broken

chapter two

Percy POV

I wake up in a cell. Annabeth is next to me, looking like she's been through Tartarus. Again. I shake her awake and hold her close. Her tears fall into my chest.

"I was back, Percy. Tartarus was torturing you," she says.

"Shhhh. Shh. We're okay. We aren't there anymore," I whisper into her hair.

Just then, a man with an eye patch comes around the corner.

"Perseus, come with me," he says.

I glance back at Annabeth and follow him.

Steve POV
I walk into one of the interrogation rooms to see Percy handcuffed to a table. He's staring into space and just looks bored.

These kids keep surprising me.

"Hey Percy," I tell him. "I'm going to ask you some questions."

He nods his head.

"First, it took three tranquilizer darts to know you out. One can take out a 200 pound male. Why were you still standing?"

"I got big muscles," he says, flexing and grinning.

I laugh. "That's not really an answer, but okay. Next, any family?"

"My dad was lost at sea before I was born. My mom Sally, remarried to this guy named Paul, and they have a daughter, Estelle." He gives me another grin.

"Alright. NOw, I'm going to say one word, and you respond with whatever comes to mind," I tell him.

He nods.

"Friends."

"Gone."

"Death."

"Gaea."

"Life."

"Sucks."

"Dad."

"Ocean."

"Mom."

"Blue."

"Happiness."

"Annabeth."

"Pain."

He stutters before saying, "Tartarus."

"Huh?"

We make eye contact and he's broken. More than me. More than Nat. More than even Tony.

What happened?

Percy POV

Steve leaves and another man walks in. HE has salt and pepper hair and wears glasses. He says his name is Bruce.

"Okay Perseus," He says. I grind my teeth.

"Percy."

"Sorry, Percy, we just need to run some tests. Can you roll up your sleeves so I can take some blood?"

Slowly, I roll up my sleeves, revealing the knife marks from Tartarus, Kronos, Gaea, and I don't know, being a demigod.

His eyes fill with horror.

"Are those... knife marks?" He asks.

I nod my head.

"Are there more?"

I nod my head.

"Take your shirt off."

"No," I say.