Chapter 3, Just A Cover.

Piper Mclean

Piper sat at her desk tapping her pen against the cherry wood as she tried to stay focused on her new case she was assigned. But everything distracted her. The color of her desk reminded her of when she got so burnt (because she fell asleep while tanning) after going on a short vacation to the beach Annabeth had to rub cream all over Piper every morning and night because her body burned so much from the hot sun. The sound of footsteps coming close to her station reminded her of when Annabeth would walk over and help with Piper's new cases. The grey sky outside reminded Piper of Annabeth's sky grey eyes that became so stormy when she was confused or angry. Even the pen she was tapping on her desk without a purpose reminded her of a memory when the whole Police crew had a party, they were throwing darts for points and someone told Annabeth she couldn't do it. So Annabeth being so extra used a pen and hit dead center. Piper chuckled at the thought of her best friend.

Piper's smile quickly left her face thinking about how she had utterly and suddenly without warning betrayed her and the whole Police station. She became a murderer, killing her best friend's other best friend. How could she be so rude? So selfish and stupid not even thinking about another person but herself. She must hate everyone and everything! Maybe she had no emotions? Maybe she did but she just didn't care? Maybe this whole was just a cover? The whole police gig. Just a cover to confuse people as to assume she fought against murderers and wasn't one. Maybe Piper was just a cover? Were they ever friends? Maybe Piper should've picked up on some hints? Did Annabeth send any? It didn't matter, Annabeth was an ex-best friend, she was a lying, ruthless, jerk! She didn't deserve anything! She deserved a fate worse than-

Piper found herself balling her hands into fists and squeezing the pen to hard it was starting to bend. Her teeth were grit and her face was red from anger her eyes glossy because her body felt the need to cry. Piper closed her eyes and repeatedly thought about how her strength would be compromised if she cried. I can't cry, I won't. I will be strong. She swore. She swore she wouldn't cry over the things she had lost because of her ex-best friend.

Piper inhaled deeply sucking in all her doubts and fears for just a moment. She needed to focus, she needed to find Annabeth, and end her spree of unexpected evil, save the people from a murderer. Piper exhaled letting go of all the doubts and worries before opening her eyes and beginning to focus on her work.

"Hey Piper look at what I just found." Piper looked up from her work at Sam who showed her pictures of a blond haired woman with her hair up in a ponytail, like she used to wear before, driving through New York in suspicious places. 

"You get the license plates?" Piper asked as she studied the pictures more trying to see if it was really Annabeth, but the camera's that are on the stoplights never had good quality, that's one thing Piper hated she didn't have enough money to fix. It'd make her job so much easier if the camera's were high definition. "Yes," Sam responded, "I looked them up in the system and it had been missing for almost two days now." Sam said and Piper gave him back the pictures he had handed her.

"Find me the last place that car was, immediately!" Piper sent him off and he nodded as he ran back to his computer. Piper stood and threw her button up Police shirt over her black tank-top before going to find her assistant knowing Annabeth knew she'd have to ditch the stolen car if she didn't want to get caught. What was her assistant's name again? Percy? Yeah, that was it.

Piper looked around to find him sitting at a desk looking at papers as he was about to take a sip of a steaming hot beverage.

"Jackson!" Piper yelled at him since he didn't look up when he heard hurried footsteps like every Police Man should. Percy jerked his head up looking startled half to death dropping the papers he was holding out of his hand and quickly setting down his beverage. 

"Y-yes Piper?" He stuttered nervously and she almost felt pity on him.. Almost. "We have a lead, we're leaving in a few minutes. Get your stuff together." Piper said and he nodded quickly getting up from his seat quickly accidentally bumping the desk making his drink fall and spill on his pants making Percy gasp probably from the heat as Piper winced in sympathy.

Percy stood up the rest up the way as Piper watched him "Not my tea." He mumbled as he wiped off his pants setting his styrofoam cup upright. Piper raised an eyebrow at him. Is he British or something?? She thought before shrugging and walking off saying "Hurry up Jackson!"

Piper got the information from Sam and told him to call her and update on the car's position. Then she grabbed Percy and walked through the Police station as other Police men and women looked at Percy and chuckled or snickered whispering to the other person beside them just like if they were still in school. Piper rolled her eyes, that's the thing she liked about Annabeth, she didn't do that crap. She was real and defended other people.

Piper breathed out and looked back at Percy as they exited the building. "You look like you soiled yourself." Piper said and Percy sighed nodding in agreement as they got into Piper's police car which was a mustang so that they were fast enough to catch speeders.

"Now they think I'm even more of a weirdo than I was the first day." Percy groaned lightly before face-palming as Piper smiled in compassion at him. She reached over and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You'll get through it." She said and Percy gave her a small smile before nodding lightly.

Piper took her hand away and drove where the directions Sam gave took her. She drove a little fast chomping at the bit hoping she could get this case over with even though it was only the third day she was assigned to it. She had practically memorized the directions in the minute she was waiting for Percy. Now that she was driving she felt like she was becoming crazy with anticipation. Just to catch her ex-best friend and make her pay for killing Le-

Piper shook her head shaking those thoughts out with her shake. She needed to focus. She needed to tell Percy how to act. She needed to be strong.

"Make sure you have your gun ready while I check the car in case something happens, but don't shoot until you know who it is." she glanced over in time to see him nod as he looked forward out the front window. "Yes, Ma'am." She heard him say and she rolled her eyes at his words.

She speed dialed Sam asking if the car had moved at all. "No, I don't think so. No, it hasn't." Piper nodded, "Thank's Sam." she said in all seriousness and he replied cockily, "It's my job honey." Piper scoffed.  "Yeah, yeah, get yourself a girlfriend before you make my boyfriend jealous." Sam laughed loudly through the phone Piper was sure Percy could hear it.

"Okay, I'll work on that." She could imagine Sam winking at her like he usually would. "Bye Sam." "Bye Piper!"

She hung up and slipped her phone in her pocket before parking the car and getting out Percy following close behind her Piper not paying much attention knowing that him, being a newbie, would do his best to pay attention and do his best. 

Piper pulled out her gun as she turned to walk into an alleyway instantly seeing the car she was looking for. She furrowed her eyebrows before walking closer knowing what had happened even though every inch of her hoped it hadn't.

She got right up to it and found that it was empty, and had been wiped clean.

"Crap." She whispered shoving her gun into the holster strapped to her waist as she ripped the car door open looking inside and checking the glove compartment, it had the usual stuff that would be in a glove compartment. Apparently Annabeth hadn't even looked in there. Smart girl. That's why they called her Wisdom's Daughter in the Police force.

Piper pulled away and sighed looking at the car in dismay. "Anything?" She heard Percy ask making her look over at him to see him looking over his shoulder her as he watched around them.

"No, you can put your gun away now. She's probably miles away now." Piper said in a disappointed voice obvious to anyone who could hear her speak. and Percy nodded sliding his gun back into it's holster and turning to her his pants mostly dry now. 

"Call the team and tell them to come out here and look at the car just to make sure there's nothing I missed." She ordered and Percy nodded grabbing his phone from his pocket and dialing walking a bit away from her so that he could talk on the phone.

Piper inspected the vehicle again just for her own sanity. When she found nothing a second time she sighed and crossed her arms.

This case was going to be harder than she thought. And this was only the beginning..

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I kept spelling Sam as Same so if it says Same as his name, know it's just a typo 😂