This is for IZEnderson for bugging me until I finished it. Pickles. And popcornmonkey because I want her to be happy and not cry into a pillow. Though to be honest this will probably make her do it anyway.

Annabeth wasn't sure what to make of the new kid. He was jumpy. And grumpy, and annoyed about something. He was short, kinda scrawny. But what really caught Annabeth's attention was the darkness.

The sadness.

Why did it seem that every guy that entered the school year late had that aura of terrible misery? What was up with that?!

First it was Percy Jackson. The annoying prick of a boy who seemed to mess everything up just by being around. He was the reason everyone called her a freak. He was the reason she was an entire block behind each of her classes by knocking her into a water fountain. He was also infuriating mysterious. Annabeth didn't even know where he came from. Not that she really cared.

Now it was Leo Valdez. The was questionable kid that Annabeth couldn't figure out just by watching. What had happened to him? He looked like someone had died in front of him, all the time.

"Could you please stop watching me?" Annabeth was shocked from her daze by the sound of Leo's voice.

She blinked allowing the flow of causal conversation to come back into her mind. Mr. Hypnos's first block World History and Mrs. Nemesis's advanced math were combined in one class, for apparently no good reason. Well actually Mrs. Nemesis had a conference in the teachers lounge and had handed out a packet for her students to do but most of the kids had already balled it up and tossed it around in a mini dodge ball fight. Mr. Hypnos had left his kids without really anything to do and was passed out on his desk drooling over a book about the Byzantine Empire or.

Leo was one of the few Math students who had the paper still though he wasn't actually doing the work. Instead he was doodling a dragon all over it.

"Uh, sorry," Annabeth blushed crimson.

Leo nodded vaguely, "What? You see something you like, Blondie?"

Annabeth blushed deeper, "No!" She snapped, "And don't ever call me a blondie again! I will murder you and hide your cold corpse in your own locker."

If Leo was intimidated he didn't show it, "Right," He said instead twisting his pencil around and leaning back in his seat. "Sorry, my bad for calling you by your hair color."

Annabeth was not amused.

"Heads Up!" Someone across the room yelled as a pencil pouch went flying narrowly over Leo's head. The girl behind them, a scary looking girl, even by Annabeth's standards, with black hair twisted in a braid, was not as lucky. The pencil pouch slammed right into her wrist scratching out everything she was writing with a jolt. She let out a yell and pick the pouch up and hurled it back at them with a couple threats.

"Is this class always like this?" Leo wondered.

Annabeth shrugged, "Most Days. It's worse than normal because your class is here, but yeah, the boys just love tossing dangerous objects back and forth and Reyna loves threatening them with death when they mess with her."

Reyna glared up at them at the sound of her name, "Shut it, Annabeth."

Annabeth relented, with a sigh.

"Annabeth?" Leo asked, "Aren't you that..."

Annabeth waited for him to say something along the lines of "creepy author", "Stalker girl", or "reporter that everyone hates" but he never finished. Leo cocked his head like he was listening to something.

"Did you hear that?"

"What?" Annabeth asked, uninterested. It was impossible to hear over the noise of the two classes. She wasn't even sure how Mr. Hypnos was still sleeping. For not the first time, Annabeth wished she'd gotten Mr. Morpheus instead.

"That noise..." Leo turned towards the door, "It sounded like a scream...and a gunshot."

Annabeth and Reyna looked at him weirdly. The latter girl put down her pencil folding her writing piece. "I didn't here anything." Reyna said.

Annabeth got a cold chill. She wasn't sure why, though.

Then the fire alarm went off.

Everyone stopped at the shrill noise of the alarm. Some guy was in Mid thrown and the pencil pouch missed the target and hit a desk. Mr. Hypnos woke with a start.

"Wha-What's going on?" He asked with a rumble, wiping a string of drool for the corner of his mouth. "Everyone out!" He yelled, "You know the place! This isn't a drill! Get out!"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. That had to be the worse thing to say. Some girl in the back started panicking and someone else started crying. Really? Annabeth made a face. Could they be any more pathetic? The Stolls had probably just pulled the alarm for fun, again.

The guys ran towards the door shoving each other out of the way. Annabeth found herself near Leo and spotted Reyna a couple people ahead. The halls swamped with confused kids and teachers. Annabeth spotted Travis Stoll frowning and frantically looking around. He didn't seem to know what was happening any more than anyone else.

Annabeth swallowed hard. Now she was starting to freak out. Leo's eyes were darting around as the flow of people exiting with loud talking drew them away in clumps.

Then someone screamed. And someone else. The entire hall filled with panic. The unmistakable sound of a gunshots shattered the air. Annabeth was knocked out of the way as people ran in every direction. Her feet twisted and she fell into Leo and her head slammed into the alcove of a doorway.

Her vision blacked for a moment and pain swelled in her forehead. Annabeth struggled to remain calm in the chaos around her. Other people fell. Guys in Black appeared in the chaos shooting guns at everyone. People fell and didn't move again. Scarlet hit the ground in red splotches.

Students, people she'd gone to elementary school with, had turned into wide animals trying to escape.

Leo was laying on the floor nearby, struggling to get back up. Kids were screaming and teachers were panicking. Shoes went flying in every direction. Several people stepped on Annabeth, and Leo was kicked in the back of his head, succumbing to unconsciousness in the middle of the hall.

Noise was everywhere. Annabeth grabbed the door trying to gain a balance. Someone whipped around the corner stumbling into her again. Annabeth fell against the ground her head snapping against the tiles.

She only saw one thing.

Sea Green Eyes.

"Annabeth, I-" Percy was cut off with a yelp as he was jerked of of her in a flurry of wide motions. His eyes were wide with fear.

"Percy!" Annabeth screamed. The halls were emptying, people flooding every direction. Annabeth shrieked as someone grabbed her by her hair.

It was happening way to fast. Annabeth couldn't breath. They had guns. How did they have guns? Everything hurt. Terror seized her mind and she fought for her life against the hold. Who ever grabbed her was strong, stronger than her. They wrapped an arm around her throat, choking off her air supply.

She was just a reporter.

Annabeth didn't know what to do.

They didn't teach this. No one ever told her what she should do of this happens.

"Move and I shoot the blond's brains out, Jackson!" The voice was rough and scratchy like they had spent hours eating broken glass.

It took Annabeth a moment to realize he met her. He would shoot her brain out. The cold metal of a gun found her throbbing temple. Annabeth choked in air, tears fell down her face. She'd never been so scared in her life. Not even when she got attacked on the streets that one time on her way to meet Thalia and Luke.

She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be here. She was just-

Percy struggled against the guy holding him. He was terrified. Just like her. Tears, and emotions flooded down his face. His eyes locked onto hers.

"Help Me, Please!" His eyes begged. But Annabeth couldn't even help herself.

She whimpered something incoherent, closing her eyes as she wrestled the iron hold. Her vision was blurring from tears and lack of oxygen anyway. Her entire body wracked with sobs, Every limb shook.

"NO!" Someone else tore into the scene. "HE'S MINE!" A taller person with unmistakable blond hair shoved around the corner. He grabbed Percy out of the other guy's hold by his neck. But it couldn't be...No! He wouldn't! It was impossible. He wore black like all of them. Annabeth's nightmare was getting worse.

"YOU MOTHERFUC-" Luke found Percy's face with punch. Another punch. A sickening crack exploded and Percy let out a yell that was contorted with pain and blood. Percy gasped in air but Luke flung another punch into his face relentlessly.

"No Stop!" Another scream echo her own. Thalia flung herself at Luke, "LUKE!"

Luke batted her away with a shove of his punching arm.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" Luke screamed at Percy, spit flinging into the younger boys face, "YOU'RE THE REASON ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE DEAD! You shouldn't have run!" Percy's eyes unfocused. He head hit the wall with every hit.

"LUKE!" Thalia screamed over him her voice was pleading. She was begging.

Thalia flung herself onto Luke catching his arm.

Luke jerk his arm back throwing Thalia onto floor. His eyes were wild. He dropped Percy, his limp body crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. Percy didn't move after it.

Luke glared at Thalia like everything was her fault. His face was screwed into a grotesque snarl, his anger radiated off in waves. He looked murderous.

He was murderous.

Thalia was crying. It scared Annabeth. This had to be a Nightmare. It couldn't be real. Luke would never....

He'd never hurt someone.

Not her Luke.

But the look in his eyes made it clear. The raging madness exploded outward. This was not her Luke. This was not the boy who'd she'd grown up with. Not the boy who let her stay at his house when her parents were drunk and fighting. Not the one who remembered her birthday and bought her presents even when she herself had forgotten it.

He was a Monster.

He loomed over Thalia like she was his next punching bag. And then he laughed.

He laughed like he'd just seen something funny. Annabeth whimpered.

"Let her go." Luke snorted, motioning to whoever had her. They flung her to the side. Annabeth skidded across the floor, bruising her side and burning the skin off her palms. She choked, gasping in air. Her body trembled in fear. Luke towered over her, smirking slightly. In his hand he had a gun, she'd sworn had not been there before.

Death clawed at her, she could feel the pain already, like he'd already killed her.

Why had she ever trusted him? How had she'd never noticed this side of him? This ugly, horrible, sadistic side?

He stared at her soaking in the dread in her features. Annabeth felt like a little kid again. A pathetic seven-year-old who was crying in the street, alone without anyone to help her. With out anyone to save her.

Luke grinned wider. He stepped back twirling his pistol like this was one big game. He was crazy. "Tie them up." He said.

"Tie them up, and any others you find who are alive." Luke turned away, "If there are any more alive." He added like it was an after thought

Annabeth's stomach dropped, leaving a foul taste in her mouth. Tears framed her face.

"You're a MONSTER!" Thalia screamed, "I TRUSTED YOU ONCE!"

Luke stopped and looked at her. Almost sorrowfully. He knelt next to her pointing his gun lazily into her face like she wasn't really worth his time.

"Your mistake." He said, simply.

Thalia spit in his face.

He made a face of disgust. Without pausing he slammed the gun handle against her jaw, effectively knocking her over again. He pulled a silver bracelet off her wrist while she gagged up blood.

He looked at it with foreign interest.

"You won't get away with this." Thalia choked, scarlet staining her lips and chin. One of the Monsters picked her up and Thalia didn't struggle. She looked at Luke like she was looking for some spark of recognition. Something left from the boy she knew once. The boy who would've given his soul for her.

Luke seemed surprised at her statement. "But, Thals," He said innocently, using their childhood nickname, "I already have."

He slipped Thalia's bracelet into his pocket, like it was a spoil of war.

"Why are you doing this?" Annabeth whispered, her voice cracking with betrayal and hurt, and fear. "What are you going to do with us?!"

Luke didn't look at her. Just kept walking away, towards the band hall. Still she didn't miss his snicker. His voice echoed in the silent hall. Annabeth tried not to look at he unmoving bodies around her, she tried to pretend they were all just sleeping, but her sick stomach wouldn't let her. It was an endless sleep none of them would wake up from.

"We are going to play a game." Luke said darkly, "Kronos, Krios, our true leaders, the kings of the Monsters, the... Titans of crime, are in a jail cell right now. Let's see how many high schoolers they are worth."

The sickening felling intensified. Annabeth felt her hands being bound tightly, but shew as so numb she could barely even think. Was he trying to make a deal with the state? He was bargaining? Their lives for the Biggest crime lords in the world? There was no way anyone would take that. Her and Thalia...they weren't much to their families much less the entire state. Annabeth's eyes glanced at the unconscious Leo, who was towed away by some other guy to be bound like a Christmas turkey and she doubted he was worth the world either.

"For every hour the state refuses to liberate them completely, I'll kill one of the survivors." He said in a cheery tone that did not match the words he was saying. He turned to look at her with a thoughtful expression, "I wonder how long you'll last, Annabeth Chase."