This was my entry for Caution: Heartbreak Ahead. It's steampunk.

-Jaz

~~~~

The Mechanic

Mechanic: A paid assassin  who "fixes" a problem, i.e., offs someone who has been causing trouble for the person paying the assassin.

With a curse the mechanic threw his jug of reeb across the room and into the wall. He waved the blower off just as she walked into the room.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"The pigs are crackin' down. We need to get outta town."

Her eyes widen in shock as she nodded slowly in understanding. "Where will we go?"

"Not sure just yet. But there are things I have to take care of before we go."

"Do you have to? Wouldn't they just give up. Or will you have to cross them off yourself?"

"Most would give up. But a few wouldn't. But Blue or Scar for example? They work capitol and will do anything to save their own skins. Like throw me to the dogs. Or kill me themselves. And I'm certainly not matched with them in strength."

"They would do anything?"

"Anything. Even kill each other..." He trailed off a sinister smirk on his face. "Now there's an idea..."

"They would never kill one another," she shook her head disagreeing. "They'd do anything for the other."

"Blue never told him. She told him she works as a maid and nanny in the evening. Tending to children in case they wake. When in reality she makes sure people sleep externally," he laughed. "Not to mention Scar hates the Blue he thinks he knows. Blue gave him that scar."

"You seem to have a plan," she smiled.

"I do. I'm crossing off my list."

~~~~

Blue stared down her scope watching her target. She followed walking along the roof as her target took a turn down the alley, alone. She loaded an arrow and watched the man carefully.

She smirked to herself at how easy this was. And she pulled the trigger. Her arrow cut through the air and lodged itself between the man's shoulder blades.

She smirked to herself as the man fell. She hopped down from her perch and walked toward the man. She wrenched her arrow our of his back and he shouted in pain.

She frowned and drew one of her shivs. Grabbing his head jerking it upward and then running her blade across his throat.

When she was done she hid her shivs in the folds of her dress and wiped her hands on the man's clothes and helped herself to his reader. She pulled her dark blue cloak tighter around herself as she held the bow beneath it and pulled the hood down making sure her face wasn't seen as she turned to walk away. As she exited they alley someone spoke.

She continued down the empty toper as she headed for the tavern, Bunker 9. She headed inside and went staight for the back.

"You're quick," commented a voice. She turned to see, a short Latino  sitting at a work bench, a jug of reeb in his hands.

She nodded and glanced toward the board in the corner. She frowned seeing it was empty. "You know of anymore work for me?"

The mechanic didn't respond as he counted out a couple bills of soft and gave them to her.

"Well?" Blue asked. "You keeping anything for me?"

"It's a high paying job."

A smile crossed Blue's face. "Sounds like just the job for me."

The mechanic nodded and took a piece of folded paper out of his pit and passed it to her.

She unfolded it and her eyes scanned the page with an eyebrow raised. "You put out this job."

"I did," he confirmed. "Someone has been giving me a hard time. A former member of our... Association."

"You'd take out one of your own?"

"If it came down to it. So, do you want the job?"

Blue nodded slowly. "I need the money. So, who?"

"You'll recognize him. Just head for the dock tomorrow night he'll be there."

"How do y'know?"

He paused to take a swig of reeb." I asked him to meet me there."

Blue nodded a small smile on her face. "I'll be sure to interrupt this meeting." With that said Blue turned to leave missing the wicked smile on his face.

~~~~

Blue walked along with a sigh. Her clothes slightly wet from furiously trying to rinse the blood off of her clothes.

When she was a block away she walked off the toper and headed for the hollow tree. After glancing around she took off her cloak and did her best to slip out of her dress and folded both up and laid them inside the tree. Once that was done she glanced around once more and she pulled out a maid's uniform and put it on. Once changed she walked back the road and continued toward her ken.

"Back already?" A tired voice called as she entered.

She nodded as walked into back room of the small one room ken. Only a bed, stove, tub, a table with two chairs, a dresser and a small stack of books.

"The Master left me off early."

"That's good," the voice murmured.

She nodded and headed to the corner of the room. She slipped out of her uniform and laid it on a chair to dry before pulling out her night gown and slipping it on.

"You could leave the uniform on."

"Don't be crude," she chided.

"Ah, y'know I'm messing with you, Thals."

"Why are you still awake?" She questioned lying down next to him the darkness.

"I'm not allowed to lay awake for you to come home?" He responded his arms wrapping around her.

"Not if you work so early in the morning. You need your sleep."

Without being able to see him she could tell her was rolling his blue eyes. After a short pause he spoke again. "Thalia... I don't like you working nights," he said softly. "I heard there is a killer lurking 'bout here."

"Luke," she sighed.

"Please. Perhaps you can switch with the other maid and work mornings."

"No. This how it has to be. You work days and I work night. And I'm no pansy. And not even the Ripper could scare me. And I'll be careful."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Thalia stated. "I can't die if I am to Mrs. Castellan."

Though she couldn't see she could tell he was smiling in the darkness.

~~~~

It wasn't long until Scar reached his destination. A brothel. He frowned slightly. How was he to kill the abbot with all the strumpets about? He wasn't able to ponder the question much more as a voice called out to him.

"Nervous?"

He glanced up to see a toffer smiling at him from a window.

"Me? Never," he told her as he walked in the door.

"Are you the man I sent for?"

Scar blinked as whom he guessed to be abbess standing by the door. She was wringing her hands as she waited for an answer.

"It depends on what you called a man to do?" Scar responded with a smirk.

Her eyes widened slightly and her back straightened as she lead him out of the entry hall and up the back stairs. She paused at the door. "Are you not going to ask why I have called you here? My reasoning?"

"Do you have chink?"

"Y-yes."

"That's all I need to know," He responded opening the door and walking through.

A man looked up at him. "Just what do you think your doing in here?" He shouted dropping his paper.

Scar cocked his head to one side and lifted his cane. "I suppose you don't want your girls to hear?" He asked the abbess without turning around.

"A-ah, yes."

"Might cost you extra," Scar informed her and walked closer to the abbot raising his cane as he went.

The abbot rose. "What are you-" he didn't get to finish. Scar hit the new button on his cane revealing its hidden blade and brought it down across the man's chest.

The abbot spluttered and fell to the floor and behind him the abbess gasped. "Sorry," he apologized. "Sometimes I get to caught up in my work I forget this isn't a thing for a woman to see. Causes too much excitement."

The abbess only started at him in terror as Scar dragged the dual blade across the abbot's throat.

Scar stared into the man's eyes watching the light leave them and for a moment the only sound was the abbot's dying breaths before there was no sound at all.

"May I have some of his clothes to wear?" Scar asked the abbess. When she didn't respond he snapped once and repeated himself. "May I have some of his clothes to wear?"

"Clothes?"

"I'm covered in blood. I doubt you'd like the whole town to know what has transpired. I do work capitol you know. You'd go down with me then. Is that what you want?"

She shook her head quickly eyes wide. "No I- I-" flustered she ran off to get clothes. She quickly came back.

She turned around so Scar could change. Once he did he walked back over to the dead abbot and helped himself to the man's reader. "I fancy myself a bit of a tea leaf," he told the abbess as he placed the chink in his pit and walked out the door. He didn't face the abbess as he walked back to the front door. Once he was in the doorway he turned to face her. "In case you change your mind due to all the excitement and head to the crushers. Just remember. I know you where you sleep."

He smirked at her horrified face and walked off back toward the tavern.

~~~~

"Oi! Scar!"

"Hey Leo," Scar greeted walking into the back of the tavern.

"Well? Did I church it? Or did I church it?" Leo asked with his usual smile.

"You certainly did. A hidden dual metal shiv? Bloody Brilliant."

Leo gave a mock bow. "I try."

"Got anything else high paying?"

Leo nodded in the direction of the jobs posted on a board. "Go check."

Scar rolled his eyes. "We both know you hold the higher paying ones. And you know I need the chink. I got a girl to take care of."

"You're not even hammered for life yet."

Scar shrugged. "Do you have one?"

Leo nodded. "It goes against your polices but I think it's just the job for you."

Scar smiled as Leo smoothed out a piece of paper in front of him.

"You put out this job," Scar read surprised. "Traitor... Blue? Her really?"

Leo shrugged. "I've heard rumors about her and a Pig. I'd like to put them to rest. Not to mention I know you hate her after she gave you that scar. I figured this job is perfect. But for the record. Scar is a much better name."

Scar ignored his final comment. "How does this go against my policies?"

"It's a night job. I know you try to get back to your girl but she only works nights."

Scar paused. "Thalia will have to get over it then. When and where is this job?"

~~~~

Blue arrived at dock and walked along her head down as she glanced around for the man.

It's not long before she sees a familiar man. He leans against a rail smiling to himself as the soft breeze blew his raven hair in his face.

Blue frowned slightly at her target. She bit her tongue and took a deep breath. If she didn't kill him someone else would and that would be worse. She ducked off to the side behind a shed and loaded her bow. She glanced out to see he hasn't moved. Blue took aim, aiming straight for his heart. And pulled the trigger.

Blue ducked back as her arrow streaked through the air. She didn't want to see this. She waited silently for a scream, a thud, something to show that he had died but no such sounds came.

Confused she glanced around the corner and then quickly dropped a bronze sword slashed where she had been.

She kicked out at his legs and stood back from him.

He raised an eyebrow and his sea green eyes showed confusion and anger. "Now, now. It's not a fair fight if you shoot at me and hide," he stated mockingly.

Blue didn't respond as she tried to get back so she could shoot. She couldn't win with her knives here. His sword had a much longer reach. Unfortunately he knew exactly what she was trying to do. He slashed at her constantly trying to keep her off guard. "Mind telling me what I did to piss you off?"

"A job is a job," Blue responded kicking him in the stomach too get some distance between were them. "You know that Riptide."

He rolled his eyes as he regained his balance. "Oh come now, Thalia. You know I think those names are pointless."

Blue glared at him. "You never know who is listening, Perseus."

"Oh you're just trying to annoy me aren't you? So, before you attempt to kill me... Humor me, who put out the job?"

Blue didn't respond and quickly loaded her now and fired. He dodged but the arrow grazed his forehead.

"I don't want to fight you," Riptide stated as he felt warm liquid begin to drip. "You're practically my sister in law."

"I didn't know it would be you," Blue  admitted. "But I had already accepted the job. There's not going back."

He straightened and in reason se Blue loaded her bow again. She watched him carefully ready to fire.  He switched his grip so held his sword tightly in one hand. "I see... But I'm not doing this."

He raised his arm and Blue fired in response she expected him to dodge and strike at her but, he didn't. He dropped his sword on the ground and gave her a small smile as her arrow landed in his chest.

On instinct she ran forward as he fell back. "You idiot! You're supposed to dodge!"

"It was the Mechanic wasn't it?" He asked quietly.

Blue nodded. "I'm sorry-"

"Don't be."

"Blue! We finally meet! While your leaning over the body of a friend of mine too!"

Blue jerked her head up to see Scar standing there smiling.

"Scar," she gasped.

"Hello!" He greeted. "How you doing down there Perce?"

Percy gave a sort of snort of laughter but he ended up groaning in pain.

"Now I understand why that Mechanic told me to off you."

"You never told him?" Riptide choked out.

"Told me what?" Scar questioned loading a bullet into his cane.

"Nothing!" Blue stated standing.

Scar raised an eyebrow and raised his cane. "Nothing... I don't really care. Say goodnight Blue. Anything else you want to say?"

"If you d-don't tell him..." Riptide wheezed. "I will..."

"I don't actually care what is to be said. I need the money. It's the perfect amount that I need to marry my girl so..." His finger tightened on the trigger his cane aimed for Blue's heart.

"Don't!" Riptide shouted. "She's T-th-"

"Percy!"

Scar fired just as Owl ran forward. She quickly slapped Scar cross the face and ran to her two friends slumped on the ground.

"Percy! Thalia!" She said desperately.

Scar stood behind her. "Thalia...?"

Riptide stared at her his eyes fluttering. "Thal-thal-"

"Shhh. It will be alright," Owl told him ignoring her tears. She turned to Blue. She ripped off Blue's cloak revealing her face. Her eyes were open wide but there was no light in them.

Behind her Scar's cane clattered to the ground.

"The M-Mechanic hir-ed her," Riptide said after struggling to take a breath. "He h-hired m-me. And Luke. H-he-"

Owl cradled his head trying to calm him. "It's okay. Shh. I'm here..."

Scar leaned against the shed his heart beating dangerously fast. He stared horrified at Blue's face.

"Why-why- didn't she tell me?" He stuttered.

"She didn't want to hurt you. She didn't want you to worry about her working," Owl answered quietly from where sat listening to Riptide's slowing breaths.

"The shot came from this way!"

"The crushers," Owl realized setting Riptide's lifeless head on the ground and closing his eyes. She reached over and did the same with Blue. "We need to go."

Scar didn't respond he still stared at the bodies before him. Owl stood and wiped at her eyes to no avail. She grabbed Scar's cane before grabbing Scar's wrist and dragged him away from the crushers grip.

Blocks away they paused out of breath. Owl leaned against a tree. She used her dagger to cut a piece of cloth from her dress which she used to try to dry her face but the tears she wiped away were promptly replaced.

"That mechanic," Scar growled.

Owl looked up as he stomped off she followed without question.

~~~~

"A blower just rolled in! Guess what?" Calypso called cheerfully as she headed over to Leo who was busy shoving clothes in his bag.

"What is it? We really must be going. We've been here long enough. Too long."

"Riptide died! And so did Blue! Both just gone! She shot him in he chest and then Scar nailed her right in the heart! ...Speaking of him... What are you going to do about the other two? Scar, and Owl?"

"Don't worry about that, I've already planned for this. Grab your things. We have a carriage waiting."

Calypso quickly grabbed her bags and slipped a coat on. Linking her arm with his she walks outside and he headed out not much later her joined her.

"I'm going to miss the place," Calypso sighed.

"There will be more Bunker 9s," Leo assured her as they walked down the barren toper to where a carriage was supposed to meet them.

~~~~

"Leo!" Luke shouted slamming the door open. "Where are you, you bloody mechanic?"

Owl was by his side. The tavern was empty and Luke shoved a table aside in his frustration. Ignoring the tears running down his face he headed for the back door his cane out and his finger already on the trigger.

"You need to calm down. Breathe," Owl advised getting in front of him. "He's in charge. He's the mechanic, this is a bad idea."

"Shut the hell up Annabeth! I'm going to kill him for what he did! He knew what he was doing! He set us all up! Don't you want to get him back for setting up Percy? Setting up Thalia?" Luke shouted shoving the girl out of the way and flinging open the door.

Annabeth eye's widened and she swore at what she saw inside but it was already too late.

~~~~

"But what are you going to go about them?" Calypso asked once they were in the carriage.

Leo didn't respond staring out of the carriage window as if waiting for something. Suddenly a loud bang sounded and shook the earth. Screams and fire could be seen in the distance as the carriage went on.

"I assume that was your plan then."

"It was. My mother was a mechanic too. She taught my everything I know. I believe I told you that before," Leo said still staring out the window."

"You did."

"Did I ever tell you what happened to my mother?"

"No. What did happen to her?"

Leo turned to face Calypso a shadow of a smirk on his face. "I surpassed her."