21. Like an Old Married Couple

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go check out the story on

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

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Hey Guys! So... What happened? I switched POV to Hazel, and I got, like, thirty reviews?! That's kinda crazy, don't you think? I haven't been checking reviews, though I kinda judge how good my story is because of reviews, but then I get on and see 325...

I actually did a spit take. My parents were right there, and they had no idea 'what was so funny'. Srsly, I was so surprised. So, in lieu of this awesome discovery, I'm going to give this to you earlier than I ever thought I would.

I want you to know that after this, there is going to be a few more Avengers POV, then switching back to the PJO crew, and then I'm debating that it goes specifically goes between Percy and Annabeth, strictly for the purpose of healing relationships and such.

Disclaimer: I'm not Rick.

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Frank:

Frank would always be awestruck by how fast the Legion could rebuild. The Via Principalis was completely reconstructed in just under twelve hours, which no mortal engineer could ever hope to do. Still, the Legion had the gods on their side. Frank doubted a regular engineer asked Vulcan for help.

But it was under the Via Principalis were everything really was.

One of Frank's friends had asked him where the stairs leading down from the Praetor's chambers went, and at the time Frank hadn't been able to answer. Now, he had to memorize the complex maze of corridors and that seemed to never end (to which he got lost over a dozen times, with Hazel having to find him). Armories, forges, sleeping rooms, etc.

And prisons. Frank didn't even know they had prisons.

But here he was with Annabeth, a flashlight in his hand as he led them down another staircase. Really, how did they even get the prisoner down here? He took another left in the dark of the stone walls, and thankfully saw that they had reached the prison block. Annabeth stayed silent at his side. She was always quieter now, since the breakup.

He shook his head, trying to think of the less dark times in his messed up life. Their weren't many.

"He hasn't said anything?" Frank asked, looking at the Legionnaire that had been left outside the cell. The guard, a burly son of Mars, shifted from one foot to the other nervously.

"He asked for a bag of ice, Praetor. For his ankle. But besides that, he hasn't so much as moved." Again, the Legionnaire shifted, his gaze shooting towards the cell. Frank frowned.

"What about weapons? Did he have any on him?"

This time, the Legionnaire pulled out a tray from the wall. On it sat two pistols, black with suppressors and extended clips. Frank took one in his hand, checking the weapon. The grip felt funny and uneven, and the stock was as straight as an arrow. Personalized for his hand, probably.

Annabeth, who had been silent, took the other, coming to the same conclusion. Frank put them back on the tray.

"Thank you, soldier. We'll be talking with him for a moment." He said, stepping to go past the Legionnaire.

But the Legionnaire put a warning hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, sir. He's… He's not like us. That mask won't come off..." He said, eyes looking towards the cell furthest from where he was. Frank realized that the soldier was nervous of the prisoner, not of Frank or the haunted rooms below the Principalis.

He shivered, nodding to the guard.

…

When they got to his cell, he was very much asleep. His feet were propped up on the table in front of him, and his arms were crossed on his chest. He had a bag of ice resting lightly on his left ankle, his combat boot placed off to the side. Frank feared breathing through his nose, because this guy had been through a battle and still hadn't changed his socks. His snores were like a bug buzzing, a constant sound that was going through the helmet's voice synthesizer and making Tom Hardy proud. Sound asleep.

How, Frank could relate to. When you're out of a battle, physically or psychologically (Read: senate meetings) you need that sleep. No matter where you are when your body tells you to pass out. Still, interrogation rooms were not a place to be sleeping.

Frank was debating on how he should wake up the prisoner when Annabeth roughly shoved his feet off the table, letting the bag of ice crash against the floor.

The man's snoring was abruptly cut off as Frank and Annabeth took their seats across from him. His faceless mask gave next to nothing away as he rolled his shoulders, and the leather jacket along with it. One of the shoulders had a deep cut, courtesy of Reyna.

"Gooood morning." Frank said cheerlessly, getting himself comfortable in the splintery chair. It was anything but easy. "How was your night?"

Surprisingly, the man chuckled lightly. When he spoke, his voice was full of humor. "I slept like a baby. That is, up every hour." He said, still chuckling. He cracked his neck, then back, releasing the tension in his shoulders.

Frank didn't like it. Hazel had said he was next to silent while facing her. This didn't seem right. Still, he pressed his advantage. Perhaps his prisoner was just in a good mood. "Well, Mr…?"

"Please, call me Liam." He said easily.

"Sounds like a fake name." Annabeth said.

Frank gave Annabeth an incredulous look, because a prisoner who spoke didn't like being called out. Annabeth just shrugged back at him.

Again, this stranger surprised him. "Oh, it's a real name. Not my own, but still a name. For all purposes, I'll still go by Liam."

Frank just nodded, after a second of pondering the name. "Okay, Liam. My name is Frank, my friend here is Annabeth."

"Nice to meet you, Praetor."

A shiver went down Frank's spine. "You already know us?"

He shrugged, but the action seemed a bit tense. "You could say that, I suppose. I get around. Hear stories."

"What about Roman mythology? Ever hear those stories?" Annabeth asked, not too nicely.

The faceless mask stared directly at Annabeth. He didn't speak for a moment. "Yes, Daughter of Athena, I have heard them. In fact, sometimes it's like I'm living in them. Of course, I assume you feel the same, too?"

"So, you're a demigod?" She asked in challenge.

"Yes."

"Godly parent?"

"Irrelevant."

"Real parent, then?"

"Deceased."

"Are you Greek or Roman?"

"Greek, Ms. Chase."

"What's your real name?"

"Unnecessary."

"It's necessary to me."

"I'm afraid that's off the table."

"It doesn't seem fair, you knowing all about us while we're in the dark."

"I was once told that fairness is what you need, not what you want. Therefore, I don't see the point of you knowing my name." His voice rose a bit higher. His fist clenched at his side.

Annabeth grit her teeth in kind. "Something to hide, maybe? Or are you scared that someone might hurt that pretty little mask of yours?"

"I'd like to say right now I'm looking through Internet information, and I've got some photos in front of my face that prove this mask isn't the worst fashion statement you've worn. In fact, I'd say it'd be an improvement." He said.

"Bucket head." She spat.

"Wow. So original."

"ENOUGH!" Frank yelled, massaging his temples slowly. "Annabeth, let me take point." He leveled his gaze at the blonde, and eventually she sighed, looking at the floor with folded arms.

"Why were you helping us? What were those things attacking us?" He asked, cutting through the small talk. Annabeth 'humphed' like a toddler.

The masked man's gaze, that had been stuck on Annabeth, looked back at Frank. "Demigods help one another, Frank Zhang. As for the robots… That's a much longer story."

Frank leaned back in his chair. "Shoot."

The masked man cleared his throat, the synthesizers making a static burst. "In WWII, a sect of Nazis formed a group known as Hydra. Among other things, they were a deep weapons division. Biological, chemical… Even supernatural.

The short version, they went underground after the Allies won, but still kept working in the shadows. Did you ever hear about the civil unrest in D.C.? With the Helicarriers crashing into the SHIELD building?"

Frank nodded. Yes, he knew about it. No, it wasn't just because Captain America had been there (shut up).

"That was Hydra making a reappearance."

"You sound like you've met them before." Frank said, shrugging slightly.

"It comes with trying to stop them from enslaving humanity, I suppose." He said.

"Is that in the official job description?" Annabeth asked, her face as blank as his mask.

The masked man laughed suddenly, hugging his gut as his chuckling subsided. "Actually, it is. And, while we're on that subject, I need to get back to work. I'm sure you're caught up with the situation in New York, but I was there yesterday. If my superiors don't hear from me soon, they start looking. And if they do that… Well, Hydra isn't the only one looking for a supernatural advantage."

Frank was quiet for a moment. He had to digest the fact that this guy was supposedly a Superhero by day and Demigod by night. It seemed a bit far fetched.

But then again, a floating mountain over New York was far fetched as well.

"You're a superhero. You're a demigod. Anything else to add to that list?" Frank asked, his headache coming back.

"I wouldn't mind 'ruggedly handsome' added to that description." He deadpanned.

Annabeth snorted, muttering something Frank couldn't hear. Liam, however, could hear her just fine. "Ms. Chase, I'll have to ask you to leave my mother out of this. I'm here because of courtesy, not pleasure."

"What, you let yourself get captured? You let yourself get beaten?" She scoffed. "How am I supposed to believe that you're the good guy when I can't even see your face, huh? What kind of trust is that?"

"The kind I don't expect you to believe right away, Ms. Chase. But I need to warn you: the secret is bursting through the mist. Hydra isn't going to stop coming, and people will never stop trying to investigate. Demigods, gods, monsters- I'm afraid that I'm not enough. Someone is going to find out sooner or later."

There was a stillness around them, amplified by the stone walls around them. Frank kept hearing the words echoing in his ears, telling him over and over. Warning him.

He coughed into his fist, then stood slowly. "Thank you for your time, Liam. Annabeth." She stood as well, although she kept her eyes trained on Liam. As they left, she checked the door to make sure it was locked.

"Well?" Frank asked Annabeth.

She had her bottom lip in her teeth, and she wrapped her arms around herself. She nodded her head slowly. "Hazel was right. I know that guy."

Frank nodded. "There's something familiar about him, but I can't place it." Frank admitted, scratching his scalp.

Annabeth shook her head. "Frank, it's him. It has to be him."

Frank sighed, but wasn't all that surprised. "Annabeth, I get that you miss him. We all do, really. But every time you went after a lead, we had to watch you break up a little more over it each time it fell short. It's not-"

"Percy Jackson is not dead, Frank. If Nico didn't feel anything when they say he died, then he didn't die." She said. She gestured to the door. "And did you see us fighting? The way he spoke, or how he called me out when I mentioned his mother? Tell me that we didn't sound like us fighting before."

"Annabeth, please! Don't go down this road again. We don't want to see you get hurt." Frank warned. He had to admit, Liam fighting with Annabeth sounded more than familiar, but they buried the hatched a long time ago.

After he'd turned sides.

Annabeth shook her head, refusing to listen. "Ten minutes, Frank. Gimme ten minutes with him alone, and I'll prove to you it's him."

Frank didn't like putting his foot down, but he did so now. "No! And if you suggest it again, I'll have you put in the cell beside his!" He warned.

Annabeth didn't cower. Her chin tilted a little higher, actually. "Frank-"

"I want you out of here, now." When she didn't move, he crossed his arms. "That's an order, soldier!" He said.

She stood her ground for five, ten, fifteen seconds before she began to step down the stone corridor. As she turned to corner, Frank felt his anger leave him, and his shoulders sagged. He hated getting into arguments with any of his friends, especially Annabeth. Nico held grudges, yes, but Annabeth would push them all away because of this. And the more she secluded herself, the longer she'd hand on her theory of Liam's true identity.

Speaking of which, he wasn't done yet.

He turned back to the door, letting it open on its rusty hinges. He readjusted his Praetor helmet, along with his emotions until he was back in a comfortable expression. He sat back in his seat across from the man with the burned chest plate.

Before he could even say anything, Liam spoke. His voice was surprisingly calm and quiet against the coolness of the stone walls, echoing. "Don't worry, Frank." He said. "Family finds a way of making its way back to each other."

"Shut it." Frank warned. He sat up straighter in his chair. He prided himself on how when he's first started as a Praetor, that he'd promised himself he wouldn't let other people away his morals. But almost instantaneously, the problems of New Rome had swamped him. He couldn't be biased. The people had to decide.

"We'll have a Senate Meeting tomorrow. We'll decide what to do then."

Reyna:

She personally requested escorting the prisoner herself.

It wasn't all her choice, but she knew it was the right one. Annabeth would've had she not, and even Reyna could sense the inner conflict one of her best friends was facing.

"Keep moving." She said, prodding his back with her pilà. Two of her troops stood in front and another two behind her, barring his escape should he attempt. They were on the road to the Senate House, and already she could see the senators in their togas, making way towards the same location.

Even though the fight had been horrible, already it felt like New Rome was healing. Fountains still spewed water, roads still kept swept. Even now, Reyna could see a few children playing and laughing in the streets.

As they got even closer, she turned her attention back towards her prisoner. Surprisingly enough, that faceless mask was already looking at the city. "Beautiful, isn't it?" He muttered under his breath.

Any other prisoner, Reyna would've slammed her steel booted foot into their behind. But, as surprising as him admiring the city, she couldn't find herself thinking of the comment as a perversion towards her city. Instead, she found it oddly… Familiar.

But that was a word everyone had used for him, right? This guy, whoever he was, knew them.

And Reyna knew there was no point in denying it. Because she wasn't tied down by other people's opinions, with Praetorship passed down to Hazel. All she needed was her own.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it Percy?" She said barely above a whisper.

He didn't miss a beat. He nodded his head along, whispering back. "Finally. I was wondering who would come to the obvious conclusion first." He said, rolling his shoulders lightly.

"Oh, Annabeth knows for sure." She muttered back.

"What gave me away?" He asked, true curiosity making its way into his tone. They were nearing the border, and the first Terminus statue was appearing.

"You can't hide your personality, Jackson. Annabeth knows because she's known you for forever. I made the assumption, which you proved." She admitted.

Percy Jackson, the man in the mask (that now had an obvious blue tint to it) was silent for a long time. When he spoke, his words were softer than before. "And the rumors? The story the gods gave you?" He asked.

Reyna shook her head slightly. "No proof to them, or against them. I haven't decided if I believe them or not." She said.

Percy nodded lightly. "You'll have to turn me in, you know. Traitor or not, I'm a risk. Best bet is I'm killed by the gods. Worse, I'll be executed right in the Senate Building."

Reyna didn't hesitate. "You'll have to escape, if that's the case. And how do I know if Percy Jackson is even alive? For all I know, he's dead."

There was a soft, robotic chuckle from the masked man. Then, he was silent as they reached the border.

"Alright, Marcus- yes, that wood has been whittled too sharp. No! Darius, this horsehair helmet is unacceptable! Two inches too long on one end, too short on the other! I'll let it slide this time. Next!"

"Oh gods, I forgot about this guy."

Reyna held back a grin as they approached the living bust.

Terminus was in a regular OCD mood, and if his tray was anything to go by, he was being more strict than usual. When Reyna approached, his gaze became more serious. "Miss Arevillo! So good to see you! Go right on ahe- hold it! Who's the chain gang over here?"

Percy took a step forward, his wrist cuffs behind him. "Mr. Terminus. Am I clear to enter your city?" He asked calmly.

Judging by the way the bust pretended to exert force towards the prisoner, Terminus was trying to slap him. Reyna looked on, serious faced. "You feel that, prisoner? That was a heavy hit I hope you never forget! Let it be a lesson to you: speak when you're spoken to!"

Percy just shrugged, about to step into city limits. "Uh-uh. Cough up the contraband, you scum."

Percy shrugged again, then casually broke his wrist cuffs.

When his guards went to spring into action, Reyna stopped them from tackling him. Calmly, he removed the gauntlets on each wrist. Then he pulled the sword he once had before off his back (Riptide, Reyna thought) which surprised most bystanders.

A hidden pistol, two knives, and some sort of explosive disc removed later, Terminus nodded. "He's clean, I hope. He's all yours, captain."

Reyna nodded, replacing the cuffs with a much heavier set. As she put them on, he grunted loudly. "Easy, captain. All my weapons are gone." He said.

"Shut it." She warned, now remembering the annoying crap the son of Poseidon could be. As she began to walk, her escorts fell back in line. The Senate building cast a huge, ominous shadow in the afternoon sun.

...

When they entered the building, Reyna expected everyone to burst into outrageous yelling and shouting, because that seemed to be the Roman way. It was a full house, as well, with Lares and veterans (herself included) watching as they stood their masked prisoner in the middle of the room.

So she wasn't surprised when someone, on of the centurions, spoke up first. "Why is he wearing a mask?"

One of the other centurions, way over on the other side of the room, answered. "It's magnetically locked. We can't take it off." He explained.

"This is an outrage!" One of the Lares said, shaking his glowing purple fist. "Make him take it off! Let us see the face of the accused!" He demanded.

Eventually the room was as loud as any Senate meeting ever was, and Frank stood up. "QUIET!"

Reyna had to give it to the son of Mars. He could shut the Senate up quicker than she could sometimes. "We've assembled because our prisoner wants to plead his case. Then we can argue about why he's wearing a mask."

Frank sat back down, and Reyna noticed Hazel take his hand in hers. She nodded to herself. She wasn't much for couples, but they made a good pair.

Hazel stood, approaching the prisoner. "You go by Liam, correct?" She asked.

He nodded, bowing slightly to her. "Yes, Praetor."

"And you are a demigod, correct?" She asked.

"Greek, ma'am. Yes, I'm a demigod."

Reyna shifted her gaze to the two greyhounds that flanked the entrances for the Senate chambers. They sat attentively, ears pricked.

Hazel nodded. "And you wish to plead your case?"

Again, Liam nodded.

Hazel nodded again. "Very well." She said, going back to her seat. She waved her hand. "Please, speak."

The assembly was silent as he drew in a breath.

"You're safe here." He began, confusing many of the Senators. He faced them. "You're safe in New Rome. You're safe in New York. From monsters, mortals… But there are people, organizations like the one that sent the attack on New Rome, who are getting curious.

"I've been in contact with many of these government organizations. I've fought them, kept them blindly grasping at straws- and in severe cases, I make myself known to the world to draw attention away from the godly side of the family." He began to turn his gaze on each individual member of the Senate. Reyna didn't miss how his gaze lingered on Annabeth.

"The organization known as Hydra, a sect of Nazis that broke away after the Second World War ended, launched a terrorist attack on New York in an attempt to overthrow the gods. I personally helped two demigods and a huntress in retaking the Empire State Building, and thanks to the group known to the world as the Avengers, New York was reclaimed by the people.

"But Hydra got close. Closer than any other mortal organization has ever gotten to exposing the gods to the world." He said. He paused, letting the words sink in. "SHIELD, another organization charged with facing global threats, hired me as an asset. I was in charge of keeping the world safe.

"But I had a second, more important objective. One that SHIELD has no idea exists. One that even the gods don't know exist. I'm in charge of the protection and preservation of demigods in the mortal world.

"For a number of years, I've kept this secret, and right now, as a whole, you are jeopardizing this mission." He said. "I have exactly one hour to report to my superiors before they come looking for me, and the first place they'll check is the last reported signal from my jet."

It took a moment for his words to sink in, but when they did, pandemonium ensued.

"Kill him now!"

"Send him back!"

"Tear that mask off his face so I can scold him!" The Lare from before yelled.

Frank stood again. "ENOUGH!" He bellowed louder than before. When everyone was calm again, he stared down at the prisoner.

Uh oh, Reyna thought.

Frank walked from his seat all the way to the prisoner himself, until they were facing one another. When he spoke, his voice was loud enough to echo. "What makes you think you can threaten us like this, Liam? How are we supposed to trust you?"

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Liam yelled back. "I personally took time away from my own life, like every single Legionnaire does, to help New Rome destroy a threat to its people! If I'm not trusted because of that, then really, I have no more reason to be here."

Reyna could tell what was going to happen before it did.

It was almost like slow motion, the way Percy brought his knee up at the same time as he threw his hands down. The cuffs that held him there exploded in a hail of sparks, falling away from him and leaving him unbound.

Reyna's greyhounds leapt into action, jumping towards the prisoner with teeth bared. But when they did, Percy caught Aurum by the neck and tossed him like a rag doll, then kicked Argentum with his combat boot hard enough to let a metal ding! echo around the Senate House.

Frank went to tackle him, and Reyna could see Annabeth's mind taking the same path when Percy's glove opened, exposing a sphere no bigger than a marble. He threw it on the ground with all his might, then stomped on the remains.

Darkness.

Reyna couldn't see her hand in front of her face, nor the light that had been leaking through the partially cracked roof. Only Nico's shadow travel compared.

"He's here! He's here! I've got him!" Someone yelled off to her left.

"That's me, you idiot!" Someone else said.

"If we don't find him in the next ten minutes, I will whip all of your podex's!" Reyna recognized the Lare again.

While everyone was going through a collective panic attack Reyna remained perfectly still. She focused on the sound of combat boots moving off to her left, towards the exit. Soon enough, she couldn't hear them again. She nodded to herself.

Maybe the gods can't be with you, Percy, she thought, but I hope you know you've still got your friends.

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I'm going to set a goal for once... Can we go for thirty five reviews? I'm kinda testing the waters here, so I'd like it if you'd help...

LHG :)