I'm just going to take this time to thank all those who reviewed (Don't worry, I'm not going to write all those names) and to the people who have put up with my horrible grammar *cough*….yeah….. Also, Hecate is the goddess of magic, but I'm kinda going for representation, Magic sounds nicer then Witchcraft, and I'm playing her out as the bad guy.
They walked into the briefing room at nine, finding Fury and Agent Maria Hill already waiting. Percy tried to keep a straight face, while Nico and Thalia where sharing amused gazes. Fury seemed to notice them, and he glared at them with his solitary eye.
"I wonder where he gets the eye-patch from," Nico whispered low under his breath "a costume store?"
Percy nearly chuckled, but he managed to contain it. Thalia on the other hand couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter as she sat down; even Annabeth seemed mildly amused. Once everyone was seated at the table, Fury turned his eye to Nico and Thalia.
"You want to fight with us?" He questioned, straight forward and direct.
"Yeah," Thalia leant back in her chair "I have about a hundred archers down in Long Island,"
Fury nodded and folded his arms behind his head, turning to his gaze onto Nico this time. Nico returned the gaze easily, obviously not deterred by the gaze the Director was giving him.
"And you?" Fury questioned.
"What can I say, I don't like it when ghosts go free," Nico shrugged carelessly "do you know how much paper work that makes?"
Fury just nodded, while Maria Hill wrote something down on her note pad.
"We just need to know a couple of things," Maria said, replacing the note book for a tablet "SHIELD doesn't like being kept in the dark about anything,"
Percy did not like where this might be heading. The only thing they didn't know about his cousins where their life stories. Nico was supposed to be in his eighties, and Thalia her twenties, that would raise a couple of questions. He just hoped they didn't bring up some touchy subjects.
"According to our files, you don't exsist," she pointed with a pen to Nico "and you've been on a missing persons list for nearly ten years," she pointed to Thalia.
Nico frowned at that "Why is that even important? I mean, some on, I'm here right now that means I exsist,"
"It's important because SHIELD needs to have files on everyone and everything. They even know what my favourite candy bar is," Tony snorted.
"Really?" Percy couldn't help but ask.
As if to prove his point, Agent Hill stated; "You like Snickers, now can we get back to the question?"
"I got turned into a tree, then became immortal," Thalia said with a smirk "happy? We're here to talk about what we're going to do about Hecate, not what our whole back stories are,"
This made everyone be drawn back into the conversation. Fury seemed to roll his singular eye before pressing a button on the table, making a full holographic map of New York pop up. Annabeth seemed to almost squeal in excitement, and Percy sent her a confused glance.
"We don't know for sure it's New York," Natasha said as she stood up to look at the map "it could be a trick,"
"We need a prophecy," Thalia agreed "we have to be sure, I'm not putting my Hunters out there for some trap,"
"Bags not doing it!" Nico shouted.
"Second!" Thalia echoed.
"Third," Annabeth said as well, and ignoring the thoroughly confused adults she kissed him gently "sorry Percy,"
Percy just shrugged. Ever since Rachel had become the oracle, getting a prophecy wasn't nearly as disgusting as it was before. The only thing that still set him off was the green mist….it was just down right creepy.
"Care to share with the rest of us?" Fury questioned, slightly peeved.
"We have an oracle, whenever we have quests she tells us which was to head. We're hoping she'll tell us it's here," Annabeth explained.
"So we're trusting a fortune teller?" Tony snorted.
"It's our best hope," Thalia argued "back to planning. I can have my Hunters on any rooftop you need….."
After an hour of planning they finally dispersed, mostly because the Demigods had already grown distracted by other things. Annabeth was talking about repulser technology, Percy was twiddling his pen around, while Thalia and Nico thumb wrestled. It wasn't like they could keep concentrating for that long.
"I'm going to take Blackjack to camp," Percy stood up and stretched.
"Why not take a taxi?" Clint asked.
"I have a feeling he's been conning people into giving him sugar cubes," Percy frowned slightly "he's crafty, I'll give him that,"
Thalia, Nico and Annabeth left the tower to go and get some lunch, so Percy didn't need to worry about them being left out. Putting on his armour he sat atop the roof top and waited for Blackjack to come. As expected, it didn't take long. Climbing aboard his friend, they began soaring towards Long Island.
Hey boss, want a photo shoot? Blackjack asked as he swerved towards a news helicopter.
"Blackjack!" Percy gripped with his knees as they swerved dangerously close to the helicopter "come on,"
Unfortunately Blackjack had a need for attention. The Pegasus dived down deep skimming the water of the rivers, drawing the attention of tourists that snapped up photos of them. Percy had to admit it was a nice feeling to actually be able to fly freely around New York.
When they did reach camp Percy jumped off Blackjack and let him prance over to the stables. Removing his helmet he begun walking towards the Big House, waving hello to those who knew him. Hesitantly though he strode past the Hecate cabin, finding some of the children in there happily, oblivious to their mothers planning.
He was lucky enough to find Chiron and Mr D playing pinochle up on the veranda. Setting his helmet down on the railing he waited for the God of Wine to finish dealing out the cards.
"Hello Percy," Chiron smiled up at him "how are you my boy? I saw the news report,"
"Hi," Percy ran a hand through his hair "I'm fine, my apartment got the most damage. I was actually wondering is Rachel was in?"
When Rachel first became oracle people had bombarded her with questions, so now it was a camp rule that you had to ask Chiron before goin to talk to Rachel about anything prophecy related.
"She's with the Apollo cabin I do believe," Chiron gazed out across the camp "best of luck Percy, I hope in these times you won't need it,"
Percy picked up his helm once again, and with a wave bounded down the stairs towards the archery range. No doubt the Apollo cabin was there challenging the Hunters. Every single target was taken up either by an Apollo camper or a Hunter. Percy found Rachel a little off to the side, sitting on a rock, watching each arrow land.
"Hey," Percy sat down next to his friend.
"Hey," Rachel said in return "before you ask your question, are free on the seventeenth?"
"Yeah, I think so, why?" Percy asked, confusion evident on his face.
"I have an art show," Rachel replied breezily "the moneys going towards reforestation,"
"Grover would love that," Percy smiled at the thought of his hairy friend.
"Go on, ask the question," Rachel smiled at him.
Percy tried to word it right; "where will Hecate attack?"
Almost instantly he got a response. Rachel's eyes began to glow and eerie green and the green mist began to swirl around her. When she spoke, it was with three voices, not one.
"At the cross roads for the cities of the world,
Her fury will be unfurled,
The armoured sea will rise,
And won't fall until the Three dies,
But in the midst of peace the bull will charge,
And his fury will be at large."
Percy caught her as she feinted, waving away the concerned Apollo campers. He committed the prophecy to memory while he waited for Rachel to come back to herself.
"What did I say this time?" She questioned.
"The usual," Percy smiled at her "I have to go, but I'll be at the show!"
He bounded into the stables and pulled Blackjack away from a ten year old camper who had a hand full of sugar cubes prepared for the creature. Blackjack neighed in embarrassment an annoyance, while Percy just stared at him.
"Does he do that everyday?" Percy asked him as he hopped on.
If I say yes does that mean he has to stop? Blackjack asked sheepishly.
Rolling his eyes Percy pushed Blackjack into a take off run. It didn't take long for them to be soaring in the air again. While flying though, he was nearly knocked off his Pegasus by Iron Man.
"Hey, I'm flying here!" Tony shouted comically at Percy as he stopped and hovered in the air.
They where currently resting above Broadway, and many tourists continued to snap up photos of them. Percy rolled his eyes at Tony, then realised he couldn't see it. Flying away back to the tower he stepped into the elevator and removed his helmet.
"Everyone is currently in the training facility," Jarvis spoke, lighting up the floor number "they seem to be waiting for you,"
"Why are you British?" Percy questioned as the elevator went down.
"Mr Stark believes it makes my snark a lot more bearable," Jarvis replied coolly "and apparently having an English butler makes him feel like Batman,"
"Seriously?" Percy chuckled "he should've named you Alfred,"
In the large training floor he noticed many things at once. Clint and Thalia were shooting arrows like no tomorrow, Annabeth seemed to be fighting the Black Widow with her dagger (Percy would never admit it, but Annabeth was getting her butt whooped), while Steve, Bruce and Nico sat on the side lines.
Percy sat down next to his cousin and dropped his helmet before beginning to work of his armour with skilled fingers. Setting it down next to him he relayed the prophecy to his cousin, who frowned but nodded anyway.
"New York it is then," He said before standing up "I need to train,"
"It's not training if I beat you every time," Percy chuckled, standing up anyway.
Nico's only response was to draw out his sword. Percy shrugged and drew his as well, not letting out his shield at this time. He knew Steve and Bruce were watching closely, after all they knew the two cousins favoured swords as weapons.
With a nod they advanced on each other. Nico was always light on his feet and headed for weak spots, while Percy always looked for openings and was rather blunt in his movements. They fought harder, and Nico began to break a sweat. TO Percy though, it felt like he had just gone for a light jog. In a swift move Percy stepped inwards to one of Nico's jabs and locked sword hilts. With extra strength he twisted the blade out of Nico's hand and sent it scattering across the floor.
The son of Hades pulled out one of his own daggers though. With the shorter blade he had to get closer to Percy, who tried to keep him away at sword point. But Nico was smaller and more agile. He rolled under the blade and made a fake swiped across Percy's chest. The son of Poseidon dropped his sword and high tackled his cousin, sending the pair rolling over the floor. With his strength, Percy easily pinned Nico against the floor.
"I win," Percy cheered.
"Shut up," Nico said as Percy got off him.
After everyone had washed up the group met in the living room. Tony dropped back in, and Percy was surprised to find he was actually wearing a business suit under the Iron Man suit. Thor, as it turned out, had drop in to visit someone in New Mexico. When Percy relayed the prophecy to everyone, they seemed slightly unimpressed.
"I imagined something about death and blood," Tony complained.
"After a while you get sick of those," Percy sat down on a couch "I lost count of how many times I've been told I'm going to die,"
"Melodramatic much, Kelp Head?" Thalia asked.
"I didn't even know you knew words that big!" Percy acted shocked.
"Do you even know what it means?" Thalia asked in return.
"Remind me never to have kids," Tony sighed as he watched the cousins squabble. Turning on the TV he put it on the news, hoping to catch the shares.
"We're back with our main story. The cruise ship Oceanic has hit uncharacteristic rough seas off the Caribbean cost and is reportedly taking on water-"
Percy snapped away from his argument with Thalia and gazed at the TV.
"-there have been no reported deaths thus far, but a full head count has not been completed. People's main concerns at the time is the risk of an oil spill that can damage the-"
Uncharacteristic rough seas….the words trailed in Percy's head. His mother and Paul had taken the liner for their cruise. Poseidon wouldn't cause rough seas near his mother, Percy knew that. Maybe it was the mist covering it? What if it was actually a monster attack-
"What's wrong Percy?" Bruce asked, noticing the look of concern and worry on the teenagers face.
"My parents were on that ship,"
Okay, one question. DO you want Percy's identity to be revieled to the public?