Leo had been relying on Jason to get him to safety, but he had also been channelling his own awesomeness.
After he had jumped off the building, Jason had caught him with the winds and sped him away as far as he could. Once he was out of range and Jason couldn't see him any longer, Leo took over and blasted fire in a human-torch style.
That lasted all of about 10 cool seconds before Leo realised he had no clue how to do that and lost control, plummeting into an alleyway.
He looked like a cartoon the way he landed, catching on washing lines, crashing on fire-escapes outside the buildings, before finally falling into a dumpster.
He groaned as he pulled himself together, struggling to grab onto something that didn't stick to his hand or feel wet. He shoved down the brief feeling of nausea that attempted to climb its way up his throat.
He eventually managed to tumble over the edge of the dumpster and lay sprawled on the ground. "No one better have saw that," he muttered to himself as he stood up and dusted himself off.
He looked around to try and figure out where he was. Once he realised that he would not be able to decipher a location from the depths of the alley, he walked to the end that led out onto the street.
It was bustling in its usual New York style, people hurrying passed each other, talking on phones, bumping into one another then yelling until they were both out of view.
Leo stepped back further into the alley to avoid the chaos. He had no idea where abouts he was, and had even less of an idea how to navigate the city. Great start.
It would be fine though, cause Leo could handle himself. I got this. Leo Valdez is not going to be swayed from his goal by some big city. I totally, positively, got-
"What have we got 'ere?"
Leo tensed as he slowly turned around.
Jumping down the fire escapes were a group of menacing looking boys. They were grinning as they looked at him, a bad sign in Leo's opinion.
"You're not from around here, are ya?" one of them asked as they stepped closer to him. "Look, I don't want any trouble," Leo said, placidly, smiling easily at them to appear non-threatening. "So if you guys would be so kind as to let me go-"
"Definitely not from around here," another one said, smirking unnervingly at him and sliding off the dumpster he had been sitting on. "Cause you see, that's not how things work around these parts."
They loomed closer to him. Leo turned around, ready to make a run for it, and was faced with two more boys, inches from his face.
Okay, time to put on the McShizzle charm.
"Look, fellas, I think we've got off on the wrong foot here," said Leo, smiling at them while trying to appear unconcerned by the situation at hand. "I'm not a confrontational kind of guy. It's just not my style. So how about this: you guys continue on with your I'm sure very good-natured and legal practices, and I'll be on my merry way. I won't even tell a soul."
He mimed zipping is lips and throwing away the key for dramatic effect before putting his hands on his hips and waiting for their response.
"You're right," one guy said, nodding at him and looking sincere. Leo quietly breathed a sigh of relief and grinned. He knew no one could resist his charming words. But then the guy grinned as well, and it wasn't the happy kind. "You won't tell a soul," he finished.
They all started towards him, circling around and closing him in, which felt like Leo's cue.
Just as one lunged towards him, hands clenched in fists and heading straight for his face, Leo stepped to the side and ran towards the boys blocking his exit.
He kept up speed until the last second before sliding right between the guys knees. The other boy tried to grab him but ended up headbutting the other one, and they both fell to the ground with grunts, looking rather displeased at their ungraceful landing.
Leo heard shouts calling after him, but he didn't look back, smirking as he joined the loud street and disappeared into the crowd.
...
Steve sat at the bar with Tony, having given up on trying to find a reason on why drinking at this stage in the day was not the best idea and having a beverage himself.
Jason had come over to ask if he could go outside for a bit, and Steve agreed, seeing as they could easily keep an eye on him through the glass and there wasn't exactly anywhere the kid could go. Plus, they were most likely going to start talking about things they wouldn't want Jason to hear, and Steve already felt bad about blatantly talking about the boys while they were in the same room and could most likely hear them.
Once he had left, Natasha and Clint made their way over to them, Clint sitting down on one of the other barstools while Natasha opted to stand.
"Well, this has been an eventful day," said Clint, rubbing a hand down his face in an obvious expression of fatigue, both the physical and mental kind. "We tried tracking the kid after he escaped, but with so few agents in the building and the speed he was going at, we lost him," explained Natasha, which must have been what the two were talking about when they came in and separated from the group.
"Nothing we really could have done if we had got him, anyway," said Steve. "I mean, we've had these two for days now, and have barely gotten any information apart from there being a disease going around their headquarters," he said, gesturing vaguely in Jason's direction.
"Still, Fury is not going to be happy when he learns he got away," said Natasha, leaning on the bar table. "He's never happy," pointed out Tony as he swirled the liquid in his glass round. "Honestly I don't think there's going to be much of a change in his personality. Not a noticeable one, anyway."
They all muttered agreements before falling into a thoughtful silence. "We have to know what's happening with them," Clint said quietly after a while of no one speaking. "The more we hear, the worse their situation seems. I mean, Percy was in a state where he didn't really know where he was or what was going on, yet he still felt anger about his first stepfather and Jason's father, who does appear to be a largely involved person with this camp. On top of that, he used that anger to fuel his power so we could see just what he, and probably the rest of this camp, could do."
They all shared a look. "Imagine an entire army of super-powered, manipulated children unleashed on Shield or the world," Steve thought out loud. "They probably wouldn't even realise it was wrong, since it's simply what they've been told to do."
"And we wouldn't even be able to stop them," muttered Tony, his movements halting as he realised. "Jason had to stop him in the end, but if we didn't have them on our side..."
"They would overpower us," finished Natasha. "They are beyond any skill or power we might possess. We wouldn't stand a chance. We didn't stand a chance."
They went quiet, their eyes being drawn to Jason who stood outside. He was completely still, eyes locked forward. He didn't move an inch in the time they watched him.
Steve frowned. "Is he okay?"
"He seems to be. Why?" asked Clint, unconcerned, looking over to him. Steve squinted out at Jason. "He just seems rather... motionless. As though he's not really there, or that his mind is somewhere else. Like he's watching something, though there's nothing there."
Steve watched him for another moment, and when he still didn't move, he got ready to get up and was just about to go check on him when Tony startled him and interrupted his train of thought. "Bruce and Percy are on their way down," he announced, looking at his phone and bringing them all back to reality.
"Good. I think it's time we had a talk with them," said Natasha, firmly.
They nodded and waited for the doors to open, all thoughts of what might have been wrong with Jason vanishing from mind.
...
Bruce insisted on checking Percy over, forcing the others to wait to ask them any questions and give Percy a while to regain his bearings.
When Bruce had him stand, he felt dizzy, but only for a moment before it passed. Bruce extracted a sample of his blood to double check the virus hadn't regrown and that there weren't any side-effects present.
"You're all clear," confirmed Bruce after a moment, giving him a thumbs up. Percy released a breath of relief. He was confident that would be the case, but to hear it for certain dispersed any lingering worries.
Sure, Jason had told him that the cure worked, but Jason wasn't exactly a professional when it came to anything medical or science related, so hearing it from Bruce made him feel a lot better.
"Thank the Gods," sighed Percy, relaxing against the chair he now sat in. Bruce chuckled. "I figured you would be happy to hear that; it's been a tough ride for you this last while, hasn't it?"
"Try this last lifetime," Percy muttered under his breath. "What was that?" asked Bruce, glancing at him. "You can say that again," he said louder.
"You're feeling better then? No discomfort or lingering symptoms?" asked Bruce as he finished putting away his things and came over to do a final check.
"Nope, all good," assured Percy, but allowed the man to proceed anyway. Once he was done, Percy was allowed to stand and the two left the med bay.
Bruce had ordered everyone else out when they started, so they were now venturing to join them. As they walked through the tower, Percy saw just how much damage he had caused.
"I did this?" he asked, guilt evident in his voice. "You weren't in your right state of mind. It wasn't your fault," assured Bruce as they turned a corner.
"But it was me who did all this," clarified Percy, looking over at the man. Bruce hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes," he admitted.
"I am so sorry," he said, looking at all the destruction he had caused as they passed. A hand on his arm made him stumble to a stop. He looked over to Bruce, whose intense gaze remained unwavering on him. "Do not blame yourself for this," he said, firmly. "It wasn't you. You didn't do anything. Okay?"
He kept his eyes locked on Percy until he sighed and nodded. Bruce then let go of his arm and they continued on down the corridor.
"Where are we going?" asked Percy, realising they weren't headed to their usual rendezvous point. "The top of the building sustained the most damage," explained Bruce as if having read Percy's mind. "But this is a Tony Stark building, meaning there are plenty more spaces for us to use."
Percy nodded in understanding as they then proceeded down flights of stairs, Bruce in the lead.
They walked in silence for a while, which gave Percy time to think.
Everything had gone so wrong. He had contracted this disease, then given it to Jason, while they were trapped with people who had no idea what was happening or why, and left their world to die.
Percy knew they weren't bad people. In fact, he was beginning to think of them as good people. They had been relatively friendly to them while they were here. But they were proving to be such an inconvenience despite their reassurances that all they wanted to do was 'help'.
Although, he supposed they did help in a way. Without them, they may never have found a cure, seeing as any demigod that would have gotten close to the infected to try and develop one would most likely have gotten sick or killed. And the alien technology probably made everything a lot more doable.
They were able to go near Percy and Jason without contracting the virus when no one else could have. If Percy had have stayed at Camp, and when Jason would have inevitably returned from Camp Jupiter, with them being so much more powerful than anyone else there, and possibly not being able to create a cure in time, there was no way they could have held them. The two could have destroyed everything and everyone they love.
Even if they had still left, Percy would have been with... oh Gods.
He quietly gasped at the realisation. If the Avengers hadn't taken him in, he would have gotten sick around his mum and Paul. I would have, I would have...
Percy scrunched up his face to rid his mind of those thoughts. He couldn't bare to think of the 'What If's', because he could never forgive himself if they were true.
Thank the Gods Annabeth had left before it all got out of hand. She was leaving immediately after Percy had, and he luckily had only been around her for a few moments before his departure, meaning she was safe.
He would find her after this, tell her everything. For now, he had to finish it.
Without even realising it, Percy and Bruce had arrived at their destination. The door slid open and they walked in.
Not even two steps in, he felt someone grab his arm and tug him across the room, hauling him off balance and causing him to stumble slightly to keep up.
"Hey, woah," said Percy as he and Jason came to a stop out of ear shot of the others, who were looking at them weirdly.
"I got a message from my dad," muttered Jason, looking at him intensely. "Hey, glad you're back to normal Percy. Thanks Jason, you too," said Percy sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.
"Hey, glad to see you're back to normal, Percy," deadpanned Jason. "Thanks Jason, you too," repeated Percy with a cheesy grin. "Now what were you saying about the big guy?"
"He spoke to me," explained Jason. "Said things had gotten much worse at Camp, and that we needed to get back there. Like, now."
"That's going to be a bit difficult," muttered Percy, folding his arms as he looked over to the adults, talking amongst themselves.
"I could summon a lightning storm and have it strike the building, frying everyone inside," suggested Jason. Percy whipped his head to him, frowning and his eyes narrowing in shock.
"What? I'm just saying, it would work," said Jason, shrugging and seeming half-serious about the idea. "Uh, no, we're not electrocuting or frying them," said Percy, looking at him exasperated and utterly bewildered at the idea.
"Okay, okay," conceded Jason, raising his hands in surrender. "Did you go all dark emo kid or something while I was out? Cause that's really Nico's thing," asked Percy, still looking at him weirdly.
"I'm just saying; with the two of us, we could easily escape. We're far more powerful than all of them put together," said Jason, glancing over at the group to find Tony dropping a glass to the floor, Clint investigating an arrow way to close to his eye while the others looked at them exasperatedly.
"Oh yeah, obviously," agreed Percy. "But I'm still suspected of terrorism thanks to my history, meaning they would still be on the hunt for me, which could put my family in danger and would never let me live a somewhat normal life anytime I left Camp. We're also still both on their top priority list thanks to our power outbursts and your mysterious unknown past. If we leave now, it won't look good. It's better we convince them to let us go."
Jason thought for a moment. "That makes sense," he agreed. He paused for a moment before continuing. "My father did say he also gave us permission to say or do anything we had to to ensure our return to Camp," he said slowly.
"Would be nice if your oh so wonderful dad could get us out of here himself, wouldn't it?" muttered Percy rather distastefully.
Jason shrugged. "You know the Gods, and especially Jupiter, he likes to make things unnecessarily hard for us. Although, I don't think that was the reason for why he wouldn't help us," said Jason, frowning as he thought. "Whenever I saw him, he was like how Apollo had been: weak and draining of power. It seemed to take him a concerning amount just to talk to me."
"Probably wouldn't have been as draining if he had set us free earlier," mumbled Percy, glowering up at the ceiling. "He probably knew we would both immediately return to Camp to help, and they made it pretty clear they didn't want us there," said Jason, sighing. "Plus, you would have still been on the run from the law then."
"True," Percy agreed, begrudgingly. "Their contact with the mortal world seemed strangely disconnected as well, which probably prevented them from doing much." Percy cursed in Latin. "I hate coming up with excuses for them."
"I know," said Jason, leaning against the wall as he blew a raspberry. He let his head fall back and rest on the wall. "Despite all their annoyances though, he did give us that pass of what to do and say."
They looked over at each other, giving a knowing look. "When he said do, he may have been suggesting using our powers to attack them and escape. But you vetoed that suggestion," said Jason, giving him a look.
"Please don't become your dad. Setting out to attack everyone and potentially starting wars when people don't do what you want is not always the answer," said Percy, returning the look more pointedly.
"Fine, fine," conceded Jason, sighing dramatically. "If we're not going to force our way out, and instead get them to let us go, what do we do?"
They both went quiet for a few minutes, pondering their options, which they did not having many of.
Percy then had a grin appear on his face as a thought came to his mind. Jason groaned when he saw it. "What? What are you thinking? And how much am I going to hate it?"
"You know, the fact you would automatically assume that I would suggest an idea you wouldn't like is offensive," said Percy with faux hurt as he slapped a hand over his heart.
"So I'm not going to be against it?" asked Jason, raising an eyebrow at him. "Oh no, you're definitely going to be against it," assured Percy. "But you shouldn't just presume that you wouldn't like it. That's just rude."
Jason gave him an unimpressed look, looking completely done with Percy. "That's the kind of enthusiasm I'm looking for!" exclaimed Percy, slapping a hand on Jason's shoulder.
Jason groaned and scrunched his eyes closed as he repeatedly hit his head lightly against the wall. "I should've just let that virus kill you. Why did I go to all that effort?"
"Love you too, bro," Percy said with a cheesy grin on his face. "Okay," Jason said defeatedly with a sigh. "What is this terrible plan of yours?"
Percy grinned mischievously at him.
"We're going to tell them. Everything."