Hello! I'm on break and not on any trips so I'm updating faster than usual... Next week I'll be gone though, so don't expect updates around then... Sorry.

Here's chapter 4! ( And also, sorry for the disturbing images this chapter might bring:3 )

"Sir, we're getting a high radio-wave signal from Alaska."

"How high?"

"High enough to go off the charts. It's higher than Thor's gateway."

"Is there any particular sound?"

"Actually, sir," Agent Hill said in shock when she pressed her earpiece. "There's a message. And I think it's meant for us."

"Give it to me," Fury ordered.

Give us the boy, the screen hissed. The waves moved up and down the screen erratically. Give us the son of the sky and your lives will be spared. Give us the boy. You have twelve hours.

By now, the whole room of agents were listening intently. Hill analyzed Fury's expression.

Give us Jason Grace.

It was Friday.

And Annabeth was kind of pissed. "I'll kick his podex out of camp, I swear…" she muttered. "Get's in trouble one too many times…"

She, of course, was referring to Percy, who was avoiding her all day. Ever since Piper's message had been relayed to Chiron who passed it on to Percy, he'd been running around aimlessly as the Minotaur.

She, Leo, and Piper had gone back to camp after Apollo took a look at her. Naturally, the moment she woke, she was yet again in a frenzy about getting Percy as far away as possible from New York. However, seeing as Percy was doing whatever it took to get away from her, she assumed he was in trouble with the gods or something.

"Gonna whip his culus when I find him," grumbled Annabeth.

Unfortunately on her part, Annabeth couldn't find Percy anywhere. None of the campers had seen him either.

Leo barely held Piper together when she heard he was missing. Annabeth thought that it must be something serious if Piper was overwrought about it.

Her worries didn't dissolve.

And when Annabeth was worried or stressed or tired, she was in less control of her emotions, meaning she was grumpy and angry and storming around camp with her hair frizzling.

Usually, when Percy went missing, he would be in the water, but even the water nymphs hadn't seen him, and they were ones to spy on him.

It was her free day, too. Percy ought to be with her on her few free days. No one else understood either. She needed him. Like he was her own personal brand of heroine. If he was gone—after everything they've been through—he better not leave her—he couldn't possibly—he was gone.

Nothing in the cabins. Not in the water. Not in the forest. Not in Camp. Not with Annabeth.

Annabeth knew it was selfish to keep tabs on him, but she couldn't help it. He was her drug, and if she went through withdrawal… It would be like how their first nights out of Tartarus were: dark and full of nightmares and tampered memories.

He wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't. But there was no one to console her that there was even a chance he was still within perimeters.

Piper wasn't the only delirious girl that evening.

Percy's feet were sore. His head pounded. He was dehydrated, but he had to keep on going. He couldn't stop now. He woke up this morning with a destination in mind, and he seemed to have gotten lost.

He wasn't anywhere he knew, and it certainly wasn't New York.

He rubbed his eyes again and grimaced. He stopped to look around. It was desert all around and gods, it was hot. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he trudged on. He felt like he was going in circles. He could swear he'd seen that sand dune for the fifth time that morning.

How did he even end up here? Was he hallucinating? He felt the sand between his fingers. Yep, real sand.

The last thing he remembered before the desert was Chiron telling him to go far away immediately. So he complied. He could clearly recall Piper's face. Her eyes were shadowed and dark, mouth pulled into a scowl. Leo had a shaky smile on as he exchanged the news. Annabeth wasn't even there.

Annabeth… is suffering because of you, his mind whispered.

"Shut up!" he moaned. "Just shut up!"

"You know," said a light voice out of the blue, "talking to yourself is a sign of going mad."

He turned and saw a pale-faced girl maybe a little older than him, early twenties? Nineteen? Her cheeks were red, she had a small nose, and her red mouth was pulled into a friendly smirk. Her grey-green eyes were alight with mirth. She wore a knitted blue beanie over curls of black hair.

"The name's Darcy Lewis," she said, "and you should get out of here."

"What?" was his intelligent answer.

"Get out," she repeated. "Get out."

Percy jolted upright. He groaned and rubbed his back. It was sore. He looked about the room. He had no idea where he was. "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore," he let out a small laugh.

The room was cozy. It had pale cream walls and an open window. There was a fireplace in the corner. "Where the Hades?" slipped out of his mouth. He was on a bed, a comfy bed at that. The room smelled slightly of roses.

He saw a pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. He was shirtless, so he shrugged the shirt on. There was a black overcoat too, and a fedora. What was all this for? He left the hat on the bed and buttoned up the coat.

The floor was warm, pulsing almost. Walked over to the door and paused. What was his dream about? Who was this Darcy Lewis? Where was he anyway? Was the desert even real? Was this real?

Abruptly, a feeling of repulsion and disgust swept over him, causing him to through the jacket off. The feeling was still there and so heavy that he nearly ripped the shirt off. He kicked his pants off, followed by his boxers. His shoes and socks were too, too tight; those came off in a flash.

It was on his skin. He scratched and pulled at his face and chest until it was red, bleeding, and swollen. It itched and gnawed on his muscles. It was everywhere and it wouldn't go away. He rubbed his arms helplessly and let out a frustrated groan. The floor throbbed with energy.

Swiftly, Percy jumped back onto the bed, off the floor, and tried to rub the sensation off with the blankets. It persisted and clawed at his mind. It was unmanageable.

He ceased movement and tried to lay still on the bed. The feeling didn't disappear and his body was seized in a flurry of convulsions. His heart clenched painfully and his backside seared with a burning pain. "Make it stop," he whimpered pathetically. His alter-ego laughed at him. Can't do anything that's not even there. Puny, weak. "Stop," he moaned and pulled at his hair. It felt like hundreds of ants crawled over him and poked and prodded at his eyes, ears, mouth, buttox, anywhere there was an opening. They creeped under his skin; Percy couldn't handle it.

He lost consciousness.

"Master, Lord Perseus is sleeping," the laelap* yipped.

"Wake him, beast, and send the Lamia Libys** to him," commanded the mortal. "And prepare the Sparti***."

With a simple salute, the laelaps ran off into the darkness.

A Scorpion Man**** entered. "M'lord," he said, bowing. "The human government had not delivered Jason Grace; my men and I captured him ourselves." He had pride in his voice.

"Good. Put him in a cell."

"Yes, m'lord."

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"Um…" the Scorpion Man shook. "We managed to convince the Akhkhazu***** to join our cause." He licked his lips. "She is willing to help for payment."

"Which is?" he prompted, impatient and annoyed.

"She wants to keep the boy, Jason Grace, for herself once we are finished with him."

"So be it," he waved off. "He is of no importance after the ritual."

"Yes, m'lord. Thank you." The Scorpion Man scuttled off.

The man clenched his fists. Jason Grace and Perseus Jackson were already in his custody. He needed one more. Another boy. And that boy will come.

* laelap: an ancient Greek monster; a dog that always caught its prey

** Lamia Libys: and ancient Greek monster; almost like how Riordan described draconia, but these were demonic women who only feasted on children (I know. Appetizing.)

***Sparti: an ancient Greek "monster" army

**** Scorpion Man: an ancient Akkadian monster; (was featured in the Epic of Gilgamesh [Sumerian]). They have the head, torso, and arms of a man and the body of a scorpion.

***** Akhkhazu: an ancient Akkadian monster; a female demon labeled 'the seizer'. She brings fever and plagues

So, now things get interesting. I'm sorry I'm taking so long to bring in SHIELD with Percy, but they'll probably meet in the next chapter... Probably.. Haha...

So the poll for the pairing is:

Percabeth: 11

PercyxDarcy: 9

PercyxJane: 3

PercyxNatasha: 3

So... I'm probably gonna boot the Jane and Natasha ships off of this because the main ships are Percabeth and PercyxDarcy... Please review!

Pretty please review!