I've written a lot of one shots lately...

-Jaz

~~~~

Vigilante

"Drop it."

"Nah. I'm good."

"I said drop it."

"I heard you."

"Fine don't drop it but instead tell me... What's the reason?"

"What reason?" He asked cocking his head to one side.

"The reason you do this? The reason you're a villain? The reason you kill people?"

"Now, now," he chided. "Don't lump me in with the common killers."

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you then?"

"I'm a vigilante. There's a difference. A common killer simply kills because they can. A vigilante on the other hand kills those who deserve it."

"You nearly killed my partner."

He shrugged. "Collateral."

"Well what about the last man you killed? He wasn't the nicest guy he scammed people out of thousands but he had a wife and three kids!"

He clucked his tongue and shook his head. "I would have killed the wife too if I had the chance."

"She's innocent."

"Innocent? That woman? Clearly you don't do your research properly Detective Chase."

"What is that supposed mean?"

"That poor widow? She's the mastermind. Her husband was nothing more than a puppet. Tsk. I truly expected more from you."

Detective Chase's mouth opened and closed silently. She readjusted her grip on the gun. "Drop the detonator already Riptide."

"Do you know what that name truly means?"

"Riptide?" She asked confused. "It's a strong current in a small area."

He smiled and nodded. "It's also a huge danger to swimmers and boaters. All who enter the waters. And the same goes for all who enter my waters... Well they sink."

"You're delusional."

"Perhaps. But I get more done than the police. I don't have pesky laws to bind me. I can simply eliminate the problems."

"Who decides that one person is supposed to die? What's the criteria? They pissed you off too much?"

"Oh no," he said reaching up with his free hand to move his hood slightly. When he did his face was no longer completely covered in shadows and Detective Chase was able to see a bit more of his face but not enough to identify him. "If simply pissing me off was enough many more people on this earth would be dead."

"So how do you choose?"

He shrugged. "At first it was I fact those I hated but I've evolved with time. And now it's a long process actually. But slowly bit by bit I add people to my ever growing list. Though I will admit there is one person whom I hate I have yet to kill but I will kill them soon enough."

Footsteps and yelling sounded below and Detective Chase calmed a bit. She just needed one person to come up so they could alert the snipers.

"Haven't you ever hated someone dead so badly that you wished more than anything that that person would just drop dead?"

"Not that I recall."

"What about your stepmother?"

(A/N. Initially I was gonna write: 'What about Helen?' But before I did I decided to check Riordan Wiki to make sure I had the name right. But according to Riordan wiki Annabeth's stepmother first name isn't ever said. She's just Mrs. Chase. But for some unknown reason I've been calling her Helen in my mind...)

Detectives Chase's breathing hitched for a moment and her grip on the gun grew shaky.

In response he smirked.

Seeing this she forced herself to take a deep breath. "What does she have to do with anything?"

"Well you hated her for starters. And then there's the fact that she hated you."

"I never wished she was dead."

"Don't lie to yourself. You never wished she was dead? Just like you made up all those things you told her about the spiders?"

"I never made that up!" Detective chase shouted at him. "Wait- how- how did you know about the spiders?"

"Chase! Don't listen to him!" Detective McLean's voice shouted from behind her. "It was you who said he'd research and use stuff against us!"

Detective Chase shook her head rapidly. "No. I've only told three people outside my family about the spiders. How the hell do you know?"

Riptide's smirk evolved into a cocky lopsided smile but he didn't speak.

"Tell me."

"Just ignore him. He's trying to mess with your head." Detective McLean put in.

"Tell me!" She screamed holding her gun up high again.

"Annabeth calm down!"

"Well isn't it obvious?" Riptide asked her he took a couple steps back before moving to stand behind the large bomb. "You told me."

"No I didn't!"

"You did. You told me up on that roof. The two of us used to sit up there and swap horror stories of our lives remember?"

The gun slipped from the detective's hand and fell to floor as memories hit her at full force.

"P-Percy?"

"Then you were gone," Riptide- Percy said quietly. "Without a word. Without a trace. You left your father behind. You left your step mother behind. You left your brother's behind. And you left me behind."

"What is he talking about?" Detective McLean asked Detective Chase who ignored him.

"I never meant-" Detective Chase started but Percy cut her off.

"You know that one person whom I hate and want dead mentioned?" He asked raising the detonator as more officers came in and yelled at him to drop it. "It's you."

He pressed a button on he detonator but the bomb didn't blow. Rather the floor right beneath his feet gave way and he fell through and when he did Detective Chase was able to see his sea-green eyes glaring right at her.

~~~~

The bomb wasn't real. Just another scare tactic. The authorities searched for hours and found nothing. Once again Riptide had escaped authority and once again the media was having a field day with their screw up.

"So who is he?" Captain Brunner asked.

"H-his name is Percy- Perseus Jackson," Detective Chase started. "I haven't seen him since I was seven. We used to be friends."

"What else do you know about him?"

"Not too much. His stepfather Gabe something was abusive. And his mother is named Sally."

"And what does he have against you?"

"Well... Um... Back then... He and I we promised each other that we'd help each other out of our bad situations. That we'd help each other out. And I- I ran away before that happened."

"And he still hates you for that?" Detective McLean asked surprised.

"I-I guess."

"How about the fact that his mom was killed not long after you ran away?" Detective Valdez put in from his desk but not looking up from his computer.

"Huh?" She asked looking to him.

"Sally Jackson. Murder was never solved but her husband was the prime suspect... Whoa, the husband Gabe Ugliano was said to be the first Riptide victim. So the story fits."

"But there has to be more than that. That can't be the only reason he hates you," Detective McLean insisted.

Detective Chase didn't respond.

"Alright everyone just go home," Captain Brunner said. "We can continue this talk in the morning."

~~~~

Detective Chase walked down the street her mind racing. She wished she was home already. She should've just taken her car but she was too shaken up to drive.

Why didn't she tell them? Why didn't she tell them about the last time she saw him? She took a deep breath. She had to be honest with them if she wanted him caught.

"I'll tell them first thing in the morning," she said to herself.

"That's funny," a voice laughed as hand gripped her arm tightly and something was put over her mouth. She shoved the person away and reached for her gun as the laugh came again. Her vision began to blur and couldn't hold the gun straight. The person came forward and she pulled the trigger but the bullet missed by a mile. Her wrist was grabbed and the gun pulled from her hands. Her legs gave out and hands grabbed her as things began to darken. Laughter sounded in her ear. "That's gold really. You think you're going to live till morning."