Chapter 15: The Siege of Manhattan pt 1

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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You Guys were killing it in the comments, so I figured I'd publish again. For those of you who don't know who the bad guy is, I give a hint in previous chapters. Just saying. Anyways, I just hope you guys enjoy, I'm sick of doing Disclaimers, though :/.

I'm not Rick or Joss or Stan. Happy?

Danny:

Monsters were still a regular thing, but at least they had another car. Liam bought an Accord second hand in exchange for his pickup, and Danny wasn't sure if he was using the Mist or not, but they got a pretty good deal. He drove away happily in the blue pickup. Danny wants to say into the sunset.

But yeah. They were a day away from New York when they heard it on the news radio.

"We are interrupting this program to bring you first hand knowledge of a terrorist threat in New York City." It began. Liam stiffened, then turned up the radio. "Reporter Makenna Morgan is reporting live from Time Square."

The sound of car horns and talking flooded through the radio, causing Danny to flinch. Liam didn't seem to mind. "I'm Makenna Morgan reporting live from Time Square in New York City, where the largest confirmed Hydra attack is currently taking place. Reports of the Avengers are bouncing across the city, including a video of Tony Stark's Iron Man suit going through a building. Really, it's not sure who's going to win this time."

Danny say in shock. "Hydra attack? But mortals shouldn't be able to see them!" She yelled.

Liam had his fists on the wheel, and his teeth gritted. Under his aviators his eyes flashed menacingly. "Wrong Hydra, kid. You ever heard of the Avengers? Or SHIELD?" He asked.

Terry spoke from the back. "Upstart mortals, trying to play gods." She recited. Liam scoffed.

"Not even close." He said. He paused before speaking. "Guys, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but you have to get out." He said, pulling over. Danny did a double take.

"What? Why?" She asked.

"I have friends in New York, Danny. They need my help." He replied, stopping the car. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out some money. "This should be enough for bus fare, but not until New York is safe, you got it?"

Andrew, who had been silent till then, spoke up. "We have to come with you." He said. Liam raised an eyebrow, waiting for them to leave his car. "You don't understand. The Hydra dudes or whatever... That's the threat. That's what we're supposed to face!"

"With Percy Jackson at your side! With a veteran Demigod who could wipe and army off the map with a single swipe of his hand!" He yelled. Terry pulled a knife out of nowhere.

"Stop yelling at him!" She urged.

"Andrew is right. Liam, please. We need to go with you. We need to help you." Danny said. "Our quest was a lie, yes. We were never supposed to find Percy. But we have a veteran- you."

Liam sighed. "It's not about what you can and can't handle. You're demigods. You're supposed to handle what mortals can't. But Hydra is another ballpark all together. They'll-"

"You've met them before?" Terry asked.

Liam laughed. "Sure. A bullet in the chest and a nice long chat. They're crazy, and they've nearly discovered what demigods are on multiple occasions." He said bitterly.

"So they mess with us."

"Pretty much." Liam admitted. "But you can't-"

"We can and we will." Andrew said. "I don't know about you guys, but I started having these feelings since the underworld. And every last piece of me is saying that if I don't get to New York, we die anyways." He gave Liam a look through the rearview mirror. "We're going to help."

Liam was quiet for a long time. Finally he spoke, his voice leaking dread. "You're going to need supplies, and I've got just the place to get them."

...

"A VCR repair store? Really?" Danny said. She would've laughed if the sight wasn't so sad. It was a brick and mortar building with boarded up windows and vines growing up the sides. They had to take four backroads before finding it.

Liam nodded, then pulled out a key from nowhere. He opened the door for them, then led them through the maze of empty racks. He reached another door (steel) and put his hand on the knob. Danny was wondering why he didn't need a key when she heard a whirring sound and a click of a disengaging lock. Liam walked in.

The rest followed, and then their jaws dropped.

Talk about supplies. A bunch of backpacks labeled Extra Space and containers of nectar and ambrosia. 9mm pistols mixed with swords of all sizes. There was a storage of clothes and armor, both bronze and Kevlar. Grenades and Greek Fire. Bronze bullets and steel cables. A box laid on a workbench labeled Magic Items: Keep Hidden.

Liam went through the the room, picking up a backpack and browsing through his selection. "Okay, bronze plated Kevlar... First aid kit... Nectar..." He went on and on, and then noticed the others weren't doing the same. "Greek weapons are in the back."

Terry tried to look like she knew it all along, stomping to the back. Andrew openly gawked. "What is this place?" He asked.

Liam picked up a Kevlar breastplate, checking its condition. Satisfied, he put it to the side. "I'm not entirely sure. I just find an old building and look for the door."

"You mean it's not just here?" Danny asked, imagining the possibilities. She could keep all her stolen goodies here...

"Yeah. I got it from a friend for my birthday." He said simply. He handed the first backpack to Andrew. He held it like it weighed nothing, even though Liam has been loading up. "Magic." He said simply.

Andrew went to check out the bows while Liam beckoned Danny over. He handed her the breastplate. "Hydra isn't just about supernatural. Technology is important to them, and they do a lot of... Mixing." He began. "My friend found an automaton in Central Park. That's how he knew it was Hydra.

"They have the basic idea of taking over the world, and anyone standing in there way is killed." He said, going through the magic items box. "I've noticed that when they fight with fire, fire is the best solution."

He held up a charm bracelet, something that wasn't exactly her... But she decided that if he was going to give it to get it must be important. "One of Aphrodite's rarest objects." He held it out like he was a jewelry salesman. "An item with both function... And fashion." He said, putting it on her wrist. She looked closer at the charms. A bow, a sword, a dagger, a spear, and a panda bear.

"Tap one." He said. Then he panicked. "Not the panda!" He said in a rush. Danny did as he said and tapped the spear (but she was so tempted to tap the panda). She watched as the charm began to glow uncomfortably warm. Then BAM! a spear was in her hand. And unlike all the other weapons at camp, this one felt balanced. "Daughters of Hermes are 'Jack of all trades' kind of people. They like having multiple options in life."

As Danny examined the spear she couldn't help but wonder where he got it from. He said Aphrodite, but... She didn't think that was the whole truth. On a hunch she tapped the shaft to her wrist and it shrunk back.

When Danny looked back at Liam he was wearing black cargo pants, a blue t-shirt, and a Kevlar vest. His wild raven hair stood on his head, tousled in different directions. His aviators were planted firmly to his face, as if that's where they were meant to be. He was wearing a backpack, a sword and suppressed pistol at his side. He was checking the clips and waiting for Terry and Andrew.

Only then did Danny realize the radio in the corner was on, playing updates on what was being called 'The Invasion of Manhattan'. He was chewing his bottom lip worriedly. "We don't have much time." He muttered.

...

When they were all ready, they looked like characters out of Greek Call of Duty. Terry had replaced her hunter jacket and wore black leggings with combat boots. She refused the Kevlar, saying it would slow her down. Her bow and a strange mechanical quiver were strapped to her back, and two knives hung at her belt.

Andrew wasn't 'Mr. Sunshine' anymore. He replaced yellow with black, even streaking his hair with it. His cargo pants and Kevlar fit well, and Danny had to try hard not to stare (stupid hormones). His bow and that same strange set of quivers hung on his back.

Danny was wearing her own backpack, along with her hair down in a ponytail. The leggings fit well, as did the Kevlar. Her boots fit a little snug but she was sure she could make it alright in them. The charm bracelet hung on her wrist.

Liam brought up a map of New York, then zoomed in street by street for them to see. He pointed out specific things to them. "We're starting here." He said, pointing at a building uptown. "This bunker is magic. If I know where I'm going, I can hopefully drop us off there. That's not the problem."

Suddenly they were looking at a grid of uptown. Three bright red rings appeared. "These are lines of Hydrabots. In a word: smart. They can tell a Halfblood apart from anyone else, so keep sharp. Now, from what my friend could tell me before everything went dark, celestial bronze has been unearthing itself in Central Park for a little over a week. Hydra's planning something. Something that has to do with the gods.

"They've locked down two buildings in New York. The Empire State- which I'm guessing where the big show will be -and Avengers tower." He said.

"Why the Avengers?" Andrew asked.

Liam raised an eyebrow. "As big a hot mess Tony Stark is, he's smart. Little known fact about the place: under the sub basement is a storage of self-working Iron Legion suits. It's an army big enough to contain small riots, but with almost no firepower. Bark, no bite." He explained.

"We're going to the Empire State Building. That's where this is going down. When we get there, we find this guy." A picture of a tall man in a dark leather trench coat and spectacles came up. His eyes were that of a mad man, and Danny wanted to shrink away. "No one knows his real name, but he goes by John Smith. He's, as far as we know, the leader of the new Hydra. He's the target." Liam said.

The computer screen went blank. Liam turned to all them. "Any questions?"

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LHG :)