threw herself at it, slashing its ankles as she turned swiftly around its body. Both wounds released an orange smoke like the previous one, but the monster - now fallen on its knees - was still flesh and bone in front of them.
“Why isn’t it disintegrating?” Percy asked, confused.
“I don’t know.” Annabeth replied as she pressed her dagger against its throat. “Let’s ask.”
The creature wasn’t snarling anymore. Its eyes were wet, desperate, begging for mercy. Now out of the shadows, they could get a better look at it: fangs, claws, glowing eyes - no eyebrows and sideburns, seriously? - this monster was unknown to them.
“What are you?” Percy asked gravely.
“Please-” the monster begged, now sobbing and trembling.
Annabeth used to be kind. She used to be naïve. But having already fought two wars before reaching age eighteen, she had since learned not to be fooled.
She pressed the blade harder, and blood started dripping along the creature’s collar.
“This is the last time we ask. What are you, and why aren’t you disintegrating?”
“I- I don’t- please…I’m not-”
“Back to Tartarus it is.” she concluded as she grabbed its throat with her left hand and raised her dagger, ready to slash directly into the heart.
She was stopped in her action by a loud cry in the distance.
“NOOOO!”
The couple barely had time to turn towards the noise before they were tackled to the ground by flashing forces coming from both sides. Heads pinned face first into the dirt, they were disarmed and the monster was released. Even if they couldn’t see their assailants, they could deduce from the movements and footsteps that they were probably four; two were restraining them, one was helping the monster and the last one stood further back from the action.
They tried to struggle and break free, but the grip only tightened as the aggressors snarled in their ear.
“It’s okay, you’re safe now” they heard one of them say.
“What should we do with them?” asked the one on top of Percy.
“Kill them.” said the one holding Annabeth.
“Uh- please don’t.” Percy replied with a sigh.
“We’re not killing anyone.” said the first one, firmly.
“Thanks man.”
“But we will interrogate them.”
Fuck.
“Stiles, call Argent.”
Percy and Annabeth struggled again but as Percy started reaching for his pocket, feeling Riptide coming back, the leader gave one last order.
“Knock them out.”