Years later,

Dublin, Ireland….

They were following him. He knew that much.

It was that part of him which had been honed and sharpened to perfection. They did more than just beat him to a pulp and use him as a lab rat.

Alex walked calmly away from the city He was west of the city centre, in Phoenix Park. Áras an Uachtaráin, the presidential palace, could be spotted from all the way over here, but Alex wasn't stopping for any sight-seeing. He knew this city like the back of his hand, he had a virtual map inside his mind; already the car had been following him all the way from Amiens Street where he had arrived from the Dublin Connolly. They had been waiting for him.

Irritation rose within Alex but he didn't let a single bit show. He knew they were waiting for him. If it was that serious- if this was an official agency of some kind, he would know. These weren't tourists, though they were posing as them. Clearly unfamiliar with the city streets and buildings, the way they moved through the streets on the car betrayed a slight hesitancy, an irritation, a frustration of kinds, including forgetfulness. Here, drivers moved on the left side of the lane, and the steering wheel was to the right of the car. They could be continental Europeans, most of the countries there drove on the right side of the lane, but he doubted it. He had a strong suspicion that they were American. Alex passed through Phoenix Park, found his car.

A car he always used for escape routes and kept in that exact place in case of people following him, like them. Not that he was planning to escape just yet- he was just testing them. It never hurt to find out more about your pursuers before you took them out. The car unlocked and Alex slipped into the driver's seat with ease. He took off.

Ah, much easier for them to follow him, now that he was the same speed and flow as the traffic. They didn't dare follow him too closely, but they couldn't lose sight of him either. Now he wanted to test just how professional his stalkers were, and what their motives were- before he took them out.

Percy looked ahead in irritation. He and Jason took turns driving, and it was the first week of summer back at camp.

And yeah, naturally in Ireland, Annabeth reminded him, cars drove on the left side of the lane, and steering wheels were on the right. This was not what he practiced on Paul's Prius.

"He's going out of the city," Annabeth was busy rifling through the maps. Yeah, because unlike everyone else, demigods don't use GPS: they can't. With modern electronics, you could easily send out a signal to monsters like, 'I'm over here, please rearrange my face!'

Percy sighed. "I don't think he's going to be heading back to the city centre, probably farther west, don't know where, though." He grumbled.

"'Kay," Annabeth remarked, rifling through the maps. Behind them Jason was using a pair of binoculars, and so was Piper. They were busy spotting down this guy.

"So, Rachel and the Apollo Cabin send us out all the way to Ireland for one guy," Jason spoke. "Ever wondered what was so special about this guy?"

Percy snorted. If he knew they wouldn't be having this problem. Annabeth could easily whip up a plan to catch this guy, and the rest of them could extract him to New York, all the way back to camp. At least that's what they thought.

The truth was this guy had been leading them on tour of the city. He had a notepad in his hand, an iPhone, and a pen and had been busy writing things down on that notepad, checking his phone like a GPS- which he probably had, Percy thought, annoyed. He was probably writing some tour-book or something.

"Look, he's heading west," Piper pointed. "Then let's follow him," Annabeth ordered, and Percy moved that way, rolling his eyes while Annabeth gave him instructions to avoid being noticed by their target- and anyone else, including monsters.

Well, they were definitely clever, but not clever enough. They thought that he wouldn't notice them, especially when they were cleverly using routes and tactics that would fool the average driver, but it was clear they were not professionals. They did not work for any spy agency, they weren't affiliated with S.H.I.E.L.D or HYDRA. Were they working for them? He didn't know, it didn't seem like them to hire amateurs for this job. Now that he was in a car, he could easily escape them. Perhaps they would find him, well, maybe, but not before he paid his respects first.

Alex lost them in the traffic, taking a rather clever contingency route, and managing to lose them. He managed a smile. He bet they were probably furious with each other in that car. A rental car? Seriously, they didn't think he would know? As if their driving didn't give enough away.

Alex pulled to a halt, parking just outside a cemetery. He did this once a week, but it was safe to do so now. He had little doubt, judging by how clever they were, though unpolished in their methods, that they would catch up and find him soon. But if they had taken the time to follow him for at least a week, they would realise this was the day he visited the cemetery. As it happened, they had yet to appear, and judging by the way they acted, no one was tipping them off- or rather, it was a very vague tip-off. Not much info. Still, if he wanted to be safe, he needed to leave and leave soon. But not before paying his respects, after all, who knew when would be the next time he would lay flowers on their graves?

Alex sighed as he got out of the car. He made his way to the cemetery, amidst the tombstones, engraved angels, rusted iron adornments. The skies were grey, clouds rolling like a sealed lid on a sardine tin. Or a coffin. Alex walked to one of the graves.

Well, there were two. Two for people who had actually never met in life, but both of whom he cherished more than the whole world.

Nuala Niamh O'Brien

Born 5th May 1999

Died 1st May 2003.

An chuid eile i síocháin

There was another tombstone:

Leifteanant-Ghinearál Aidan Connor McDermott:

Born 26th March 1973

Died 8th August 2010.

An chuid eile i síocháin

The last inscription simply meant: Rest in Peace. Irish had been his first language, even when he spoke English fluently, he still used Irish quite frequently.

There were two wreaths with him. He had left the notepad and pen which he had used to fool his pursuers in the car. Kneeling, he placed a wreath of Ashpodel, Baby's Breath, rue, honeysuckle and clove on the first grave and another of Gladiolus, Agrimony, Protea, Japanese Camellia, Campanula, laurel and Thuja on the second grave. The first wreath symbolised the regrets that followed her to the grave, innocence and purity of heart, regrets and sorrows, devoted love and affection, and undying love respectively. Alex had made note to check the language of flowers in a library. It would have been amusing had it not been so sorrowful and serious. The second wreath symbolised strength of character and honour, thankfulness, courage, unpretending excellence, gratitude, success and renown, and everlasting friendship. Those what was meant for each of them.

Now he was all that was left.

Alex inhaled and exhaled, his breath blowing mist, like a fog in the cold.

He closed his eyes. I'm sorry, he thought. I've never been more sorry in my life. You'll always stay with me… Always….

He had many ghosts. That he couldn't deny.

Alex stiffened and opened his eyes. Unwelcome irritation and anger flooding through him in the peace of this grieving moment. He had been prepared for this, knew this was going to happen, yet it angered him nonetheless that they should follow him here, though he probably would have guessed that anyone who wanted to follow him had no respect for the dead.

The anger rose considerably.

He strode over, barely bothering to feign anything, and made his way back to his car- only unexpectedly, he took a sharp turn, turning right towards the ridiculously conspicuous (at least for him) rental care and wrenching the front door opened.

The inhabitants of the car started when in a flash, he had his gun out and aiming right for them.

"Whoa!" Their hands flew up and they jumped in their seats.

There were four of them, he noticed. A girl with honey-blond hair and grey eyes, a lovely girl with tanned skin and multi-coloured eyes, a blond boy with blue eyes and a handsome boy with black hair and green eyes.

"I wouldn't try anything if I were you," he said, deceptively calm with an undercurrent that spelt danger and was more frightening than a shout. They were around the same age as him, give or take a year. The blond girl opened her mouth, about to say something, but he beat her to it. "You were waiting in a rental car, at the Dublin Connolly train station back in Amiens Street. I went right and then left to the Connolly Station car park, took a detour to back to Sheriff Street Lower, went to Foley Street and then James Joyce Street, went all the way to the Clock Tower and you were still with me. You were with me by the time I entered Phoenix Park, more than ten minutes later- I took my time- and passed the presidential palace, and got into my car- the one I keep for emergencies. I left the city centre, went west outside the city and managed to lose you, though judging from what I'd seen- clever, but sloppy, really unrefined- your skills were enough to track me sooner rather than later." He paused. They flushed with embarrassment at that. But Alex ignored them. He went on.

"Normally I would exercise patience with you guys, but you've caught me at a time when I should be paying my respects to the dead in their burial place. I don't appreciate that, and I doubt that you would either when you're trying to make your peace and say farewell. You weren't in Ireland for a long time, so I know you weren't professionally-trained: people who were, would normally spend roughly a week, if not more, surveying their target's daily routine, their habits, their schedules, where they live, but you didn't do any of that. At best, you had a tip-off, which was very slight and sloppy. A very good tip-off, but you were ill-prepared, and that could get you in trouble." He aimed the gun. "That did get you in trouble."

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute," the black-haired boy protested.

The brunette girl opened her mouth, but Alex snapped: "Don't even think about it. Try to sweet-talk me out of it, and you and your friends will regret it. As I've said, you've just interrupted me paying my respects to the dead. Very disrespectful and rude, I wouldn't push it." He snarled. His eyes flashed. He didn't even look directly at her. "I am not in a good mood. So, keep your powers to yourself and under control, why don't you?"

That line caught them off-guard. The green-eyed boy gaped at him. The blond girl opened her mouth and closed it, repeatedly.

An uneasy silence filled them.

"You came here," Alex said calmly. "Via Dublin Airport. Across the Atlantic. American, without a doubt, I knew that even before I heard you speak. The way you drove, the way you were uncomfortable with the road, the left-side of the lane, the steering wheel being on the right side, the way that someone-" he nodded to the blonde girl "-was probably smart enough to help you evade detection and arouse suspicion, by street tactics. Smart, but not polished, and even then, anyone would be able to spot it." The green-eyed boy and the grey-eyed girl flushed. "You arrived not three hours ago. Two of you have bags under your eyes, you know that?

"At first I thought them." He said dangerously. "Or HYDRA. Or S.H.I.E.L.D. Or even CIA, MI6 or G2, from here in Ireland, but like I said, it's clear that you're not professionals. You might be young, but they do train their youths very well. I can attest to that." His eyes narrowed. "So, who the heck are you and what do you want with me?"

There was yet another silence.

It was clear they weren't outgunned or out-numbered, but they were clearly outsmarted.

Even Annabeth was speechless. Percy took a deep breath. He figured it was best to be honest to the guy, as it couldn't hurt them anymore. Besides, that guy was mad because they interrupted him when he was paying his respects, probably to a dead family member. As embarrassing and humiliating as this was, Percy got that. He could understand why this guy would be so mad as well as defensive.

What he didn't get was how he was so smart.

Smart enough to throw Annabeth off her rocker.

"My name is Percy Jackson," ignoring the outraged and horrified look Annabeth was sending his way. "This is Annabeth Chase, Jason Grace and Piper McLean."

"Percy!" Annabeth hissed.

"Look man," Jason interjected. "We're not trying to hurt you or cause any trouble."

"You don't look like you've planned ahead," he said acidly. "You were clearly inviting trouble. I've been keeping an eye on you for as long as you've been tracking me. I'm used to being followed- heck, I'm used to being hunted. You don't think well-trained, more experienced and better-equipped professionals have tried to do it? All the way from Russia or America, like yourself?" He asked sceptically.

"A long way from New York, aren't you? Long Island? Wait- the big city, I'd say you're from the Big Apple itself." He looked at the others. "And you two-" he nodded to Piper and Annabeth. "California, I'm almost certain. You're not from there, but like you've been spending time in San Francisco, but probably lived in Virginia as well, at least in your early years." He remarked casually to Annabeth. "Though you've probably lived in or around San Francisco your whole life, if not the majority of it." He glanced at Jason. "Still, I'd peg you as coming all the way from New York, Long Island. Is that where your base of operations is located?"

Annabeth felt the colour drain from her face, and everyone else was staring at equally aghast and horrified expressions at this guy. Who was this guy?

"Then you're clearly not S.H.I.E.L.D, though S.H.I.E.L.D definitely has a base of operations in New York City- Tony Stark works with S.H.I.E.L.D, and he has a tower there, if I'm not mistaken." He mused. "The rest of the Avengers could be found there. But S.H.I.E.L.D's headquarters are at the Triskelion on Theodore Roosevelt Island, between Washington D.C and Virginia." He studied them suspiciously.

"It's not well-known where all of HYDRA's cells are. They could have one in New York, but hopefully, they're not that dumb. Terrorists might target New York, but a terrorist organisation like HYDRA does more than explosions and terror attacks. Biological warfare- technological warfare too, it's too risky for a group with technology as sophisticated as HYDRA's, and scientists that are notorious amongst S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers, to be seen anywhere near New York City. They've got CCTV cameras, and I bet Tony Stark would have hacked into them more than twice a year, even with all his parties. Or at least, he would've given S.H.I.E.L.D the capacity. I already knew that neither HYDRA nor S.H.I.E.L.D sent you here, they would have sent someone highly experienced and qualified to take me down, if they're aware of my history. They're arrogant. But the others…" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "They might think that sending a group of semi-trained and experienced teens around the same age as me would catch me off guard. It's so like them to be so clever just to try and capture or kill me. Still, it's a new low, even for them. To hire teens all the way in Long Island… Wait- you guys look like you should be in a Summer Camp."

As if things couldn't get any worse, Percy thought miserably. Wait, he shouldn't jinx it.

"So, I'm going to give you this one chance," Alex said calmly. "To come clean. Who do you work for? Who sent you here?"

"What, you haven't already found out?" Percy mumbled.

"I'm giving you this chance to be honest about it." Alex stated. "I'm used to being hunted, but doesn't mean I have to tolerate it anymore. Right now, I'm getting sick of it. I've been living, looking over my back for years, waiting for them to come for me." Rage flashed in his dark-blue eyes. "If they're going to kill me, I might as well go down fighting, but I actually thought, that this morning, that I might get to visit my family's graves in peace."

Now Percy felt guilt- and shame at literally stalking him at such a private moment.

"We came looking for you," he said slowly. But Hades, he didn't know what to say to this guy! What was he going to say- that you're a demigod and you should come with us, back to New York to Camp Half-Blood where you can train, be safe and get sent to dangerous quests whenever the gods feel like it?

Alex stood there, watching him patiently. He hadn't put down his gun.

"We were sent here," he began slowly. "To find you. Because we thought you might be in danger."

Alex cocked an eyebrow. Oh, really? He felt like saying sarcastically.

"I'm used to taking care of myself." He stated the obvious.

Percy snorted. "Yeah. But we didn't know that. We're not used to going outside of North America for this kind of trip either."

"How inconvenient. But that doesn't explain who you're working for."

"We're not working for any big-shot government organisations," Percy said. "Or any terrorist organisations either."

"You mean this is likely an illegal group, without the government's notice?" Alex lowered the gun slightly. "Not that I mistrust governments too much, but I've always avoided them unless necessary. I am a soldier. You, ahem, rescue teens often, then?"

"How'd you know?"

"Because judging by the way you look, you're around the same age as I am, give or take a year. Yet, I think you think, that I'm older than you guys. I saw you looking me up and down once I'm close enough. In reality, a few of you are probably older than I am."

Percy stared at him. "You're kidding me."

"I'm not." Alex said calmly, lowering his gun completely now. "1993-94? I was born in March 1994."

They stared at him. "No kidding."

"I still don't trust you," Alex emphasised slowly. "And though I may regret losing my cool, I really don't appreciate it when I'm trying to pay my respects to my dead family." He hadn't even gotten to his grandparents' graves just yet. "But I don't think you're trying to kill me. You're not stupid either, that's another reason. Your methods aren't as refined as a professional's but you were really quite good. You're expert fighters too, by the looks of it. I can tell a lot just by looking at someone." He nodded to each of them. "American, New York. Possibly half-Greek, judging from your Mediterranean features and colouring." He turned to Annabeth. "Also half-Greek, possibly some Scandinavian ancestry, a bit of British, German, Norwegian- is it Norwegian? And American." Piper. "Half-Native American. Half Caucasian, possibly Greek. Maybe a bit of Scottish and Irish there somewhere." Jason. "American, no doubt. San Francisco, California, but the way you've cut your hair, the way you carry yourself, the way you dress and even that purple shirt- it looks like you have your heart set on emulating the Ancient Romans." He smirked.

Jason shook his head. "You have got to teach me that sometimes."

"Maybe," Alex said lazily. "It's no secret, we all have secrets. But few of them are as well-hidden as we'd like them to be. I don't think you're the type to lie casually about everything, and even though you're seasoned fighters, I doubt you had training to lie and cover up your daily activities." A suspicious glance. "What do you want with me? Why do you make it your business to take people to New York?"

Percy looked at Annabeth, Annabeth looked at Percy. Percy and Annabeth both looked at Jason. Piper looked at Jason and the two of them.

Annabeth sighed. "Look- we're sorry we barged in on you, but we really aren't trying to capture or kill you. We genuinely pick up kids, like you've said, before something else picks them up."

"Or someone." Alex stowed away his gun. "In that case, you've missed a lot of opportunities for rescue." He moved back a few steps.

Her grey eyes shot at him. "What do you mean?"

"Did anyone follow you?" He interrupted. "From Phoenix Park, all the way over here?"

"No." She looked suspicious.

"The correct answer is yes," Alex said in a deadly calm. "Because now, I suspect we might be on the same side, after all. Because whoever else is following me, is clearly after you as well." He whipped out his gun faster than the blink of an eye, and shot at a tire and a windscreen of another car in quick succession.

"Get down!" He shouted. They dove down, Alex rolling behind a tree. Gunshots filled the air. People- there were people aiming for Alex. Bullets smashed the windscreen above Percy and Annabeth gave a cry as the glass rained down on them. It smashed pretty much all the windows, and glass rained down on Piper as well. Jason grabbed her tight.

Alex let loose another bullet, which flew almost gracefully through the air, zooming straight towards one shooter's chest. It struck him there, and he fell over, slumping to the ground. Another bullet was fired, finding its way directly to the other shooter's leg, and another found its way to his head.

Alex grabbed the girl and the boy at the front seat. "C'mon." He pulled open the back door. "You have to ditch the car." He pulled the other two out. "They've known it. It's likely they placed a tracking device on it."

Annabeth blinked. "What?"

It was clear despite being experienced fighters, that they had never been in a gunfight before, Alex decided. But there was no time to waste.

"Over here," he grunted, unlocking the car door. He all but shoved them inside, and they clambered in gratefully. "Who are they?" Piper gasped.

"No idea," Alex said, starting up the engine. "And I don't intend to stay to find out. There's more of them, I can bet."

They sped off into the distance.

Alex glanced over his shoulder. The wing-mirror showed a black car in pursuit. Well, actually that was two.

"We've no time to waste. Brace yourselves," was the only warning he gave before he rammed on the accelerator and did a dangerous U-turn that nearly flipped them upside down. Someone had started shooting at them from behind.

Piper actually screamed in the back seat and Annabeth yelped. "What the hell dude!" Percy yelled. But Alex ignored him brushing past one of the cars, prompting it to turn and follow him. He drove straight for the other car, and it looked like they were going to collide.

"Pull away!" Piper screamed. "Pull away!"

Annabeth paled. This didn't look so good. But at the very last moment, Alex swerved dangerously, causing the car hot at his heels, to crashed into the other car. It flew at least three feet into the air, and off the side of the road, while the other car crashed into a pole. In a shower of glass and other broken bits, the second car landed with an enormous smash onto the first one. Oil leaked into the road, and eventually it caught fire.

Alex pointed his gun casually outside the window and fired a bullet at a speed camera. It went dead.

"There's more of them," he warned. "They've been following you, and they were there at the Dublin Connolly. They were probably waiting for you at the airport, wanted you to lead them to me. A few more seconds talking and we would've been either dead or captured. I threw them off guard, talking to you, and pulling out my gun, threatening you. I'm sorry I had to do that," he glanced wryly at them. "But it was to take them off guard. Another reason why I didn't take my usual car which was at the station's car park."

Annabeth just stared at him while he revved his car engine and they headed off.

He slammed the cabinet door open.

"This is a safe house?" Annabeth asked.

"Yes."

"Military?" Her grey eyes narrowed. "You said you were a soldier."

"I am," He closed the cabinet and locked it. "SFA- Sciathán Fiannóglaigh an Airm. The Army Ranger Wing division of the Irish Defence Forces." He brought out ration packs. "Might as well eat and use the toilet while we can. And no, this isn't their safe house. It's mine. I built it."

"You said you were our age," Piper argued. "Yeah," Jason spoke. "Only a few months older than me. How'd you get in the military that young? Last I thought, most militaries around the world, don't really admit people under eighteen, and clearly, you've been training for years. You've had to be part of the army, navy or air force for years before any special operations division takes a notice of you."

Alex's lips twitched into a small smile. "I've had my ways," he said softly. "I also had a mentor. He taught me all I needed, gave me a new purpose in life."

"And where is this guy?"

Alex fell silent. "Dead. I just saw him in the cemetery."

Silence. "I'm sorry," Jason cast his eyes down. "So the, ahem, er…"

"SFA," Alex interjected. "Did they train you?" Percy looked up from what he was examining. High-tech equipment. He hoped Alex wasn't going to use it around them.

"Yes, and no." He admitted. "I was a cadet fairly early on, but someone else snapped me up before they did." He stopped and looked bitter. "Let's be honest, shall we? Why do you pick up teens, from all over the world, though mostly from North America and take them to New York?"

Percy winced and Annabeth grimaced. This question was going to pop up sometime.

"You don't seem like the type to drag unwilling kids," Alex mused thoughtfully. "So, I'm guessing you rescue them instead, and they're usually quite willing. Plus, you weren't prepared when I pulled out the gun at you. You weren't prepared for any gunfight at all, though you were experienced fighters, judging by the looks of you."

Jason sighed. He rubbed his head. "This is gonna be a long story."

"We have enough time," Alex responded. "This may be the only time that we have." He was right about that. He sat down on the table. "Would you like to take a seat?" He gestured to it.

They sat down. They were really too tired to do anything, and they didn't want any more surprises.

"Look," Percy sat down. "We really don't know what to tell you, in fact, you'll think we're crazy."

"Try me." He retorted. "I've been through a lot of unbelievable things in my life, I've seen and experienced what some people think impossible. I've also turned on the telly one day and saw images of giant flying monsters and a Norse god on TV and a group of superheroes: one big green guy, another Norse god, an all-out American superhuman soldier, a guy in flying armour, a red-haired master assassin, an archer and- did I miss anyone out?" He wondered.

"Yeah," Percy laughed, despite himself he laughed. "I forgot about that."

"The world was either never as simple as we thought, or it suddenly got complicated." Alex rubbed his eyes. He stifled a yawn.

"Okay," Percy interrupted. "Greek gods are real. And so are 'Greek myths.'" He put an emphasis on the quotation marks.

"And that means…?" Alex looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"Look, you ever read the stories about the Greek gods and their kids, like Hercules, Perseus and Theseus?"

"I'm Irish," Alex said bluntly. "I know our stories, but yes, I've read their stories too. Watched some popular Hollywood blockbusters. I know the general storyline, though Hollywood does twist things around."

"Riiigght." Percy stared at him. "Because we're their kids. Jason, Piper, Annabeth and me. We're the children of the Greek gods. And we think you might be one as well."

"Some people might find that flattering," Alex dryly remarked. "But it isn't very pleasant, is it? Not when you've been blamed for nearly about every accident in school, have ADHD and Dyslexia, teachers trying to kill you and occasionally eat you too, and at times, the students do the same thing. Sometimes you get kicked out of school. Other times you live on the streets." His eyes grew distant, far-away. "Not many make it."

Percy stared, and so did the others yet again. "It sounds like you're not that surprised." Annabeth stated, point-blanc.

"Truth of the matter?" He turned back to her. "No, I'm not."

"Wait-" Jason held out a hand. "Hold up. You knew you were a demigod?"

"Knew? I didn't know. I never believed it, I didn't want to believe it, but I did have a suspicion and you four came into my life to confirm it. Do you know just how many of us are there in the world?" Alex's voice grew very dangerous and quiet. "And yet you rarely go outside of North America? What's the big deal about you staying in America, anyway?"

"The gods are there," Annabeth didn't know what else to say. "Mount Olympus is there. I mean, the mountain is in Greece, but the palace moves."

"And I take it there was a training camp for demigods in Greece, but it moved as well?" Alex looked very mildly surprised. "But it's no longer in Greece. Why did they leave?"

"Well, the gods move with the heart of Western Civilisation," Annabeth continued. "It isn't an abstract concept, it's a living, breathing force, generated by the gods themselves. They are the source, they can't directly interfere with the mortal world, but they do have kids, even after all this time." She tried not to wince at what it sounded like. "Western Civilisation first began in Greece, and so did Greek culture, sciences, art, literature, poetry and music, things like that, and the gods did come down and have, well, have kids with mortals."

"And nymphs."

"And nymphs, and often the kids they had are demigods- half-human, half-god. There were many famous ones, not just Hercules and Theseus, Bellerophon, Perseus and Achilles but Pythagoras, Socrates, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, people like that. After the 'mythical' age of Greece." Both Alex's eyebrows rose.

"And then they moved to Rome when the fire began to die there, and they were in Rome long enough to gain new names and aspects-" Alex held out a hand.

"Hold up- what?"

"They had new names," Annabeth explained patiently. "Jupiter, Minerva, Mars…" She trailed off.

"I got that part, that's the reason why they're always addressed by two names, one in brackets in the mythology books, but new aspects?"

"New personas," Jason interjected. "A flip-side to them, as you will. Like Ares, the Greek war god, he was all brutal war and chaos in the Greek side of things-" "You're telling me," Percy muttered. "But with the Roman side of him- Mars- he was more disciplined, more purposeful. He didn't want chaos without purpose, he wanted to go for something, a goal, an aim. Mars was also more into battle strategy than Ares."

"So essentially," Alex paused. "They're the same god? But it's not just a name-change, it's them that's changed?"

"Yep." Percy nodded. "Mount Olympus was in Rome for quite a while. And then they moved, like they always do-"

"Even though the beliefs died out," Alex muttered.

"And the gods moved from everywhere- the most politically and culturally dominant country in the west: Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Britain and eventually the United States."

"Interesting." Alex's eyes narrowed. "And do they have German, French and American aspects too? Do they keep changing- permanently?"

"No, there's only the Greek and Roman aspects, and they can change between that," Piper explained. "But some things… Well, they are the source of Western culture and civilisation so…"

"Jupiter, or Zeus, likes pinstripe suits," Jason suggested sheepishly. He ran a hand through his hair. "That's a trait they might've absorbed or, well, gave out. Though personally I don't know if my dad ever invented the suit or not."

"Your father is Zeus?" Alex looked at him.

"Jupiter, actually," Jason admitted. "He was in his Roman form when he sired me. He was in his Greek form when he had my sister."

"So you're either Greek or Roman demigods?" He looked at the rest of them.

"Greek," Annabeth stated. "My mom's Athena, goddess of Wisdom and Battle Strategy."

Alex looked at her strangely. "She's a maiden goddess."

Annabeth winced. "Let's just say… I wasn't born using traditional methods."

"Best not to ask," Percy muttered under his breath.

"My father's Poseidon," Percy said. "The god of the sea."

"My mother's Aphrodite," Piper explained. "Greek goddess of love and beauty."

"So you're all Greek." Alex absorbed that in silence. He looked at Jason. "What's a Roman doing with Greeks?"

Jason flushed. "Let's just say, I decided to stick with them."

Alex noted how Piper and Jason lingered closely together and had no more questions on that matter.

"I take it you aren't experienced in gunfights," he said slowly. "So, you're- what- used to wielding more traditional weapons?"

"Yeah." Percy took out a ballpoint pen which he uncapped. "This is Riptide." He said as it grew into a glowing bronze sword.

Jason took out his gladiolus. "Gold." Alex said casually.

"Imperial Gold." Jason corrected. "Otherwise known as Enchanted gold."

"Apparently, they're all special." Alex nodded towards Percy's sword. "'Cause if that's an ordinary bronze sword it wouldn't have stood a chance against so many weapons, particularly ordinary steel and iron. It's not a copper, tin and lead alloy, is it? Nobody makes bronze these days."

"It's Celestial Bronze," Percy stated. "Mined from Olympus." Annabeth put in.

"I see. Celestial metals, provided for by the Greek- and Roman- gods?" He looked grim.

"Yeah." Percy looked suspiciously at him. He did save their lives, and they did lead him to trouble, but even though he didn't want to push it. "How'd you know so much about this anyway? You seem so…"

"Experienced? Accepting, almost completely aware?" Alex turned to him. "I've realised that, Percy Jackson."

There was a slight emphasis he placed on Percy's name which made Percy wonder if he'd imagined it. It was almost as if he had been expecting him.

"Yeah," now it was Annabeth's turn to look suspicious. "You don't seem at all surprised. In fact, you did say that you suspected this."

Alex looked away. "I've been waiting for several years," he said slowly. "Looking over my back. Watching, waiting for them to come back. I wasn't always a soldier in the Irish forces. Normally they wouldn't even accept cadets as young as me, but my mentor put in a few good words, made it sound beneficial for me and for everyone and they let me in."

"Who was your mentor?" She was almost too afraid to ask.

"Where is he now?"

"He's dead." Alex said flatly. "Like most of my family. They're in the cemetery."

Annabeth winced. "I'm sorry," Piper said softly.

"He adopted me," Alex said. "Gave me his surname. I wasn't always a McDermott. My surname was O'Brien once."

"You were adopted?" Piper asked quietly. "After trying to leave a few foster homes, yeah." He stated.

Jason froze. "Did… Did he know about the Greek gods?"

"No. And neither did I. I thought it was the ramblings of some sadistic lunatic."

"What sadistic lunatic?"

Alex went silent. "I don't know what it was like for you in America," he said slowly. "But I sure hope it was easier.

"I didn't believe that guy," Alex admitted. "I didn't want to. He was insane, and like I said, sadistic. But I suppose that's why you never found me. They taught me to stay under the radar at least."

"Who's they?" Percy asked, but Alex had turned away.

"You should go back to America," he stated. "Warn your camp- someone's after you- and if he's after me, then he's clearly after demigods as well."

Triskelion, S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters, Roosevelt Island, United States of America…

Director Nick Fury studied the file ahead of him.

Bombings, explosions, and yet HYDRA had yet to claim responsibility or steal anything… Expensive, as to put it.

Only these guys. Always these guys. A group of armed teenagers, with blurry images, barely decipherable but they were able to trace them with JARVIS' help.

And recently, they'd been spotted in Ireland.

In the company of another young man.

The door opened. "You asked to see me, Director?" Agent Maria Hill looked at him expectantly.

Nick Fury sighed. "Send in the Avengers," he sighed. "Get in contact with Tony Stark."

To summer164: thank you. I was somewhat inexeprienced as compared to now, and when writing the Second Trojan War, I did plenty of things I really shouldn't have. Hopefully now I can do better.