_ϪϟϪ_

"Are you sure?"

Diana's dry voice cackled through the comm system. Tempest frowned.

"We've looked everywhere. Pontus is just… gone."

"He wouldn't just disappear like that." Thanatos exclaimed, keeping his voice low so it was a whisper on the comms. "That's not like him at all."

"Yeah you're right." Diana agreed. "Do you think that he went rogue?"

"Not likely." Tempest fidgeted with his coin-weapon. "Perce wouldn't bail on us. His loyalty… it lies with his friends, his family. As crazy as we are, there would be no reason for him to bail on us."

The comms went silent for a moment.

Diana sighed. "I guess you're right. We'll check again at first light tomorrow. Come home, Jace. Neeks, you too."

"Copy."

"Yes ma'am."

And with that, the comms went completely silent. Jason took one last look at the bank doors before willing the air to guide him to the roof of the apartment complex.

_Ⱥ_

"Do you think he's going to wake up anytime soon?"

"Cisco if you don't shut up-"

"Okay, okay. I get it." Cisco rolled his eyes at me. "Silence it will be."

Everyone had gathered in the med bay. Laurel was leaning against the wall next to Pontus, Thea was in the corner farthest away. Felicity and Diggle were sitting a few feet away, eyeing the teen suspiciously and chatting quietly. Cisco as pacing the room with a clipboard, flipping though some notes. Caitlyn was leaning over the boy, making sure his Velcro restraints were strong enough to hold him down and NOT injure him. Barry was sitting on the bed across from Pontus with Iris, both of them silent as a rock.

A few minutes of silence pass and Cisco groaned, "Okay seriously, can we wake him up? It's been 2 hours."

"Cisco!" Caitlyn exclaimed. "Let the boy rest. He slammed face first into the cage bars."

"Yeah, well he can wake up faster, ya know."

Caitlyn sighed, changing out the bandage on the boy's head. Miraculously, none of the blood had gotten on his mask or pants. It was splattered all over his face, arms and torso, but that was about it. Even the mysterious black burn marks on his arm were covered, though the blood glittered black when it touched the SPQR.

Pontus moaned a little in his sleep as Caitlyn picked some fuzz out of the stitches. His eyes fluttered open.

"Uh… huh?"

He tried to sit up, his body trembling violently. He pulled weakly at the cuffs, confusion creeping into his eyes.

"Velcro? Seriously?" He frowned. "Have I really gone that low?"

"And the Sea Master awakes!"

"We are not calling him Sea Master, Cisco." Iris chided, making Cisco scowl softly. She slipped off the bed and moved towards Pontus. "Are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" He stated sarcastically. "I'm Velcro-ed to a bed, topless, and covered in blood. I look like a scene from 50 shades turned murder novel."

He paused, then smiled. "Oh gods, Diana would kill me if I said that in-"

His face fell. "Oh sh… Diana's gonna kill me." He tried to sit up again, pulling at the Velcro. In a flash, Barry was at his side, holding him down.

"Kid, you need-"

"I am literally 19, I don't need Santa to tell me what to do." Pontus glared at Barry, who took a step back.

"Listen, you're in no condition to walk, much less sit up. After that hi-"

"Where's my shirt?" He said softly. "On the left side, where my heart would be, is a patch of sewed in cloth. Rip it open and you'll see something that looks like a lemon bar. Whatever you do, don't eat it. I need it."

There was a shocked silence. Pontus scowled. "Well? What are you waiting for?"

Laurel bit her lip. "What is it exactly?"

"That is of no importance." Pontus snapped. Somehow he still managed to look scary, despite the fact he was in a mid-crutch position.

"Listen, we can't give you anyth-"

"Just please. I need it."

His tone changed. He was… begging?

Felicity frowned. "Oliver?"

I took a deep breath in. "Get the shirt."

She frowned, then got up. As she left the room, Diggle came up to me.

"Oliver, I hope you know what you're doing." He whispered. I kept my eyes on the boy.

"He might be a criminal, but what I saw at the bank… The worry and impulse to throw himself into the crowd and help… I don't think crime is a natural trait for him."

Diggle grunted softly. "You sure? The guy tried to drown Thea."

"And yet he knows more about those creature than we do. At least, I hope he does."

Diggle looked at me with a steel glint in his eyes, then glanced at Pontus. The boy had gone completely still, staring straight up at the ceiling.

He sighed. "I hope you're right, Oliver."

Felicity's heels clicked back in the room, holding a plastic baggie was slightly squished lemon bar in it.

Pontus looked up, scanning her gaze. When he saw the baggie, he visibly relaxed.

"Good, you found it, now-"

"What is it?" Felicity stated, her voice faltering slightly. Pontus sighed.

"I said that's-"

"Not important? Well too bad, now it is." Felicity stated firmly. "What is it?"

Pontus opened his mouth, then sighed. "Ambrosia."

"I'm sorry, it doesn't look like fruit salad." Cisco commented. Pontus rolled his eyes.

"No, this is more… ancient. Like, old as Titans ancient."

"Very funny," Barry crossed his arms. "Now tell us the truth."

"I am." Pontus said plainly. "The whole issue with the truth is that you mortals refuse to stray from science. You refuse to believe that maybe, just maybe, there was some other force running the universe. Of course, that isn't true on this earth, but where I'm from…"

He faltered, blinking rapidly. "Ugh, yellow…."

His head went limp, slamming back down into the pillow. Felicity yelped softly.

"Mmmh fine… I think… Can I have the magic food now? Like a quarter square? Too much and I'll burn."

There was a moment of hesitation, then Felicity opened the bag, ripped a corner off, and shoved it in Pontus' mouth.

Choked gasps filled the room as we watched as the wounds slowly closed. The stitches popped out of their place, free of skin. Slowly colour returned to his face and he coughed softly.

"Thank gods, I was afraid that it wouldn't work."

"Holy magic food. Can I have a bite?"

"Do you have a death wish?" Pontus deadpanned. Cisco rolled his eyes.

"You're defense-"

"There is a leak in the sink 20 feet away to the left. You should get that checked, I'd hate if the pressure suddenly… peaked."

Cisco's face paled. "What?"

Pontus smiled innocently, his purple eyes sparkling mischievously.

"You were joking, weren't you?"

"No idea what you're talking about. Now, can you please un-Velcro me? 50 Shades of Murder needs to get himself clean."

Laurel snorted softly. "Nice try, Pontus. We can't let you go?"

Pontus looked straight at her with baby seal eyes. "Pwetty pwease?"

How the hell do you say no to that face? was the first thing that fell through my mind. Then I mentally slapped myself.

"The answer is no." She stated firmly.

"'ll tell you why that Rubix is important." His tone was surprisingly persuasive, like he was used to bargaining while he was tied up.

Laurel hesitated. "Tell us now, and we'll let you go."

"Oh hell no. There is no way we're letting him go." Diggle interrupted. Pontus groaned.

"Seriously, you guys? I'm not that horrible."

"You tried to drown me!" Thea defended.

"Yes, but I wasn't going to let you die." He claimed. "Kinda need you to open the damned Rubix."

"Wait, what?" Caitlyn said, leaning forwards in the seat she retired to.

Pontus sighed. "Thea is… unique. Excellent eyesight, superior to most people."

Thea snorted. "Yeah, nice try. I had to wear glasses growing up."

Pontus snapped his fingers and the room rippled. Suddenly I was standing back on Lian Yu. The forest stood high above me, like skyscrapers of nature.

Barry took a step back. "How… how did you?"

Pontus was sitting cross-legged on the forest floor, a fire crackling in front of him. He stared at me expectantly.

"Tell me, Oliver. What do you see?"

I swallowed a clump in my throat.

"My old island prison… Lian Yu."

He frowned. "Interesting… Barry," He turned to look at Allen. "What do you see?"

"My… my mom… I'm in her living room… how-"

"Both of you are crazy!" Thea exclaimed. "We're in the med bay."

"No we aren't, we're in Afghanistan!" Diggle took a full spin around.

Pontus smiled. "A simple spell, really. We call it the Mist, or the topmost layer of reality. Very hard to see through, but once you're aware of where you are…"

The room flickered back to the med bay for a spilt moment. Pontus sighed. "Well, the affects wear off. But, Thea… She's different. She's one of the very few mortals born with the ability to see though the Mist, to view the world for what it truly is."

The mirage evaporated away. Caitlyn looked at her hands.

"Your name… it comes from Greek Mythology… The Mist-"

"Is stated in the Iliad. Yes, books of old make great reference guides." Pontus mused. "Chiron told me that once."

"Wait, THE Chiron. As in, centaur dude?" Cisco exclaimed.

"He'd give you kitchen duty if you called him that, but yes. My dad? He's immortal too."

"Pontus?"

"Poseidon."

"Oh." Iris bit her lip. "I guess that makes sense… I think?"

He laughed. "Don't worry. It took me about a week to except it. Longer than most… You must be Iris West, Barry's girlfriend?"

Her eyes widened. "O-oh no, I-"

He laughed softly. "No pressure, I understand. I wouldn't want to date someone that was adopted into the family. Then again, my entire family is formed from 'family ties', er – so to speak."

"Wait, Zeus actually did marry his sister?" I added, tilting my head.

Pontus' face turned a little green. "Yeah, don't remind me-"

"You're Percy Jackson, aren't you?"

Thea's words cut through the air like a knife. Pontus stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide.

Thea stepped towards the bed. "That night, at the party. You said you have black hair, but it was green. Like it is right now. You used the Mist to hide your identity."

"Thea, that's re-"

"Completely true." Pontus admitted. He sighed and the mask suddenly peeled off his face.

"Hello. My name is Percy Jackson."