Chapter 11. Better than Hercules
The visit to the museum quickly went to hell. Percy and the Hunters found that Atlas and his men were already there, and Percy decided that shooting the one carrying the teeth was the best first action. Fortunately the Divinity standard issue pistol was equipped with a built in suppressor, so only the body dropping was a sign of anything amiss. But the problems only continued from there as Atlas, scooping up as many of the teeth as he could, took his chance to flee. Percy would have pursued him but a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Zoe was about to charge after her father when Percy tackled her to the ground. She had enough sense of mind to perceive a massive, golden form fly through the space she had just been occupying. She immediately recognized the Nemean Lion and realized something, that he had just prevented her death.
Percy took the time to pull his kukri blades and charged in. His weapons did nothing except agitate it.
"Lady Artemis, you go after Atlas. I've got simba here." Percy said, keeping the lion's attention on him.
Artemis would have argued, but getting Atlas was more important. She gestured to a group of her hunters and began to chase the titan. Zoe stayed behind to help Percy, the two shared a quick glance before nodding. Percy went in close and began to harass the lion while Zoe kept her distance and tried to land a meaningful hit.
"Think, who's killed this damn thing before. Obviously Hercules, but he strangled this…thing…" Percy paused his thoughts. Strangulation, asphyxiation, lack of air.
"Drowning." Percy whispered. He gathered any nearby water and began to wrap it around the lion's head. It paused for a moment, but then realized what Percy was doing and tried to free itself.
Zoe was shocked, but when she caught Percy's eye he nodded in the direction Artemis had gone. Knowing that Percy had this handled she leapt towards her mistress' aid. Percy needed only a few more seconds before he felt the Nemean Lion die, its body disintegrating and leaving only the pelt. Percy scooped this up and ran off to find Artemis.
When he got there he witnessed Atlas escaping, an armored truck departing at breakneck speeds. Artemis and her Hunters were fighting a number of strange creatures. The seemed to shift from solid to skeletal and were equipped with ancient greek armor.
"Spartoi." Percy thought.
This was going to be difficult, Spartoi couldn't be killed except in specific ways. Percy and the Hunters all proceeded to fight the Spartoi but it was not going well, until Bianca managed to stab one. The Spartoi in question burst into flame and disintegrated.
"What? How? Unless…A child of Hades." "Bianca, with me." Percy said, jumping into the fray with a new strategy. The Spartoi were wary of Bianca, but Percy was not one to be denied. He tackled one, slipping around its sword to get behind it and grab it in a headlock. "Bianca, now." Bianca only hesitated for a moment before driving her knife into the one Percy held. The flames did scorch his armor a bit but it was worth it.
The others fell in short order, Percy would use a grapple to pin a Spartoi in place while the Hunters kept the others at bay and Bianca would dispatch the immobilized skeleton. Atlas had escaped, but his efforts were undone since the very creatures he had come here to create were now piles of ash. But it still left them with a problem, Atlas was gone and there wasn't much that could be done to find him.
"So, what now Perseus?" Artemis asked, he was the one being accompanied after all.
"I'll need to track that vehicle, and I'll need traffic cams to do that." Percy answered.
"Perhaps I can help Agent Tsunami." A feminine digital voice suggested.
Percy frowned and looked at one of his pouches. He pulled his smart phone out and looked at the screen with amusement.
"Hello DILON, how long have you been on this device?" Percy asked.
"I have been uploaded onto all devices associated with you, it was mandated by your status as a field tester of experimental VI programs. I have taken the liberty of pulling all available surveillance footage from your location and identifying the vehicle, I am currently performing similar actions with traffic cameras located on the route the vehicle is taking." DILON said simply.
"So you have eyes on that vehicle right now?" Percy asked, grateful for this new piece of gear. The rest of the Hunters could only gape at how a piece of technology had outperformed them at their own specialization so easily.
"Affirmative, I have also taken the liberty of arranging transport to give pursuit." DILON said.
"Thank you DILON." Percy said, pocketing the phone.
"Percy." Thalia said, catching her cousin's attention.
"Yes Thalia?" Percy answered with a raised eyebrow.
"Your organization has the coolest gear." Thalia said, shaking her head in exasperation.
"You could have had access to it, but I guess immortality is a fair trade for that." Percy said, taking the time to address the damage to his armor. It was scorched but still serviceable, and Percy knew that the boys in supply were going to be pissed. No sooner than the thought crossed his mind did a tow truck pulling a rather nice tour bus rolled up. The drive took one look at Percy, nodded, and deposited the bus.
"So…" Percy began. "Who wants to drive?"
Zoe, unsurprisingly, volunteered. She claimed to have more driving experience than anyone here, at least in regards to automotive vehicles. With her behind the wheel and DILON being navigator the Hunters and Percy all managed to find the port where Atlas was waiting. The titan, believing to have lost the group, paid no mind to the bus as it rolled to a stop. Percy glared at Atlas through the tinted windows and thought.
"Lady Artemis." Percy said, catching the goddess's attention. "I have a plan. Zoe, I'll need you to distract Atlas. Do any of the Hunters have greater skill with close combat?" Zoe nodded, waving a number of Hunters forward. They were visibly upset at having to listen to a male, but Percy had proven himself so far. Zoe had recounted how Percy drowned the Nemean Lion rather than fight it as one normally would.
"What about the rest of us?" Another Hunter asked.
"Everyone else will keep their distance, harass Atlas and keep any other monsters from interfering." Percy answered.
"What about you?" Artemis asked.
"I will be laying a water trap for Atlas, when I give the signal the close fighters need to break off and get their distance. Artemis, if you shoot Atlas in the head will he be knocked out?" Percy finished laying out the plan.
"For a few hours at least." Artemis estimated. She wondered though, why Percy wanted her to do it. She had seen his equipment and weapons, he would be able to damage Atlas sufficiently for capture.
When she voiced this question Percy just fixed her with a stare. "I figured that you would want to land the decisive blow. Be able to brag about capturing not only a titan, but the Lieutenant of Kronos himself."
Artemis merely stared back, realizing that Percy wanted for her to be able to claim the credit for Atlas's capture. Emboldened by this she turned to her Hunters. "Well, it seems like we have a plan."
Percy nodded, then began to direct where everyone needed to go. Artemis took a position away from the rest of her Hunters but took some as security. The close combat team got into position while the cover team took their place. The pier had a number of buildings that provided excellent vantage points for archery. Percy snuck around until he was at the water's edge, he gave a small wave to Zoe and she acknowledged the signal.
"Hello father." Zoe said, approaching Atlas. He whipped around trying to spot anyone else. But when he realized that it was only his daughter and a small group of Hunters he laughed.
"What is this? Where is your precious mistress?" Atlas taunted, trying to understand the logic in his daughter's actions.
"She sent us ahead titan. She'll be along shortly." One of the Hunters with Zoe answered.
"She'll arrive to find your bodies girl. Your goddess has sent you to your death." Atlas said, donning his armor and preparing for combat. He knew that these Hunters could react faster than normal humans, but he was Atlas. He could crush these insects without breaking a sweat. The team was nimble, opting for evasions rather than direct confrontation.
Atlas thought he had one, she hadn't moved fast enough to fully dodge his spear. But an arrow came out of nowhere and struck the shaft of his weapon, diverting that last little bit to allow the Hunter to escape unscathed. Atlas spared a glance in the arrow's area of origin and saw the rest of the hunters perched on a rooftop. He leaned back to avoid another arrow, it went whizzing past his head, but then had to backpedal when Zoe came in close with her knives. Atlas managed to avoid all but a cut on the bridge of his nose. He raised his spear to impale his daughter and the next moments seemed to happen in slow motion. His right arm was raised with spear in hand, his left raise to balance, Zoe's eyes darted down to spot something out of Atlas's line of sight, she smirked as she and the other Hunters leapt back, and a sharp pain erupted from Atlas's armpits.
During the fight Percy had been carefully manipulating water in many ways. He had lowered the humidity in the air to make arrows fly with as little impediment as possible, he also helped by pulling on moisture on Atlas's armor to inhibit his movements by tiny but helpful margins, and finally he snaked thin streams of water through the gaps between pavement stones. When Atlas was in position Percy struck. He collected these thin streams into a pair of water orbs, one on either side of Atlas. Then he shaped them into tendrils, froze their points, and drove them into the unarmored underarms of Atlas. The last bit was to cause a large water bubble to pop, signaling Artemis. Atlas had only a moment to hear the scream of the arrow before its point embedded itself into the titan's forehead.
The Hunters all cheered, congratulating each other on such a well done job. Artemis joined her Hunters but quickly caught sight of something that concerned her. Percy was out of the water but was stumbling. The rest of the Hunters quickly noticed, but Thalia was the first to run to him.
Percy's head was swimming, he didn't have long to wait. "DILON, send a containment request. Alpha priority and level ten confinement." He commanded, his voice shaking.
"Acknowledged…Complete, containment teams have been dispatched. ETA, two minutes. Agent Tsunami, I can only acquire basic vitals from your current suit but they are concerning." The VI said.
Percy ignored her, opting to detain Atlas. He froze copious amounts of water around the titan and pinned the large being down. As soon as he was done his vision blackened, and he saw no more.
When he woke he found himself looking into the face of his cousin. She was clearly worried, but became visibly relieved when Percy began to show signs of life again.
"My lady, he's awake." Thalia shouted.
Percy noted that the containment team was there, along with a large metal case. It was about three meters tall and two wide and long. Atlas was nowhere to be found so he assumed that the titan was safely locked in the containment unit. They were speaking to Artemis, who turned at Thalia's cry. Artemis began her approach, some of her Hunters accompanying her.
"Perseus, are you… alright?" Artemis asked, not used to being concerned for a male. But he had definitely earned her respect. He was a clever tactician and skilled fighter. And the fact that he regarded everyone, her Hunters and other demigods, with polite neutrality went a long way into Artemis's favor.
"Don't worry Lady Artemis. I was just tired, manipulating water in so many different ways is extremely taxing. I just need some time and I'll be mission ready." Percy said, standing.
"So, how are you going to get Atlas back to Mt. Othrys?" Artemis asked.
"I already had that planned, Divinity can't risk the roads since there is too much of a chance of a monster attack to rescue Atlas. Oceans are a possibility but it would take too long to cover that much ground. Which leaves an airdrop." Percy answered, he had already set up the teams needed for said drop.
"I though children of Poseidon weren't allowed to fly." Thalia pointed out.
"Agents of Divinity are exempt from such rules, a little side clause we snuck into our agreement with Zeus." Percy said.
"So, you're going to fly Atlas there." Artemis said, weighing her options.
"Yes, why?" Percy asked, but he already suspected.
"I wish to see this operation take place, as such I request to accompany you." Artemis said.
"I thought so, that's why I took the liberty of requesting an all-female drop team." Percy said.
"Hold on Percy, what exactly occurs with this kind of drop?' Thalia asked.
A few hours later she had her answer, and subsequently yelled at Percy. "YOU PEOPLE ARE INSANE!"
Chapter end
NOT!
You think that I would just leave that kind of cliffhanger? What am I? A shitty fanfiction writer?
"We're fully aware Thalia." Percy said, an excited grin on his face.
Percy, Artemis, Zoe, Thalia, and a small number of Hunters were in the belly of one of Divinity's stealth transports. They were currently around 35,000 feet up and the flight was coming to an end. Each guest Hunter was strapped to a drop operative, the very reason that Percy had requested the female team, and were now very apprehensive about the affair. Flying didn't bother anyone but Thalia, but abandoning a fully functional aircraft was something that even Artemis was nervous about. The doors opened, and the rushing air deafened everyone. Percy put his hand to his ear and spoke, even the Hunters had been given comm devices for this drop.
"Alright everyone we are approaching the drop zone, keep it tight and stay together. Use your packs sparingly, Course correction only. You don't want to end up like Agent Georgia." Percy ordered.
"What happened to Georgia?" Thalia asked, the drop op with Artemis turned towards the Zeus demigod to answer.
"No one knows, we never found him."
The plane shifted and the drop ops began to depart the hold. The containment case was the last to leave, flanked by its own escorts. Even over the wind Percy could hear Thalia screaming bloody murder. The group all assumed a double 'V' formation, the front group lead by Percy dove sharply, the second group, full of the Hunters, would pull rear security. Behind the second 'V' the case and its escorts smoothly descended.
The drop was uneventful, though the front team had to clear the landing zone quickly. The parachutes all opened smoothly, the case was deposited safely, Thalia wanted to kill Percy. It was all a nice mission. Atlas was still unconscious when the case was opened, courtesy of the sedatives pumped into him for the last few hours. And when he awoke he found himself back under the sky. The Hunters all departed, shaken but happy about their experience. The drop ops returned to base, nonchalant about the entire affair. And Percy returned to one of his safe houses, cracked a coke, and relaxed the rest of the day away.