I'm sorry, Annabeth

Percy XXXVI

Maybe kicking Kronos's butt wasn't a wise choice at all.

"So you could control your own thoughts now, eh? Well, see if you can beat this.” Suddenly, Percy found a wound right below his heart, as his eyes widened in horror. 

“Surprised, Jackson? It’s not like in the movies, isn’t it? There isn’t a big spurt of blood and you go flying backwards.” Kronos smirked. His right arm was held upright, tightly holding a gun in his hand. 

It was the first time Percy felt so scared. He felt time slow down around him. Kronos froze. 

“A wound from a gun shot is much more dangerous than a wound from a knife.” Annabeth was walking around him, looking at him with a worried but determined expression. “You do remember me telling you that, don’t you?” 

Percy nodded. He didn’t notice himself trembling in fear. 

“A low velocity weapon, like Riptide or Luke’s knife, is far less likely to penetrate your skull than a high velocity projectile, which is the gun.” Annabeth continued to explain calmly. Percy raised an eyebrow. 

“Can you speak English?” 

Annabeth ignored him. 

“You have three seconds of consciousness before you collapse. Now, think. What would Kronos do right after he shot you?” 

“Uh…” 

“Focus!” Annabeth shouted, as she slapped him hard on the face. Percy blinked in shock. 

“He’s the titan of time, right?” Annabeth snapped. Percy nodded immediately. “Well then, of course, he’ll freeze the time. He won’t let you die like that, he’s such a blood-thristy titan. So now, you’ll have to take advantage of that.” 

Percy gaped. 

“How?” 

“Play along with him.” she answered a-matter-of-factly. “But stay alive. Obviously. You can control your thoughts, seaweed brain!” Percy blinked. 

“So I could imagine the bullet wasn’t there?” 

Annabeth laughed half-heartedly. 

“Um, yeah. Actually. But you’re in too much of a shock you wouldn’t be able to do that.” 

“Okay fine, I’ll play along with him. So, then what do I do?” Percy crossed his arms. Annabeth continued. 

“While you’re doing whatever he wants you to do, you have to think of a way to destroy his presence in your head. What do you think it is?” 

“Killing him.” 

“According to my assumptions, yes.” Annabeth put her index finger on her chin. “But I wonder…” 

Her image dissolved, and Kronos also unfroze, however, time didn’t continue to move. 

“Let’s see what can you do in your precious three seconds of consciousness, Jackson.” Kronos smirked. He fired the bullet again. Percy felt his body unwilling to move. 

Oh my gods, what do I do? What do I do? 

“You can control your thoughts.” Annabeth’s voice rang in his head. 

Percy closed his eyes and with all his power willed himself to move in frozen time. 

Bang.

He opened his eyes. 

The bullet has scraped his face, but Kronos was looking impressed. 

“Wow. That was actually going for your brain.”