Demigods Assemble (PJO/MCU)

Chapter 11

Annabeth

The drive back to the city was spent in complete silence. Their driver, a large but mostly cheery-looking man called Happy Hogan, greeted them politely but said nothing besides asking for Percy's address. Percy kept looking at Annabeth, but she shook her head at him. They needed to wait until they were back at his mother's apartment to debrief and figure out what just happened, and what it meant for their future.

Annabeth's mind was racing a mile a minute. The questions the Avengers asked, the things they found out about them . . . this was worse than she had originally thought. She had been right to think they were suspicious of her and Percy, but apparently that suspicion went deep. Deep enough for them to find out their life stories and even hack into their medical records. And there might even be more that they hadn't revealed in the interrogation. What else did they know?

Finally, they were back in Manhattan and pulling up in front of Percy's apartment building. The two of them thanked Happy and rushed into the building as fast as they could without looking too desperate.

"What the Hades just happened?" Percy said as soon as he closed the apartment door behind him.

"There you are, dear, we were worried sick!" Sally exclaimed, rushing forward from the living room to hug her son. As soon as she let go of him she embraced Annabeth as well.

A nervous bleat from behind her drew Annabeth's attention to the living room where Grover was waiting. "I came here after you told me to leave. I was worried, and I thought Mrs. Jackson would want to know what happened."

"Sit, tell us everything," Sally instructed, putting a plate of blue cookies on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"You're the best," Percy said, flopping onto the couch and grabbing a handful of cookies.

Annabeth sat next to him and took one as well, but she was too distracted to do more than turn it over in her hands continuously.

"Was it those Avengers?" Sally asked.

"She told me everything that's happened these past few days. About the attack on the bridge, your dream, all of it," Grover said. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Sorry," Percy croaked around a mouthful of cookies.

Annabeth sighed, glancing at Percy who had three cookies in his mouth at once. "We didn't want to worry any of you. Nothing huge has happened so far. But this . . . they're on to us."

So Annabeth filled them in on the interrogation. She told them all about the questions they had been asked, what the Avengers already knew, the way they treated them, and what she had noticed about the compound they were taken to.

"There's definitely more people there. We only saw three others, one had red skin and looked kind of like a robot," Annabeth said, still a little amazed at the sight.

"It's probably safe to say that at this point, Tony, James, and that Spider-Man aren't the only ones of their team that know about us. And from the look of their compound, they could be a serious threat," Percy said. "If they think we're a threat. Which it feels like they do."

Annabeth was impressed. She agreed with him wholeheartedly. For once, it seemed her Seaweed Brain of a boyfriend had actually paid attention to his surroundings and was listening to his instincts. She had to admit his instincts were almost always right, despite his kelp for brains.

"Do you think these Avengers have anything to do with your dream, with Phorcys and Keto?" Grover wondered.

"In our lives, coincidences don't exist. They have to be involved." Annabeth turned to Percy, biting her lip. "Tell me again what they said in your dream, as best you can remember."