[Percy knows this is a dangerous conversation. Percy knows he may very well die. But…it needs to be done. To fully understand. He's tired of skirting around subjects and subtleties. Percy's never been that great at being subtle. This open conversation is more his speed. It's one of the things he actually appreciates about Will and Hannibal both. They have never, truly, lied to him. He's just been asking all the wrong questions.]

Of course I am. Dr. Lecter, you saved Natalie. And Jason. [And others, but the implication is clear. He values those two heavily, more than he can bear most days. Without Annabeth, he's needed people to fall back on. Those two have been his greatest crutches.] You didn't have to. But you did. To be ungrateful for that would be really, really stupid.

[And yet. Here they are. The mention of the Bounty causes Percy to lift both eyebrows, though no other tells appear.]

That is their job, I guess. You know the rules as well as we do. But no. I'm not a Bounty. […he thinks for a moment. The truth always comes out, doesn't it? It's for this reason he tips his chin up and meets Hannibal's eyes.] Will told me that Hal's used you and I for disposal. I suppose, in a way, that's exactly the reason he wouldn't make either of us Bandits. [He knows that Hannibal's been paying attention. He knows that Hannibal will know precisely what Percy's referring to.]