17. A Villain Unmasked, Some Heroes

I just want to let you know that I have permission from the author LostHeroGuide

go check out the story on

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11493775/1/Heroes-and-Ghosts

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Hey Guys! You guys really want a PJO/Batman story, and I can't wait to deliver! I figure that I'll start after I've finished writing this story, so still a long ways off. You were killing it in the comments again, so I decided a sooner and bigger update than usual was in order. Can't wait for more comments! Also, I hope you guys know how much I love that you guys are such good followers. Truly, I only keep writing to keep you guys happy some days. Hope you guys enjoyed the wait, and enjoy the next chapter of Heroes & Ghosts!

(But first a disclaimer) Hi, I am not involved in any, way, shape, or form in Marvel or Rick's dealings. There, I said it. Lemme go cry now.

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Andrew:

A brief recap of the Invasion of Manhattan:

They did end up uptown. They did make it all the way to the Empire State. They did pray to Poseidon and a wave of water did flood Manhattan, leaving a wake of damage, Hydrabots, and hotdog carts. They did lose Liam in the wave, because he was wrestling with a Hydrabot. That one hit Andrew hard. He didn't want to be the reason someone was dead.

Still, his last request had been for them to keep fighting. Danny and Terry had steeled themselves. Even as the elevator began taking them to the observation deck of the ESB. Only Andrew felt in way over his head. He didn't have years of bow experience like Terry, or the 'Jack of all trades' stuff like Danny.

He had déjà vu and a superiority complex given to him by his dad. He wasn't meant for this. He's been a burden this whole quest, with Terry reminding him each time he made a mistake.

He wasn't a demigod, worthy of heroic glory.

Suddenly Danny spoke up from behind him. "For what it's worth, thanks for following me down the rabbit hole."

"It was worth it." Terry said evenly.

Andrew felt the sudden need to speak. "We're gonna die." He said. There was silence until Danny spoke up.

"Is that a feeling, or déjà vu?"

"No, no. Just an observation." He commented offhandedly.

There was another silence until suddenly Terry laughed. A fit of giggles that exploded until she was nearly on the floor. "You know what? Who cares! Guys, we went to the Underworld. We ended the lives of a dozen monsters and robots with bows. If I had one last day to live, I'm glad it was at the side of my sister-" she turned to Andrew and he almost thought he saw ... Fondness. "And this idiotic brother."

Suddenly Andrew felt better. When their laughter subsided, the elevator began to open.

...

How to explain it? Andrew thought for sure it was a chicken automaton. Just the shape of it alone! It pointed skyward, towards Olympus above.

Then there were the Avengers.

Captain America, chained. Black Widow and Hawkeye, tied together. Thor, unconscious. Was that charred hunk of metal supposed to be Iron Man? The hawk dude, the red cyborg, the witch woman, the War Machine- detained in their own unique ways. It was like the worst superhero get together ever. How was Andrew supposed to defeat a guy who beat the Avengers?

Captain America saw them and tried to choke out. "Run." He said.

Andrew wanted to. He wanted to really, really badly.

Then he saw John Smith.

But it wasn't John Smith.

Imagine Voldemort with a horrible sunburn and a leather coat. That's what Andrew was reminded of. His skin was cherry red, like the cow that used to follow him around when he was first claimed (thanks dad, for that blessing). He was busy typing away at the computers to see them yet, and Andrew wondered if shooting him in the back would be a good idea.

Too late, Terry already tried.

The arrow flew towards him and Andrew was sure he was done for. But then he turned faster than the coat should've let him, and he caught the arrow.

For what felt like forever, there was silence. Only the storm clouds and thunder really broke it. The red dude began to examine the point with his finger tip. He gave the huntress a regarding look.

"A good try. Using superior metals... Well, I must say it is refreshing. Sadly I have long surpassed the ability to be spoiled by such... Trivial weapons." He said. He smirked, clenching and I clenching his fists. "Going through the Doors… Never was I more wrong. Strength and speed! I'm as powerful as before!"

Danny began to sprint forward, yelling in defiance and raising her new sword. But by the time she was ten feet from him, he flicked his wrist and a wall of black slammed into her, tossing her like a rag doll, smoke curling off of her clothing.

"Danny!" Terry yelled, moving to help her friend. Andrew was frozen, switching between his friend and the red Voldemort.

"You are too late, I'm afraid. Even now, my goals are to be reached. I once held the powers of the gods in my hand, and with it I had the ability to crush others beneath my boots. Now, I shall have this power again." He said, pulling out a jagged edged dagger.

He started to advance on Andrew, and his fear subsided. Instead, panic replaced it. He drew his bow back, firing an arrow. It missed, hitting an invisible black force around him. Andrew began to back away, again failing at a second shot. He panicked, drawing his own knife.

Andrew blocked the man's swipe just in time, but the strike jarred his wrist. This time, the swipe grazed his arm. Andrew winced as the man grabbed his arm and pulled him close. Face to face. His breath was like... Dead cow. Something that Andrew sadly had experience with. "Is this all they could send to stop me?" He cast a glance at the girls. His eyes were that of a mad man. "Two little demigods, and a huntress?" He said in disgust.

Andrew was thrown across the room like a ragdoll, something else he'd sadly had experience with. He overshot the girls, actually. Instead he hit the back wall, in between Hawkeye and Black Widow. Considering they were chained together, it was quite the toss. The two adults grunted, and Andrew stood, speaking without thought. "Sorry, um... Demigod business."

He face palmed.

He just told two Avengers he was a demigod! Idiot!

But when the two simply nodded at him, he was quite confused. One of them muttered from under their gag. "Go".

Andrew decided to think about that later. He turned to see that the storm clouds above New York... It was like they were being sucked into his machine. There was a jar like structure in the back, and now it was being filled with the storm. Vibrations rattled it like thunder. Vaporous clouds, like black smoke, filled it. Bits of lights flashed, like lightning.

This man, John Smith... Was trying to harness the power of the gods.

He wasn't just trying. He was doing it.

And Andrew had a revelation. That tingly bit of déjà vu. He could see exactly what would happen to him and his friends.

Lain out on a table, doctors and scalpels... Vans moving towards Long Island sound... The Berkeley Hills... Megabots, laying waste to New Rome, Camp Halfblood, the White House... Olympus, a mountain in the sky, falling back to earth... A sinkhole opening in New York, armies of monsters marching under a single banner...

Andrew had to cradle his head, just to keep it from exploding. Andrew never wanted to admit it, but he thought his father had given him more than a cherry red cow for his troubles. The gift of prophecy... He was sure of it.

Andrew didn't have his bow anymore, not knowing where it had gone. Instead, he reached for the nearest weapon: Danny's sword. He hefted it, trying to lift it in his arms. He hated swords, choosing to use the bow instead, but... He had to try.

The monster cast him a small glance, but paid little attention, instead turning back to his machine. Terry and Danny were both stuck in place, unmoving. With a gulp, Andrew raised the sword. "I'm not going to let you do this." He said, trying to summon any courage he could get.

The red man laughed, a long, evil laugh that you usually only hear in cartoons. "You? You are beaten, little godling. There is no way you can win." He raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "Besides, I've seen my ending and prevented it. You have no one to so much as give you aid."

And then Andrew heard something that, only by luck, passed through the roaring in his ears. The sounds of people...

Andrew nearly got whiplash the way he went to check below the deck. What he saw was... Impossible. People. Mortals, hundreds of them, marching towards the Empire State Building. Shoulder to shoulder, they were carrying a strange assortment of weapons: from plungers to bags of scrap metal. Andrew wanted to scream at them to run. They couldn't survive this!

"Foolish, aren't they? To think they can best the power of gods." The red man said. He hit a few buttons on the console. "Control that crowd. I want them dispersed before my triumph." He said.

Andrew watched as Hydrabots began to form lines in front of the people. They spoke in a collective voice, loud as a crowd in Madison Square Garden. "Disperse."

No one backed down. They kept their pace, some even began to run. The sounds of yelling was thick in the noise of the storm. "Fire." The red man said.

And then there was the sound of gunshots... And Hydrabots began to fall like pins.

Andrew watched as what looked like embers of flame began to appear. Blue and silver... Flying men.

The Iron Legion, he thought idly.

Andrew saw them, dozens of them, appearing in the sky. He could see Stark Tower in the distance, the Legion protecting it. One by one, the bots began to fall. A few of those huge skull-robot things began to rush onto the streets, and Andrew thought that this was the end.

But still the mob began to advance, moving towards the building and yelling in defiance. A few of the robots began to shoot the Iron Legion out of the sky.

And, just before the first robot started firing on the crowd, the sound of every toilet in the city being used at once blotted out every other sound, the storm included.

The sewers exploded, water flooding New York like never before. Andrew thought the wave was impressive... This filled every street, every alley and road. And the mob? The waves carried them, dropping them on top of buildings. No one was even hurt. The robots... Gone.

"You know, people who try to prevent their endings usually end up dying. The. Exact. Way. They saw it."

Andrew wanted to cry in relief. When he turned, he expected to see Liam.

But he knew the truth now.

Percy Jackson was dressed to impress. He'd replaced the Kevlar with a strange grey muscle chest plate, a blue trident engraved in the groove. He wore combat pants tucked into a pair of heavy duty, knee length boots, and a black leather motorcycle jacket with a grey hood. A pair of gauntlets on his wrists and hands. His sword was at his side, along with two very nasty looking pistols. His aviators gone, the green of his eyes were bright.

"Johan Schmidt, right? Or should I say Red Skull?" He asked.

The man in question snarled, but his eyes were that of a cornered bull. His fists clenched at there sides.

"Perseus Jackson. Come to die for those who betray you so many years ago?" He said, measuring his words. With a start, Andrew realized... This guy might be afraid of Percy. Danny and Terry both gasped in realization, shooting 'Liam' a strange look.

Percy simply smirked, taking a bow. "You caught me. I'm going to die today, you're going to destroy Olympus, and then Tartarus will learn to tap dance." He said sarcastically. He straightened up. "I'm here to stop you, Red. From taking over my city, hurting my friends... And even if that means letting the gods live another few millennia... Yes, I'm here to stop you." He said.

Johan grit his teeth in what Andrew believed to be annoyance. "You wish them dead, don't you? Vengeance, for killing your mother? Your own father, drowning her?" He asked. Percy's expression became cold, but only for a moment. He drew his pistol.

"Perhaps another day."

His aim was perfect, and his reflexes as fast as a snake. Andrew didn't know if it was him being an archer, or just his own mind playing tricks on him. It went right through Red Skull, causing a grunt of obvious pain.

But after the shot, he stood. The wound was already healing. No blood, just a hole in his coat. "I am beyond killing, even with the use of celestial bronze bullets." He said smugly.

Percy spun the gun on his finger, smoke curling from the barrel. "Wasn't aiming at ya, Red."

And then the machine exploded.

Steve:

They were idiots, but also completely misinformed.

It started a week ago, metals unearthing themselves in Central Park. Just little bits and pieces that Steve helped the police collect. When they figured out they didn't know what metal it was, Fury stepped in. When they figured out it was the same type of metal as Percy's sword, Tony got involved.

Percy wouldn't tell them what his sword was made of, but he did demonstrate how it couldn't kill a human, not even touch one. Fury was less than optimistic, but he was always trying to figure out what did what and how to kill who, so Percy couldn't be surprised.

They called Percy, whom had been in California looking up a lead (shhh) and he'd told them to be careful. He told them that anyone messing with that stuff wasn't looking to host a party.

And then the Hydrabots had started appearing in drones from warehouses in the meatpacking district.

Steve compared every fight the Avengers faced with the fight against Ultron. Not much can come close, but the second invasion of Manhattan was close. The Iron Legion was shut down. They were captured one by one, brought to the Empire State Building to face defeat.

And it was Red Skull. But wasn't it always? 'Old friend' is what he'd called him. Why hasn't he seen the signs from five years ago?

And now his friends had to pay the price of his idiocy.

He'd rubbed it in their faces, too. Saying he was going to topple gods from their thrones and transcend. Steve had been tied to one of the fence posts to the Empire State Building as if he couldn't break through it. They'd watched the machine get hauled up one bit at a time, and Johan smirk grew larger and larger.

Thor had come in then, saying he was going to destroy it, but then Johan turned it on. Thor fell like a ragdoll, and he'd been that way since.

"Please tell me that's Percy. Cause we need a miracle."

Tony's voice was echoing from inside the lead-encased suit. Steve wince, remembering that his friend was still stuck in that stuff. Red Skull had left him to burn himself out. Tony was currently trying, a red-orange glow from his arch reactor burning, trying to melt through the lead.

Steve coughed a few times. "Yeah. He just destroyed whatever that thing was."

"Sounds good. Any chance he's gonna help get me out?" Tony asked. Steve had to look through squinted, swollen eyes, but he could tell that this wasn't going to end soon.

"I doubt it. How much longer till you're out?" Steve asked.

"Maybe an hour, at this rate? Ugh, Netflix isn't even working in the suit right now. I'm bored."

As bad as a joke it was (at least he assumed it was a joke) Steve had to smile. "Better than facing this. I think Percy has it under control."

"Of course he does. Kid eats supernatural, back-from-the-dead people all the time. I have complete faith." Tony said. Judging by the way the lead began to grow hotter, Steve figured that was probably a lie.

Steve was about to comment on how three teens had shown up as well when he felt the unmistakeable tap of a hand on his shoulder. Steve rolled his head to the side, looking behind him. The mask he saw made him want to do a double take, but sadly his neck wouldn't allow that. "What're you doing here?"

If the mask weren't there, Steve was betting he was smiling. His tone was giving it away. "Saving your sorry behind, fellow Avenger."

Steve bit his top lip, try to alleviate the pain in his head. "You aren't an Avenger."

"Actually, our mutual friend up there-" he gestured a red and blue hand in Percy's direction "-signed me up in exchange for this." He said. Suddenly the chains around Steve fell away and he was free. He stretched his sore, stiff arms. "You're welcome." the Arachnid said, then began freeing the others.

"Was that-"

"Spider-Man? Yeah." Steve said. Tony sighed, causing a humming noise from inside the lead marshmallow.

"Where does he meet these guys?" Tony asked. Steve shook his head. He had no idea.

Peter:

Peter was getting his butt handed to him when he got the call.

Fighting Hydrabots in the sewers was tough. When all the Avengers were captured, Peter relied on his knowledge of New York to keep himself going. He wasn't the only one. He'd swung over Hell's Kitchen to see the devil dancing with an impressive number of bots.

When his cell had gone off- the one Percy had given him -he picked up immediately. "Hey, you busy right now?"

Peter rolled his eyes, then checked the webs holding a squad of bots in place. "As a matter of fact, I'm off work." He said, shooting a wad of web into a Hydrabot gun.

"Great! Listen, I need a favor." Percy asked over the phone. Peter snorted, but otherwise was unsurprised. How was he getting this call in the sewers?

"I'm actually kind of busy right now. What do you need?" He asked, starting to jog towards the nearest maintenance shaft. He started climbing back towards the surface. He vaguely wondered what he'd find up there.

"Empire State Building, asap. I'm currently on my way there now, but would love if you'd help me untie the other Avengers." He said. Judging by the interference, he was already doing his 'cable swinging' thing. Peter reached the top of the shaft, jumping out of the manhole. No Hydrabots, but the ground was wet. Huh.

"Yeah, sure. This mean I'm an Avenger now, or-?"

"If we live through the day, grab a drink from the tower. I'll meet you there."

"Sounds like a plan. See you then." Peter said, hanging up. He cracked his sore neck, then looked towards the Empire State Building. There were clouds swirling, and the air felt electric. Lightning flashed. Peter shook his head in exasperation.

"It's always Jackson, isn't it?"

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Read and Review! I would like some input on the PJO/Arkham series ASAP, if you would like to contribute!

LHG :)