Chapter Text
"I have eyes on the target. May I engage?"
"Negative. Do not engage, Ghost King. We need evidence."
Nico released his finger on the trigger, relaxing slightly. They were after some scumbag who kidnapped children, boys or girls not even above the age of five. He would take the kids from their beds at night, just to have his way with them afterwards. Three days later, there'd be a call to 911 informing authorities of where they could find the little one's body. The autopsy would then show them all the evidence of his sick, twisted ways.
Nico grit his teeth as he watched the bastard talk to a prostitute through his lens. It would only take him two seconds to put this guy out of his misery. Two seconds.
The thought of this guy getting away, doing the same thing to other little boys and girls, to his own, it made him want to release the whole clip in the asshole. If anyone touched his children like that, there wasn't a single spot on this earth that would stop him from raining the pain of his training on them. Five years on the special forces team, and a retired delinquent, Nico knew more than his fair share of knowledge on what bring pain and what brings pleasure.
Naturally the only person who would ever get to see pleasure from his hands is his spouse. Perseus di Angelo. They've been married for four years, but dated for three years before that. Percy meant everything to him, and their two beautiful children was just icing to their very delicious cake.
To think there are perverts out there, preying on children the age of his own children made him growl.
"Calm down, Di Angelo," spoke his brother-in-law and partner Frank Zhang. Frank was on the other building, holding his position with his own sniper rifle. Frank was married to Nico's little sister Hazel. the day Nico found out they were dating, he punched Frank in the face and held him in a headlock threatening him. Hazel was terrified that Nico was going to kill him, but she hadn't known that he and Frank were already friends. They just didn't have an obvious relationship since Frank was a jock and Nico had a really scary reputation in high school. Hazel and Frank married a week after Hazel graduated high school and have been disgustingly in love since then. Nico has yet to come through with his threats and he really hopes he would never have to.
"I am calm, Zhang," hissed Nico, glaring through his scope at the target.
Frank snorted. "Doesn't sound like you're calm. You're growling."
Nico tsked, but began thinking of more calming things. Like his family waiting for him back home. Percy would be snuggled up with their son and daughter, humming even though they'd both still be asleep. The three of them mean the world to him, even if he couldn't see them as much as he would like to because of his job.
He and Frank worked for a special ops team that ran covert operations around America, neutralizing targets that the law enforcement can't handle. Their unit ran out of the FBI, which was the only way they would have such a large jurisdiction. Their team consisted of their unit chief: Clarisse la Rue. She was a fierce woman and Nico had to give props to her husband. She was more woman and attitude than he could handle for a few days, let alone the rest of eternity. She preferred to use her fists than her words, but somehow was their leader who made damn sure that the reason their target escaped wasn't because of them.
The rest of their team was Annabeth Chase, lead negotiator and tactician. She was kind and polite, but get her angry and she made their enemies cry in fear. Annabeth was a brilliant woman, but an even better teammate. Leo Valdez, explosive expert and a great gut to get a laugh. He made sure that the team's mood never got to sad or low. And then there was Jason Grace, a jack of all trades like Frank. At first Nico hated Jason with his perfect face and stupid blonde hair. Percy wouldn't stop talking about the man for weeks, checking on the blonde's health and if he was doing well since he was new to the town and team. What had changed Nico's mind about Jason was when he found out why Percy was so attached to Jason. Percy had almost been assaulted a few weeks ago coming home from work. Jason was on his way home from the store when he saw two thugs making passes at Percy, reaching to touch his face and clothes. Jason laid them out flat, called the police, and made sure Percy made it home safe and sound where Hazel was waiting with the twins. Since then, Nico made sure to keep an eye out for Jason, not too stop him from moving in on his husband, but to make sure no one messed with the blonde.
Nico was their expert marksman, Frank providing back up. Give him any gun and he can hit a bullseye. The six of them made a great team and even better friends. It was difficult having such a time consuming and psychologically demanding job without having support. Nico would never tell Percy exactly what he did. He refuses to ever let Percy and the kids be tainted by his job. When the stress became too much, he would talk to one of his teammates, usually Frank, but they all understood.
"Stop your chit-chattin' ladies," snarled their unit chief. "Any change?"
Nico focused again on their target again and saw the bastard and prostitute go into the alleyway across the street. Nico could still see them though from his position.
Frank cursed. "Lost visual. I'm moving to a new location."
Nico could hear Frank move over the comm.
"Di Angelo? Tell me you still got him?"
"I got the asshole in sight...wait a second...he just knocked the prostitute out and- the fuck is a kid doing out this late at night? After this is over, I'm putting a bullet in this kid's parents!" His finger went back over the trigger ready to shoot the pedophile before he could hurt another child.
"Hold your ground, Di Angelo," demanded Clarisse, barking at Jason to get the kid out of there.
"I'm not letting him touch another kid."
"Yeah, but do you want to traumatize that kid by shooting someone in front of him?" asked Annabeth. "Hold Nico. Jason's almost there."
The target beckoned the kid to the alleyway entrance being friendly, but Nico can see the man's hands shake with anticipation. The kid hesitated, looking at the man.
"C'mon kid. Don't be stupid," chanted Nico, but knew in the next few minutes there was going to be at least one person dead, hopefully not two.