I forgot about this. Like I legit forgot what happened in the last chapter. I reread multiple times before writing this.

~~~~

V~Percy~V

Percy stood silently beside Jason in the darkness. He didn't move listening carefully for another soft whisper or other clues to which would lead them to the girls. Percy felt as his wrist was tugged sharply and his eyes flickered to Jason. He couldn't see Jason well in the dark but he could see the glint of his glasses as Jason jerked his head forward.

Percy nodded and Jason leaned closer to him and spoke under his breath. "How?"

Percy didn't respond but he slowly moved to his free hand behind him. He grabbed blindly at his shirt and lifted it up and he tensed at the chill air caused goosebumps to raise on his skin. Slowly he switched hands so his handcuffed hand held the shirt. Once he had done that his free hand slid to his waistband and pulled out the piece of metal there. His hand closed around the handle of the gun and he brought it around to his front as he dropped the shirt. "For show," Percy whispered to Jason at his confused look.

Jason nodded and moved forward slightly. Percy moved with him and both tried hard to avoid making sound.

"I think they're gone."

The voice was quiet. So quiet that if one hadn't been searching for it, they wouldn't have heard it. Percy moved closer to the direction of type sound his own freedom seeming closer and closer with every step. With each step he could hear his mother's laugh getting a bit louder. He held his own breath as they crept closer. He heard a rustling, and his eyes darted toward the sound. He felt as his eyes strained in the dark. He could feel as Jason moved slightly causing the handcuffs to pull and Percy cringed at the soft sound of clinking metal. He watched and waited hoping the girls hadn't been altered. If they ran Percy wasn't sure he and Jason could keep up while running handcuffed in the dark.

Silence came and Percy glanced at Jason, he could see his blonde hair dip down as he nodded. And the two moved slowly and carefully forward.

After a moment or so more rustling met his ears and he saw as two figures rose.

"Let's go," one whispered.

Percy slowly moved and pulled the gun out and cocked it letting the sound ring. The two figures froze and and he saw as two sets of eyes fixed their gaze on him.

"We may need you alive, but we can still injure you," Jason said loudly as he turned on the flashlight. "Not that we want to have to of course."

"Where are you even taking us?" The other girl- the target asked. "And who do you work for?"

"That's a conversation we can have back at the truck," Percy told them. "Come on."

The girls moved closer and Percy and Jason moved behind them. Percy held the gun as to their back.

"Walk," Jason ordered.

The two girls didn't argue and began to shuffle along reluctantly.

"Why are you doing this?" The blonde one asked.

"Keep walking," Percy told her.

The two girls kept attempting to make conversation to deter them but Percy had had enough for the night. He wanted a few hours of sleep and then to be on his way. The faster they dropped these two girls off the better.

Percy allowed Jason to direct them in the dark as he seemed to know where they were going. Though after what felt like too much time, they arrived back at the truck. Leo and Nico were already back.

The two were in the process of pitching a tent.

"You found them!" Leo cheered as they approached.

"We did," Percy nodded. "Now get these fucking handcuffs off of us."

Leo shrugged and came closer as Nico ushered the girls into the truck.

When the hand cuffs were off the other boys occupied themselves with the tents as the Percy stood watch over the girls.

The two had moved further back into the truck, so they were obscured. He couldn't make it their faces, but he could see the general shapes of their bodies.

"Who do you work for?" One called.

"Does it matter?" Percy responded. "But you might as well sleep now. The ride might get bumpy tomorrow."

"How the hell do you all sleep at night?" The target snapped suddenly as one of the two figures came closer so he could make out slight features. "Do you guys just have sweet dreams about going home to your parents and telling them about how you kidnapped two girls for the hell of it? Do you-"

Percy gave a chuckle and crossed his arms as he leaned against the doorway of the open truck.

"What's so funny?" She demanded.

Percy laughed again as he shrugged. "You make it sound like kidnapping is the worst thing which could be done to you. And I assure you, there's worse, and I'm guilty of it."

The girl's face paled and she opened and closed her mouth unsure of what to say or do in response.

"You're only alive because we were told to keep you alive," Percy told her honestly. "I hope you remember that as we continue."

"Well technically we only need the target alive," Nico corrected walking up. "The other is just assurance. We could kill her." Percy looked to him to see Nico staring into the truck with a frown, "I prefer transporting the dead dead," Nico said after a moment to which Percy nodded in agreement,

"It's easier."

"Because they don't question your morals?" The target muttered.

"Exactly," Percy found himself replying. "The dead are silent, but they watch you with piercing accusing eyes. The tortured on the other hand scream and shout cursing you, saying all the horrible things you already know about yourself. You two meanwhile, you do both."