Percy POV
Pretending to have memory loss is harder than I thought.
It is so difficult to keep up the act while seeing the faces of my friends, family, and significant other. I wanted to hug, hold, and kiss Annabeth so badly, but I couldn't.
However, I had no choice.
I had to keep up the facade because it was the only way to make sure that the traitors of Lake Valor didn't come at me.
I didn't know who I can trust. The conspiracy ran far deeper than I ever imagined.
As far as I was concerned, no one was trustworthy, and they all would try to kill me for figuring out the truth. There was a network BlodgeHarm and WiCKeD spies currently working at Lake Valor. I didn't know how high or deep this conspiracy ran.
The fact that I knew about it made me a massive threat to them.
That's when I came up with the memory loss idea.
Memory loss would entail that no one would suspect me because I wouldn't remember anything. It was a solid plan, but it was so hard to lie and pretend around my friends and Annabeth.
To make things worse, Thalia said that my mom was flying in. We were waiting for her at our apartment.
"What's her name?" I asked miserably.
Thalia and Jason both turned towards me. They both looked so sad to see me like this. If only, they knew the truth, then they'd be reassured.
However, I couldn't risk their lives.
Plus, I couldn't trust anyone right now. Not even my best friends and loved ones because I was already stabbed in the back once. That's what led me into 6 months of torture at a BlodgeHarm facility. Betrayal was what led me into this dammed situation.
"Whose name?" Jason asked cautiously. His voice was shaking.
"The person we are waiting for. You both said that she's my mom, but I don't know her or remember her name," I said gently.
My gaze flitted away from them.
My throat was choking from the pent-up emotion and pain. I hated this, and I hated having to lie to them.
"Your mom is Sally Jackson," Jason said before getting up. He quickly stepped out of the room, which left me and Thalia alone.
"Jason's just shaken up, Percy, but he'll be okay," Thalia reassured.
"Were we all related?" I asked softly.
I felt tears burn my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Asking all these questions that I already knew the answers to was a part of the memory loss facade.
"We practically are. Jason's your best friend. We were like family. Hence, why we all live in the same apartment together," Thalia said sadly.
Her hand gently rubbed my own.
It was true that Thalia and Jason were like siblings to me. I loved them both so much.
I simply nodded as we waited in silence.
I didn't know how I could look at my warm mother's face and pretend to not know her. I wasn't sure how to pull this off, but I'm gonna have to.
I couldn't tell her the truth even though she had no connection to Lake Valor.
Lake Valor was located in an isolated location while my mom lived in Florida. It would be okay to reveal the truth to her if it weren't for my suspicion that I was bugged.
BlodgeHarm and WiCKeD were smart enough to inject a chip into my arm. They could and probably were listening to everything that was going on.
As such, I couldn't tell anyone.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang loudly. Thalia quickly got up and went to the door. I simply stood in the living room, mentally preparing myself to face my mother.
If I slipped up, she'd be in danger.
And, my plan to end this horrible conspiracy would fall apart.
My mom quickly ran inside, and she was already crying as she embraced me tightly. It took all of my efforts to not hug back and cry.
Her sobs vibrated against my body as I pulled her away.
"I, um, I don't-"
"Percy, my baby," she acknowledged quietly.
It broke my heart to see her like this and not hold her. I knew that I wouldn't be able to handle this. Not with her.
My mom gave everything to mold me into the man that I am today.
"Percy, I'm your mother," she whispered between sobs as she hugged me again. I noticed Thalia softly crying as she watched us.
I hesitantly wrapped my arms around my beautiful mother. My heart was slowly breaking as I rubbed her back. "Please, please don't cry," I whispered.
My mother pulled back as she gazed at my face.
"How, how did all this happen?" she asked as she cried into my chest.
***
I broke down once I got alone time in my room. I was ashamed to admit that I was crying. After everything that I'd been and was going through, it would be abnormal to not cry.
Pretending to have memory loss was impossible, especially with my mother.
However, I knew that I was injected with a chip. But, I decided to tell my mother regardless. I would just have to tell her without being suspicious.
I stared at myself in the mirror.
I sucked in a breath before wiping the tears off of my face.
After splashing my face with water, I decided to rejoin my mother. Thalia and Jason both went out to get some food for all of us.
The scent of fresh-baked cookies hit my nostrils immediately.
"Percy, I made your favorite," my mom said as I walked into the small kitchen.
I almost broke my act but managed to bit my tongue. Biting your tongue was actually an excellent method to save yourself from talking. It was also a good tactic to pass a lie detector test.
"Cookies?" I asked softly.
"Yes, blue chocolate chip cookies to be exact," my mother stated with a small smile. I could tell that she was heartbroken, but she was also glad to see me alive.
"Do you think that we could go out on a walk?" I asked. "I feel like I could at least get to know you and myself from you."
My mother's eyes teared up as she nodded.
She quickly took the cookies out of the oven before meeting me by the door. The apartment itself was pretty small (besides the 3 bedrooms), and the kitchen was right next to the front door.
I knew exactly where we would go.
Demeter's cafe was one of the best coffee places in town. It was a crowded location, and there were lively pictures on the walls and tables.
Music was also playing loudly.
There was a large boombox that rested against the floor that played music on one side of the room. That's where we would sit.
My arm would be right next to the boombox so that music would be blasting into my arm. Hence, no one could listen to our conversation from the chip.
I hoped that was the case at least.
"Honey, maybe we should sit somewhere else to talk. It's very loud here," my mom said gently.
"I like these seats," I said as I shifted my body.
My arm was hanging over the boombox exactly like planned. I guess when you worked as a special agent for a secret intelligence organization, you get good with ideas.
The waitress brought us our drinks, and then, we were left alone.
"Okay, honey, so maybe we could-"
"Mom," I said interrupting her. She looked at me in surprise.
"You really need to go back home. I'm fine, and I love you. But, for your own safety and my comfort, you should return home and stay out of Lake Valor business," I said firmly.
My voice was quiet just in case.
My mom wore a look of shock as she stared at me. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as I continued to explain (without mentioning the horrible parts like my head injury, the stitches, or the painful torture).
My beautiful and strong mother hugged me softly. I hugged back, and we rested for a few minutes.
For that bit of time, I didn't care that people in the cafe might've been staring. She was my mom, and she deserved this hug from me after 6 months of loneliness.
"I'll tell them that it hurts too much to see you like this. Then, I'll leave," my mom said.
I nodded in admiration and approval.
"I'll call you again when I can," I said firmly with a light smile. She smiled back at me. I know that I couldn't trust anyone, but I could trust her to keep this secret.
For now, my mother was the only one that I'd trust.
***
I stared at the recruits. Just 6 months ago, I was training them to become agents. Now, I was gonna be a trainee with them.
This was probably for the best because it would ensure that I stayed at Lake Valor. As such, I'd have the resources available as well.
It was Monday. My mom left yesterday, but she seemed a lot more satisfied and reassured. She was just worried about me now.
"Percy, are you ready for your first day?" Chiron asked gently.
"Yes, I guess. I cannot believe that I was a secret agent. Like I fought and stuff," I said with fake shock in my voice.
"Yes, you were. In fact, you were one of the best," Chiron said firmly.
I simply nodded as we walked into the training room. It was a large, fairly empty room where recruits could train in combat and short-range weaponry (i.e. blades and clubs).
The recruits were already practicing different combat skills.
Agents Frank and Clarisse were overseeing the training process. I was definitely grateful to them were saving me from BlodgeHarm.
"Recruit Annabeth," Chiron called loudly.
Annabeth immediately stopped her rally with Piper and Katie before running towards us. She was wearing a gray sports bra and tights.
Of course, she looked hot and beautiful at the same time.
"So, Percy, you have already met one of our finest recruits. I have decided that she will help catch you up to the current recruit class," Chiron said.
I stared at Wise Girl. Honestly, while I wanted to be with her so badly, I also didn't.
It hurt to have to lie and pretend around her. Yet, her presence was also so soothing and comforting to pass up.
I simply nodded as I followed Annabeth to a corner of the training room.
Wise Girl gazed at me for a few moments. Her deep gray eyes were sparkling with emotion as I stood. Our gaze was locked, and I knew that this was gonna be hard.
"Ok, Percy, combat should be in your muscle memory. We'll start slow and catch you up quickly with all the physical training," Annabeth expressed.
I nodded as she 'taught' me different combat skills.
I already knew how to fight, but I messed up on purpose a few times. Since I was training with Annabeth, some of the hits hurt as well.
But, I didn't mind spending time with her.
I just had to watch my mouth, so that I didn't slip up anything.
This was so similar to the first time we met. I had come on as a trainer, and I was teaching her offense combat. Literally, this was the same, but the roles were reversed.
Gods, my connection to her was so immediate.
I knew that I couldn't take any help from anyone any time soon (this included Annabeth).
However, even if I wanted to reveal the truth to Annabeth, I couldn't because of the chip in my arm. It's not like I could blast music into my arm every time I wanted to talk to her.
I didn't even know exactly where the chip was in my arm.
I blocked another one of her punches but purposefully exposed myself to a punch to the gut. I groaned in pain. That was gonna bruise.
I saw the remorse in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.
"Yeah, um, if this was my job, then I want to learn it again," I said reassuringly.
She nodded as we continued to train. My mind made up a plan as I trained with Annabeth, the woman I loved but was pretending to not know.
My first course of action would be to get this chip out of my arm.
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I hope that everyone enjoys this story. So, this is the real twist for my story. Let me know what you all think :)
Did you guys expect Percy to have memory loss from the explosion? Let me know :)
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