So... Been a while!

*Avoids the thrown tomatoes from the audience. Someone boos loudly from the back of the room. It echoes.*

Jump into the chapter- I'll have more at the end for you to read, if you wanna hear an excuse/explaination/apology.

Hope:

"You should've started off by explaining that you didn't sell out any information about the suit." Hope said. "But before that, you should've called us to make sure we understood the situation before you showed up."

Scott's current position on the armchair- feet planted firmly, elbows resting on his knees, and face in his hands -reminded Hope of how Scott didn't change much over the last few years. After going over schematics of the Pymtech building or dissecting and reassembling the AntMan suit, he seemed tired and worn out. Coming up with a plan, timing every aspect of something down to the millisecond, did not seem to suit him at all

Scott preferred taking things by the minute- the botched robbery of Pym's home was proof enough for that. He had told Hope later that, if the top window had been locked, or the safe had been anymore advanced, he had a handful of different ways he would've gotten in and 'burgalled' them blind. It was fascinating, understanding Scott's thought process. Hope never got tired of learning how Scott operated.

Even if it was all half baked, most of the time.

As Scott had tried to fit into the style of a Pym-trademarked theft rather than his own, the more tired he would look. Apparently, he couldn't adapt his style to a single fit, correct plan.

(Considering the last minute contributions he'd made to the Pymtech heist, and the slim victory they had achieved, Hope had not dismissed Scott as 'incorrect' per say, but only 'moderately correct.')

"Duly noted." Scott said, rubbing his face. "But you might've ditched me if I'd told you."

"Well, what would give you that idea?" Hank said from the opposite end of the room, in his own armchair. His posture was more like her own- squared shoulders and folded arms. He looked much more disapproving than she was, already holding Scott to the Hank Pym standard. "Would it perhaps be that someone had discovered my life's work and wanted to steal it? Or maybe it's the fact that you've blindly led him to my door-"

Scott snapped his fingers, pointing at the old AntMan. "Now that's not actually true- Percy only discovered that I was AntMan. I didn't tell him where the suit was." He said, self-satisfied by his own answer.

Hope really, really wished Scott would think more before he spoke. He never spoke like he'd earned his Masters in Electrical Engineering.

Before the Pym's could simultaneously tell him off, Scott explained himself further. "He showed up in my apartment this afternoon. I told him I'd ask you guys first before making any promises, but he needs to borrow the suit." When Hope went to interject, Scott stopped her. "In exchange for letting him borrow it, he swore I could keep the creator of the suit a mystery and wouldn't investigate further."

Hank stomped his foot, shaking his head, irritated. "Now why would you agree to any terms this person asked of you?" He asked. Hope nodded in agreement. As far as she knew, Scott was willing to take the secret of the AntMan to the grave. He'd never treated his job lightly- he almost seemed to treasure this job as much as Cassie.

"This is- is idiotic." Hank continued. "There is no excuse for leading someone else to my technology. None at all." Hope nodded in agreement. Hank was right.

Scott seemed utterly shocked, mouth open and eyes widened. He would make the same face often while playing with Cassie- overemphasized. Louder than necessary. He put his hands up in surrender. "Woah- for the way the situation played out, I thought I was pretty clever." Scott argued. "I convinced Percy not to follow me here, I didn't reveal anything about the technology itself-"

"You admitted you were AntMan!" Hank yelled. He stood from his chair and Hope stood between him and Scott to keep the boys in check. "That you knew about a suit that shrinks the individual wearing it!"

Scott nodded his head sarcastically, throwing his 'surrendering' hands up further. "Fine. Fine! When another Yellowjacket situation happens because we let an Avenger stay the size of an ant, I don't wanna hear that I didn't do the smart thing!" He said.

Hope spun on the balls of her feet to face Scott- Hank was frozen in place.

"He's already the size of an ant?!"

"He's an Avenger?!"

Scott blinked, looking down at the phone, then back at the Pym's. "Did I not mention that part?"

Hope really, really needed to help Scott understand how to clearly explain a situation.

Percy:

"Dang bro. So you, like, aren't really sure you're gonna be Avenging no more?"

Luis was a good listener. Also, a great person to help recap a complicated situation.

While Percy had been sitting and waiting patiently for Scott to call him from on top of the light fixture in the crappy apartment Mr. Lang called home (the ceiling needed some serious replacement), the keys began jingling in the lock and the door opened.

The Hispanic 30-something guy that came in whistling The Andy Griffith Show theme wouldn't have left Percy any time to call him like Scott had. He made his way straight for the couch, free-falling backwards and decompressing loudly on the couch. He scrolled through his phone for a few minutes, and Percy watched on in amusement.

The Bay Area was full of such crazy, colorful people. They flocked to the water, doing whatever they felt like they should. Percy hadn't been able to appreciate the laid back attitude of California while he was still at Camp Halfblood. The first time he'd come, the pressure of saving a kidnapped daughter of Athena overshadowed every other detail. Every other visit had been a business trip- Alacatraz was destroyed by a monster. He'd been backpacking across California to reach Camp Jupiter.

There had been a few missions for the Avengers- hunting Hydra operatives with Steve in Fresno. Sky sweeps in the Quinjet with Clint during a strange atmospheric anomaly. Natasha was involved in a sting operation involving black market weapon deals in Santa Barbara, and Percy had brought her some food from her favorite place in New York. They'd walked along the pier and Percy had splashed her with a twenty foot wave.

He never did much in California- there was a higher concentration in monster demographics the closer the city's were to the camps. Too much of a chance of being found out. At least, he never wanted to risk it. His luck was too wishy-washy when it came to demigod affairs.

At this size however, the risk wasn't too bad. Not the usual risks, at least. And if he considered the likelihood of being stepped on by a god while regular sized, the risk could've been considered even.

"Yo! Scotty! You not here bro?" The guy asked, his voice echoing across the apartment. He didn't investigate further, looking up from his phone was as far as he went. What a civilian.

Percy loved it. When he got Luis' number off the internet, he called without hesitation. One topic led to another, a friendship was created, and now Percy was taking Tony's advice to 'find someone you can talk to without much consequence if they blab.'

He only discussed the small stuff that Luis might understand- the shrinking (that was the first topic), being named Theseus by the public, general Avenging stuff… and a topic that he needed some real advice on.

"It's a tough one, but I think so. If my family knows I'm in the Avengers, I don't think I can keep being one." Percy reiterated.

Luis had a look of enlightenment on his face. "Right, cuz if they know, then other people learn you're Theseus, they're in danger, right? Classic."

"Yeah… I guess that's it." Percy lied. He tried imagining Zeus cowering in front of one of their regulars in the rogue's gallery… maybe another appearance by Loki, or a resurgence of Trevor, the Mandarin. He shook his head. "Nah… if they know where I am, they might want to try hurting the Avengers."

Luis went from enlightened to confused real quick (that seemed to be a cycle, though). "Oh, really? They could hurt the Avengers?"

Percy didn't want to linger on that. "Yeah. They could."

"You don't get along well with your parents, is that it?" Luis asked.

"My Dad's side- they're kinda controlling. And paranoid." Percy explained, probably oversimplifying. "But my… cousins are all pretty good."

"That's good, that's good!" Luis assured. "I mean, not about the paranoia. Or the controlling stuff." Another confused look, then enlightened again. "But it's good your cousins like you, right? I love my cousins. Ernesto, on my moms side-"

This was the third rant Luis had started, but it gave Percy another chance to think.

He had a few simple truths that he needed to verify. Talking it out was making it easier.

'I love my cousins- my friends.' Percy thought, nodding. He squinted, tilting his head. Did Thalia still count?

Yeah. All of them- even with the predicament that they'd thrust him into, he wasn't going to hold a grudge. Piper… he could keep that open for discussion. After this was all sorted out. He'd watched her almost tear up from his place in the jar, and after he'd calmed down he realized how close he'd come to really hurting one of his friends.

That almost made him question the second truth he'd come to realize. Instead, it steeled his resolve to make a new truth.

'My family- the gods -are only paranoid. I don't want to overthrow the gods… but I wouldn't mind getting even.' Percy admitted grimly. Saving them only months ago from the Red Hydra still didn't sit right, especially when there hadn't been any real retaliation or repercussions from the Olympians. Percy was anxious about that. It felt like the boot was going to come down any minute.

As someone both the size of an ant, and on a quest, he was getting a little stressed.

It wasn't much to go on, but those simple truths would be enough for now.

"Oh! Oh, you've got an Uncle Jorge, too?"

Percy blinked. "I don't think I caught that part."

Confused look. This was fun, watching him talk from the light. Luis looked like he probably had ADHD, too, what with all the twitchy movements and what not. He was just bursting with energy. Jason would like him.

"Man, my Uncle Jorge was always on my side. Even when Claira and Juan were sure I was in dirty with their business, he was always on my side, man." Luis explained.

"There was this one time, back when I was in San Quentin, when I got a letter from him, while I was in Cellblock F. And you know, Cellblock F was the place where all the crazy nasties went, and my cellmate at the time was this real bad news guy, right, and you don't know but I was in the clink for stealing two smoothie machines, so I shouldn't've been in block F-"

"So what about your Uncle Jorge?" Percy said, already trying to figure out how Luis was functioning in society.

"That's the thing- Uncle Jorge said that even though my auntie Claira said I was no good, he was the first to offer me a position at his plantation back home! And not as no picker- one of the accountant suit dudes."

"That's…" No words came.

"I'm saying, there's always someone that says, 'hey, this guy ain't half as bad as you say he is!' Like Juanita would always say-"

This guy ain't half as bad…

Percy shook his head. That wasn't worth a second thought, either. Thalia and Jason might've been convinced there were some gods having second thoughts about banishing him, but those second thoughts were five years too late. No one stood up for him in front of Zeus- that was the moment that it would've counted.

Percy voiced the thought to Luis. He didn't seem convinced, but the topics changed again.

Scott called, then hung up after Percy spoke, saying that he'd convince whoever owned the suit in five minutes. That happened thirty minutes ago.

"Scotty still trying to convince Doctor Pym?" Luis asked, grabbing a beer from the fridge.

"Yeah, probably… I hope." Percy said. He filed away the name 'Pym' into the part of his head that old mission file details went to be forgotten (he'd made a deal after all).

"Yeah, he's probably gonna talk to Hope for a while, too." Luis agreed, mishearing Percy. That name, 'Hope' followed swiftly into the mental recycle bin. It would, however, be harder to forget.

"Yeah, sure." Percy said, swinging his legs over the abyss that ended in dirty carpet. A thought occurred- one that had very little to do with whatever Luis was talking about. "Who is Scott Lang?"

Luis stopped short. "Scotty? I mean, he's Scotty." He said simply.

Percy liked the answer (speaking as someone who didn't prefer the titles like 'Hero of Olympus' or, 'one of the Seven'). "Then why him? Why did he become the AntMan?"

This was the first time Luis really hesitated before speaking, and the first time Percy listened with everything he had.

The burglary that put Scott in prison- a Robin Hood story. The realization that Scott had a daughter- something that Percy hadn't seen when he'd snuck a peek at the file on Sam's desk. The situation with his ex-wife, and the decision to take Luis' gig.

The promise of redemption- a promise to make up for lost time with his daughter.

Percy was kinda touched. He wished that Scott fit the description of any of the allies Percy was supposed to gather from Rachel's prophecy- but an ant could really be considered an animal or a demon, nor did it make up a brotherhood. Percy figured he'd have to look elsewhere for those answers.

A dark day was approaching- he was sure of it. All the signs were there.

Percy's phone began going off. It was Scott again. "Hey, Luis."

The guy was back on the couch, still taking sips of his Corona. "Yeah bud?"

"Scott's calling- I'm gonna have to put you on hold." Percy said.

From his seat, Luis did a 'no-big-deal' gesture in no direction in particular. This whole conversation, he might as well have been talking to a wall. "Don't even worry about it. My mans Kurt and Dave are gonna be here soon, so I gotta bounce anyway." He said. His enlightened face made a final appearance. "But hey! If you, like, ever need help for Avenger stuff, or if you need some low key help, I'm your man, bro."

"Appreciate it." Percy said, dropping the call and switching to the other. Luis took a big swig from his beer after he'd hung up.

"Scott- any progress on getting me into a shower?" Percy asked.

"... Kinda." Came Scott's delayed response. "Can you meet me at this address I'm about to send you in, like, ten minutes?"

"Depends on how far it is- my legs don't take me as far as they used to." Percy said dryly.

"Ahaha, Yeah." Scott laughed humorlessly. "Just- keep an open mind when you get here, and do you like soup?"

To those of you who have waited patiently, I thank you. To those of you who saw an update that was sent over email to their phone, ran into the nearest bathroom, and tore off their shirt like a superhero to expose their LostHeroGuide official t-shirt (that doesn't really exist, btw), you are my hero. I wouldn't be here without you guys.

Someone posted to this story and reminded me that I would never leave a story half finished. That's my biggest pet peeve with this website, and I didn't want to be another guy to leave you with a major cliffhanger.

On that note... sorry for the three year cliffhanger! I got discouraged after watching all the new Marvel stuff- just realized that I hadn't been as good at writing this story as I should've been. Combine that with a few life changes and you've got what threw me off for a year after returning from my religious excursion.

I re-read the Percy Jackson books. I'm watching the new Marvel series'. I've got a few new ideas for Heroes and Ghosts, and I hope that you enjoy every bit of it as it comes out.

Best wishes!

-LHG :)