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McShizzle Gets a Job

The part you've all been waiting for: Leo Valdez! I hope you like it!

By the way: This story is happening after the House of Hades, okay?

Thanks for reading! Enjoy! ~Alex

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Leo Valdez was pretty sure he was getting the worst of luck.

He woke up in a stinky sewer, almost got run over by a Coca~cola truck trying to get out, tripped over the curb and crashed into a green trash can, and nearly got infected by a rabbit bite. He had finally stumbled into a large pointless field with no sense of direction and no idea what to do. Pretty much as suckish as you can get.

He was trekking along the field. His hand was still bleeding from when he was dangling from a computer wire from the Argo II. He had two identical talon scars  on his left shoulder from when the harpies had surprise-attacked him while he was tinkering, and a bloodly nose from getting smashed up against the wall after the ship started leaning, topped with a migrane.

Leo fell to his knees. His stomach rumbled. He groaned. Leo's food hole was empty. He needed to eat.

He remembered the stew and fruit and cider Calypso had made for him during his time on Ogygia. It reminded him of sweet memories. That's what he wanted. He wanted Calypso to be here with him, to help him keep moving, keep him company.

Leo smiled. Maybe make him some stew.

His stomach grumbled again. Leo crossed his legs and started fiddling with some peices. That seemed to relax him. Now he could think.

"OFF!"

Leo jumped up. "Holy-" But he was grabbed from behind by his fatage army jacket collar and thrown into a truck.

"Huh?" Leo tried to sit up but was pushed into the trunk.

"Hey!" Leo swung his arm at the person, but stopped when the man crossed his arms.

"Don't think you can get away with bombing state property!" The man grumbled. He was bald with a checkered shirt and baby blue muddy jeans that hung too low. He was a bit on the chubby side with fuzzy arms. Leo thought he looked maybe forty, fifty something.

"Um...." Leo realised he was sitting on the back of a truck, balancing on the edge. "I don't... 'bomb'" He used his fingers to make quotation signs. The man looked doubtful. Leo didn't blame him. He almost laughed at himself - saying you don't bomb things when your a demigod sounds ridiculous.

The man raised and eyebrow. "Stupid teenagers are always setting off fireworks and stink bombs and explosives in this field and I don't like it. You looked like you were preparing a bomb."

"Oh, no, sir, never-" Leo tried not to smile. "-thats against all meanings of religion." He put his hand over his heart for effect, but the man held out his hand.

"You were doing something. Let me see it."

Leo tried to protest, but reluctantly handed over the small device he hand been tinkering with.

The man looked at it closely. "What the..."

Leo couldn't help but show off. "Watch," He demenstrated as he took back the device and threw it softly in the air. Once it hit the point of falling in started to spin so wildly two thin blades extracted from the side so that they were slicing through the air sideways. Instead of falling, it hovered for a moment, then started to lower slowly back into Leo's hand. He stuck his thumb at the side of one of the blades and it stopped.

He looked up at the man. He was staring in awe.

A moment passed. "How did you do that?" The man said.

Leo shrugged. "Handy with tools, I guess."

The man stared at him like he couldn't believe he was taking this so lightly, but at the same time like he had just found what he was looking for.

"Whats your name, boy?" The man nodded.

"Leo." Leo said. "Leo Valdez."

The man stuck one of his sausage fingers at Leo. "I might just land you a job, Leo."

Leo did a double take. "What do you mean?"

"I'm Mark Harrok, from Mark's Repair Shop. I've been looking for someone to work at my shop for months." He smiled. "You seem to know what you're doing. Want to give it a try?"

Leo took a minute to take that in, then smiled. This crazy man who had nearly opened his skull was actually talking some sense.

"Sure."

- - -

An hour later Mark had explained how the shop was, and what role Leo would play.

"You're pretty young, so-"

"I got it."

Mark looked at him. "Huh?"

"I spent my whole life building stuff like this. I got it."

Mark nodded impressed. "Alright then." He looked up at the sound of the bell ringing at the door.

"First customer." He smiled at Leo, a clear sign he wanted him to try it out.

Leo walked through Mark's office to get to his front desk. He really liked his working space - organized, but still muddy with grease and burned-out machines. It reminded him a little of his mother's workshop - though not as dirty and interesting. Still, he felt like he had a place.

As Leo sat down at Mark's desk to greet a tall woman, Mark watched from a distance.

"Welcome to Mark's Repair, how can I help you?" Leo asked. He wanted to land a job here badly, and was pleased to see him nodding with approval out of the corner of his eye.

"Well.." The woman had a high-pitched voice and tied-back brown hair. She looked in her mid-thirtys. "I didn't know Mark got a new employee."

Leo smiled. "Thats me."

"Hmm." The woman smirked. "Will I be seeing you often?"

Leo nodded. "Its Leo."

"Martha." They shook hands. Leo wasn't sure what to think of this woman yet.

"My car broke down." She looked at Leo like it was his fault.

Leo waited for more. Apparently she was done.

"Really?" Leo raised his eyebrows. "Thats all you got?"

"I got it towed here. It's outside." Martha patted her bun.

"Engine probably burned out, considering how you run that car, Martha." Mark said. "Leo, why don't you go see if you can get Martha's car into the garage? I showed you how to use the doors."

"On it."

Mark turned back to Martha. "With a burned engine, I suspect it'll take a bit over a week to repair, with everything else I've got to finish."

"Thank you." Martha said as she signed some paperwork. Then she said.

"Oh, I just remembered..." She grabbed her cheeks. "I have to go to my sister's baby shower today! I don't have any other ride!" She looked at Mark with begging eyes, but he shook his head.

"Can't do it in one day. Too much work to do."

"Please! It starts in an hour! I have to get there!"

"I'm sorry, I can't, especially in an hour."

"Please! I'll pay you extra!"

"I told you, I can't! Now-"

"I can," Leo offered.

Martha and Mark stared at him.

"Don't be silly, boy, you're not made for that."

"I came here to fix things," Leo pulled some gloves and goggles from his tool belt. "So I'm gonna fix things."

He looked at Martha. "Come back in... forty, fifty minutes. Don't forget."

He strapped on his goggles and before Mark could protest, he was out the door headed for Martha's car.  

- - -

"Leo? Time's up."

"Just.... a.... minute.... there!" Leo plugged in the last wire and opened the electicity box. A cloud of black dust burned his eyes.

"Leo!" Leo guessed Mark had seen the dust cloud and gotten worried.

Leo slipped out from underneath the car and saw Martha gasped. He wasn't surprised. His face was coated with charcoal-black dust and grime from electricity shocks, his hair moppy with gasoline and greese, his hands grimey from working with the same filthy tools over and over again. His shirt stuck to his chest with sweat and greese.

"Yeah?" Leo said. Before they could answer, he rubbed his forehead. "Oh, I remember now. I was suppost to fix a car."

Martha and Mark stared at them in shock.

"Yeah, I got that right here." He patted the car. "Sue me if it doesn't work."

Then he stepped back, pulled out a rag to wipe his face, and let Martha try it out.

She slipped into the front seat and turned the key to turn on the engine. Leo crossed his fingers.

The engine hummed happily to life. Ahh, Leo liked that sound of things working. It sounded nice.

Martha stepped out and did the unexpected: She handed Mark a check, then Leo a roll of cash. He almost jumped with joy.

"Thank you so much, Leo." Then she smiled at Mark. "I'll spread the news." She winked and left in her fixed car, leaving a healthy puff of smike behind.

"Leo, that- that was..." Mark stammered.

Leo shrugged. "You should see Festus." He muttered sadly.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. What time tomorrow?"

Mark pushed a Mark's Repair hat into Leo chest.

He smiled widely at Leo. "You're in."

Leo smiled wider. He got a job. He got money. He could get food, a ride, find his friends. Things were looking up for Leo.

He just hoped it would stay that way. 

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