Mission Accepted: Percabeth AU (HoO)✔️

Northern Rebel Headquarters: Part 1

Photo by Martin Courreges on Unsplash 

The truck finally comes to a stop. For what feels like hours I have been laying on top of very uncomfortable crates thinking about what I am about to walk into and wondering what Percy thinks of my letter. In the beginning of the ride Jason was screeching into the earpiece, clearly pissed. So, I told them I was taking out my earpiece for the ride.

Shoving my earpiece back in I hear static silence. "Hello?" I whisper into the darkness.

"Annabeth! Are you at headquarters?" I hear Katie ask.

I shift, "I think so, the truck has stopped."

Thalia then speaks, "Okay, here's what you need to do, and it must be done quickly."

I prop myself up on my elbows, "Okay."

"There are bags of soot and ash at the back of the truck, can you get to them?" she informs me. I hesitate. Soot and ash? Thalia senses that and says, "Don't ask me why it's there, I have no clue."

Turning my head to face the back, I follow the path with my eyes that I would have to take. "It's not comfortable, but its do-able."

"Perfect, I need you to get over there. Take off your mask – "

I begin to protest, "Thals, I can't – "

"Trust me Annie."

Sighing, I nod even though she can't see me. "Okay, I'm going."

I flip over onto my stomach and begin crawling over the crates. I hear voices coming from outside the truck and my heartbeat picks up. Faster, Annabeth. The truck doesn't have the longest compartment, so I reach the back in good timing. Once there Thalia orders me to put soot and ash over my entire face and outfit, creating the dirty worker look. I do as I am told, almost sneezing as the ash rises in the air when I pat it onto my sleeves.

That is when the truck door opens. I find a nook to wedge myself into, in order not to look like a crazy person on top of all the crates. Whispering into the side of my mouth, I say, "The door is open."

"Act natural," Thalia advises.

I roll my eyes, "Yeah no sh – "

"Stop talking, they'll here you!" I hear Jason say.

I shut my mouth, knowing he's right. The crates ahead begin being carried off by a forklift. This disguise will make sense in headquarters, not the truck. I search my surroundings wildly, trying to find a hiding spot. The bags of soot and ash line the back wall to my side. I see the opened bag I used to dirty myself and my mouth quirks up slightly.

Percy's POV:

I have not left the conference room since last night. I have refused to leave the mic, despite not talking. Jason told me that if I speak it'll distract her, so I keep silent as Thalia tells Annabeth to put soot all over her.

The anxiety of knowing where she is, what she'll be doing and the fact that they could very well recognize her has made me physically ill. My fingers twiddle over one another as I hear a bunch of rummaging from Annabeth's side.

Jason looks at Thalia before speaking into the mic, "What's all that noise?"

I hear Annabeth's breathless whisper, "I'm in one of the bags."

We're all silent for a minute before Thalia speaks up, "The bags of soot and ash?"

"That's the one."

Jason nods, "Good, it's the only place she can probably hide to get out of that truck undetected."

"I'm shutting this communication line off until I can get into the base," I hear her say. My heart stops.