To Guest Reviewer: I promise once this is done, you will NOT be calling Alex a Gary Stu. This is only the beginning of the story, Alex's story is much more than he lets on- and he proves just what he's capable and incapable of, soon.

This Alex conceals the worst things about himself from the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter- precisely because he's following orders. But he'll start to show them soon enough. And don't think Aglaia or any of the others as Mary Sues or Gary Stus.

AT THIS STAGE THEY NEED THE CAMPERS TO TRUST THEM. AND THEY'RE WILLING TO CONCEAL A GREAT DEAL OF THINGS ABOUT THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY IF IT PUTS THEM OFF OR CAUSES MISTRUST.

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HoO/Trials of Apollo. Or the Avengers. You know that.

In New York…

Tony Stark ran through his laptop screen.

He was trying to fix those damned pictures.

He didn't know what on earth was wrong with the satellite imagery and CCTV cameras, but they sure as hell were fine when he looked at them!

If it isn't the tech…

Then it had to be the kids.

The kids which included Frank Zhang. Frank whose mother had been targeted by the same terrorists who were responsible for Tony's transition into a better man (good side-effect), and catastrophic near-death experience, days of imprisonment, torture, threats and the death of many good soldiers (all bad things).

Why did they target Emily Zhang?

Tony found it curious that these kids only had one known parent. He found it ever-so-interesting that they got into a lot of trouble and the majority walked away scotch-free.

Not to mention, they could hardly have met beforehand. Percy Jackson lived in New York his entire life, Annabeth Chase lived in Virginia and California, Frank Zhang was a Canadian from Vancouver, Hazel Levesque came from New Orleans, then Alaska in the 1940s… Did he really need to continue?

Tony found Emily Zhang's file. It was a lengthy one. He was sure the Cap would agree, she was a damned good soldier. Her record was exemplary. And then unexpectedly, she went on maternity leave in 1993-94. No mention of the father. No mention of a spouse or a boyfriend, so Tony assumed the kid could've been the product of a one-night stand. But he looked through the pictures of Emily Zhang in her uniform on tours of duty, with her comrades and locals, he noticed one picture held a bit of a blur at the edges. Which was weird, considering that the pictures were all good-quality, and showed nothing or no one else in a bad view. Everything was clear and defined, except for that one blur at the edges of the photograph of Emily Zhang with some of her own troops and local Afghan soldiers. Tony zoomed it and vaguely saw the outline of a man, in leather, with sunglasses?

Tony blinked. No, that can't be right. But there it was, the very blurry image of a Caucasian man dressed as a biker (a biker of all places?). It didn't make sense.

Tony scanned the other pictures to see if someone similar could be found. There. A picture of Emily Zhang with her teammates. And next to them, a hazy image of a man in a Canadian military uniform, with a flat-top haircut, and wrap-around shades.

Tony blinked. This was clearer than the rest. He had to investigate this man.

"JARVIS?" He called out.

"Yes sir?"

"I need you to identify all the soldiers pictured here in this photograph with Emily Zhang."

"Of course, sir." Facial recognition and imagery began to pop up and zoom.

"Lieutenant Mark Riley, Bombardier Nathaniel Darrow, Private Mathew Jacobs and Sergeant Mick Johnson."

Each time JARVIS said a name, their individual ID photographs and details popped up. "And the fifth guy," Tony began. "Who's he?"

"No identification, sir." JARVIS replied. "Whoever this man was, he wasn't a member of Captain Zhang's group."

Tony blinked. He was silent for a moment. "JARVIS, can you tell me which of Captain Zhang's teammates in this picture is still alive today, and where the nearest one lives?"

Toronto, Canada…

The nearest surviving guy was Nathaniel Darrow, now a sergeant in Joint Task Force 2, the elite Special Operations division of the Canadian military. He lived in Toronto, but fortunately, Tony, Steve and Bruce (once he had alerted them) were able to go there overnight.

"So, what can I do for you, Captain Rogers, Mr. Stark, Dr. Banner?"

"Yes, we are here about one of your former teammates, a Captain Emily Zhang?"

Nathaniel Darrow stared. "Emily?" He said slowly. They nodded.

"Yeah, I remember Emily." He was silent for a while. "Great soldier, one of the best I'd ever seen. Amazing, outstanding. She would've been a member of JTF2, except that she died before that could happen." Then his eyes sharpened. "What about Emily?"

"Well, it's more about her son, Frank." Bruce tried to explain. Nathaniel's eyes widened.

"Frank?" He stared. "I remember the kid. Saw him at his mom's funeral." He shook his head. "Heard his grandma recently died. We have a support group for families, including kids who've lost parents in the Canadian military but he never came. Neither did his grandma, and I heard his whole house, and the lady…" He shook his head. "Horrible." He rasped. "Whatever happened to him? Frank? We tried searching for the guy."

The Avengers looked at one another and sighed. "Sergeant Darrow," Steve began. "There's no easy way to tell this but-"

"Captain Zhang was targeted by the same people who went after me in Afghanistan." Tony interrupted.

Nathaniel nodded. "Yeah, I remember. We were up against those guys too."

"Yeah but…" Tony sighed in frustration. "Look, this… This is classified information. We could get into serious trouble for this, but we feel it's necessary to inform you."

"We need your help." Steve interjected. "Captain Zhang's son- Frank- we think he may be in danger."

That set their new friend on alert. "Wait- what?"

Steve set the photo in front of him. "This is a picture of Captain Zhang and her team members, including you." He fingered the image of then-Bombardier Nathaniel Darrow there. "Can you explain you the fifth man in this picture was?"

Nathaniel stared blankly at the photograph. "There was no fifth guy. It was just Emily, Jack, Mick, Mark, Matt and me posing for this photo that day. I've never seen this guy before."

The Avengers exchanged covert, alarmed looks.

"Never?" Bruce asked cautiously. "No." He looked up at them. "There was no other guy posing in this photograph. This is the first time I've ever seen another guy. Here," he stood. "I have another copy."

Nathaniel Darrow opened a chest of drawers and took a heavy photo album out. He sat back down, flipping some pages as he did, before passing the album to the Avengers. "Here."

Sure enough, there was Captain Emily Zhang, smiling at the camera, right arm draped around Mick Johnson, whilst Private Mathew Jacobs knelt in front, weapon in front. Nathaniel Darrow had his left arm around Mick Johnson and Mark Riley was in front with Mick Johnson. There was no one else.

No man with a flat-top haircut and shades. Whilst Mick Johnson and Mark Riley both wore shades, they could not be mistaken for the mysterious fifth man.

"Are you sure that guy wasn't…" Nathaniel hesitated. "Photo-shopped?"

The Avengers stared at one another.

"No, we're certain he wasn't." Bruce looked pointedly at Tony.

"Definitely not. JARVIS could detect anything funny in the photo, like colouring, lighting and fix-ups." Tony stated. "Even with a damn good photo-shop he would've seen it."

"Sergeant, have you ever seen this man before?" Steve asked seriously.

Nathaniel shook his head. "Never."

"Not in Afghanistan? Or in your training? Or anywhere else in any tour of duty? Do you have an idea of who he may be?"

Nathaniel shook his head again. "No." Then he grew concerned. "What is this about Emily's son?"

"Frank?" Iron Man groaned. "He and some friends have been spotted all over the United States, Canada and Alaska, and some parts of Europe too."

"Please understand," Bruce interjected. "This is classified information."

"I understand. I'm in JTF2. We're sworn to secrecy."

"Okay then," Bruce showed him some pictures and began explaining. "Frank disappeared not long after his grandmother's funeral. He reappeared in San Francisco six weeks after."

"San Francisco?" Nathaniel sounded baffled. "Why in the world would he be in San Francisco?"

"No idea. But he was spotted with some friends, whom we will get to later." Bruce took out some more pictures. "This is him in Multnomah County, Portland, Oregon, around the Jimmy Carter Library. In this one, he's back at Vancouver, at his grandmother's mansion. This was before the neighbours called the police saying thugs and gangsters had circled the whole house and were threatening them with chainsaws, Molotov cocktails and other things, yelling death threats among other things." Bruce grimaced. "That was before the mansion exploded."

Nathaniel's eyes were wide, as he looked aghast. "Frank was there?" he choked.

"He escaped," Steve hastily reassured him. "In fact, he was seen in a nearby airspace with his two friends, and they made it to Anchorage. They were seen in various places in North America and Europe."

Bruce gave him a slightly-altered version of the events. No need to tell him the full details.

Nathaniel stared, horrified and aghast. Normally very few things would have shaken him, but Emily Zhang had been a good captain and team-mate who ensured the survival of just about everyone, and she had been a great mother who lived for her son. And now it turns out, the entire squadron had been walking into a trap designed specifically for Emily. And her son might be next.

"But why?" He asked hoarsely. "Why would they target Frank? Why would they target any kid- he's just a kid!"

"Someone is clearly after him and his friends," Steve admitted. "And we think it may have be the ones that went after Captain Zhang. They targeted her specifically."

"Sergeant Darrow," Bruce sat forwards. "Did Emily ever mention anything about the father of her son?"

Nathaniel shook his head. "Nothing. She didn't have a boyfriend at that time, though she had some admirers. She wasn't the type either to have one-night-stands, certainly not on tours of duty or training in the barracks. Serving was her whole life. So, it surprised us when she announced she was pregnant and going on maternity leave."

Bruce blinked. "So… What did her family say about that?"

Nathaniel Darrow sighed. "Yeah, we were kind of wondering that." He confessed. "We knew her family were traditional and conservative. I've been to her house in Vancouver, met her folks- this was before her father died. They were definitely traditional, I didn't know how being pregnant out of wedlock would affect her mother- she was the only one in the family apart from Emily still alive at that stage, but Mrs. Zhang didn't seem to take it too badly. That surprised us."

He looked serious. "If Emily's kid, or any of our families are in danger, I want in. The rest of us will want to as well. Emily Zhang was a great soldier who gave her life for her friends and her country, maybe this is the only way we'll get to pay her back now."

"Alright." Steve agreed. "We'll keep you updated. But for now…" He looked at the others. "We have some investigating to do."

"And speaking of which-" Bruce winced. "Perhaps we should tell you the other thing."

They told him about the fact that the Ten Rings might have had inside help. Nathaniel Darrow stood stock still, absorbing all this in silence. Nobody could describe the intense feelings and emotions running through him.

He promised the Avengers all the help they would need. And he would definitely be on the lookout for any suspicious behaviour, especially from those in command.

"So nothing on his dad." Tony sighed. "And nothing on the guy in the picture. Our next bet is to hunt down any member of the Ten Rings, see who was behind this, but those guys-" he scowled. "I prefer HYDRA. At least I know more about them."

Bruce and Steve couldn't help but agree. The Ten Rings was as dangerous as they were mysterious. The worst part about knowing so little about them, was not knowing how they operated and what their motives were. Why this person? Why Emily Zhang?

Even HYDRA had not been as elusive as that.

"So, what should we do?" Bruce asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tony demanded. "We need to find out more."

"How?" Steve retorted. "You heard what Fury said. You yourself said these guys are about as mysterious as next year's weather."

"I never said that." Tony said abruptly. "And besides, you can always try to guess next year's weather: rain, sun, clouds and storms." Seeing Steve's unimpressed look, he conceded. "Alright. I have a hunch. All I need to do is go to Afghanistan."

"Afghanistan?" Bruce raised his eyebrows. "Tony-"

"I need to see one of them. "JARVIS?"

Right away, pieces of Iron Man's armour began assembling on Tony's body. He zoomed up to the sky. Down below Steve sighed.

"Never gets old, does it?" Bruce asked, looking up to where Tony had left.

"Nope."

Athens…

Aglaia regarded the team in silence. Andrew had already gotten to them. Wow, no wonder Alex didn't look that enthusiastic. She could not help a smile, just this once.

Alex noticed her smile, and shook his head in fond exasperation. Everyone else would have missed the hint of a smile on his own face, but she did not. They always did know how to make each other smile, even after all this time, despite their ended romance.

"Something wrong?" Aglaia had sensed the presence of Philippos, her brother, right next to her.

"No, Adelfós." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Go and have fun. I'll be heading out soon. Why not enjoy this party?"

He gave her a mock scowl. "Only if my little sister agrees to dance with me."

"Better you than anyone else, though I think you need to work on your foot movements." She remarked teasingly. Philippos placed a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. They laughed and Aglaia threw a passing glance at Alex- a coded signal. Their meeting would have to wait.

Philippos led Aglaia to the dance floor and they began dancing.

This was family…

But she wondered what would happen to them if they ever found out.

Much to Alex's relief Andrew didn't stay long. He was getting on his nerves and Mizuki's. It was hard to tell what Eleana felt like, but he knew for sure that Drypetis would not be jumping for joy to see him (like she tended to do that anyway).

"Just so you know," he pointed it out. "She'll be joining us at the hotel soon enough. Had to, you know, distract people, satisfy the crowd, but did you get the message?"

"I got the message," Alex said, trying to keep the sourness from his voice.

"You're lucky she and I are with you in this."

"Not the most lovable idea I've ever heard in my life."

"But it may be the best mission you've ever done in your life." Andrew pointed.

Alex didn't bother to answer Andrew. He pointedly ignored him until they reached the hotel once more. Andrew sauntered in, smiling breezily, "Aglaia."

Aglaia turned. She was in a simpler dress than the one she had worn to the ball.

"I had thought to meet with you there, send some signals," Aglaia admitted. "But as it turns out, there are other matters I must discuss with you as well."

Alex's eyebrows shot up. "Meaning?"

"Meaning you are in for an unpleasant surprise." Alex looked at Andrew. "Wonderful."

"Andrew," Aglaia sighed. "Please be a dear and give us some time to chat. It looks like they'll all need it."

"Of course." Andrew smirked, backing out of the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Satisfied."

"Almost." Alex narrowed his eyes. Mizuki sighed. "Why did you bring him here?"

"Do you deny that his skills would not be useful?"

"Unbelievable." Alex muttered. "Normally I have a high tolerance level but this…"

"Relax, I can always ask him to avoid you when the time comes." Aglaia answered smoothly. She glided forwards and extended her hand. "Welcome to Athens. My name is Aglaia."

Percy took it. "Percy." He looked at the others. "This is Jason, Leo and Calypso."

"Nice to meet you," Jason muttered. "A pleasure." That was Calypso. "'Sup?" Leo asked.

"I wish we could meet in better times, but-" she gestured with a hand towards the sofas and armchairs in the suite. "Please take a seat." Once they had seated, Percy noticed Aglaia's eyes had been scrutinising them the whole time before being fixed on Alex.

"When I received word, I couldn't believe it." She admitted. "You? Of all people, Alex? What made you change your mind? When did you start to trust so quickly?"

"It's not a matter of trust, but mutual self-interest." Alex explained. "Because of whom? Them or S.H.I.E.L.D?" She handed cups of Fliskouni tea to each of them.

"Both." He looked at Mizuki and Eleana who were sitting silently, observing the conversation. "So, who are you proposing we work for, then?" Aglaia rolled her lovely eyes. They were the deepest, brightest and clearest shade of emerald green, but full of so many colours, like gems in a jewellery box.

"I'm not proposing we work for anyone." Alex replied. "You know me. But I am proposing we work with them." He gestured to the campers.

Aglaia peered at them from above her teacup. "You're a long way from Long Island." She said, dryly.

Percy and Jason sighed. They really had to get used to that. "How the heck do you guys keep guessing these things?" Percy stifled a groan.

"I observe and listen." She put down her cup. "Half-Greek judging by your features." She smirked. "New York- the Big Apple. Caucasian mostly." She glanced at Jason. "American. Californian? Most likely, but I'd say you grew up in San Francisco. Did you relocate to New York?"

Jason shrugged, helplessly. "Yeah, that's about it."

"Hm. Houston, Texas." She looked at Leo. "But the most obvious thing is your Mexican heritage." She then glanced at Calypso. "I don't know where you're from, but it's clearly quite a peaceful island. Most likely beautiful, undisturbed and untouched by the ravages of the industrial revolution. Wait, did you say your name was Calypso?"

"Yes," Calypso studied her carefully. "My name is Calypso."

Slowly, Aglaia turned her head towards Alex, Mizuki and Eleana. "You have some explaining to do."

It didn't take long for the story to come out.

Aglaia had stood frozen all this time, and she didn't look pleased in the very least. Given how Mizuki, Eleana and Drypetis reacted, they knew she wouldn't be pleased either. Heck, given how Alex reacted…

Aglaia placed her teacup down on the table.

"Truly?" She asked in a deadly-quiet voice. "S.H.I.E.L.D? Olympian gods? Asgard?"

Alex was silent.

"Our parents are dead." She reminded him.

"Not as we thought." He spoke softly.

She glanced at the campers. "And you? Where do you come into this? You want us to work for-"

"No," Percy said hastily. "No- I promise, that's not it."

"How can you expect us to cooperate, if there is no trust between us?" Her authority mode had come out, Alex observed, with the mildest amusement (Andrew's absence really worked miracles for him). Her emerald eyes pierced them dead-on. "Our parents? I was under the impression my biological parents died long ago."

"Well, I was under the impression my stepfather was my father," Mizuki remarked coolly. "Until after some bizarre rites he tried to kill me. Then I realised I wasn't really his child, I was the child of another being- one whom he did not believe was an ordinary human." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "And as it turns out he was right.

"I assume it's all the same." She nearly snarled. "But clearly I must remind you that deception is not the best way to cooperate with anything- including survival." Aglaia told them.

Alex gritted his teeth to keep himself from cursing. "Do you think," he began. "That I don't feel the same way."

"Which makes it hard to believe, why should we trust them?" Aglaia asked. "Not you," she looked at the campers. "But them."

She meant the gods, you didn't have to be a genius to know that.

But for some reason, Aglaia wasn't as hostile to the idea of their parents as the others. Or maybe they hadn't talked to Andrew just yet.

Alex looked sourly at the demigods. "After you've made it clear last time you can handle the conversation, perhaps you would care to convince her? My temper is already under damage control from meeting Andrew." Though admittedly, he felt more soothed and relaxed now that he had been talking with Aglaia without having Andrew in the same room. He shook his head and downed the remainder of his tea.

Aglaia tilted her head up. "The Greek gods exist… And one of my supposedly-dead biological parents happen to be one of them. And now some of our half-siblings, cousins and so forth need our help, because of S.H.I.E.L.D or our enemy." She looked at Alex. "Doesn't sound very appealing for anyone to want help. How did you convince him?"

"They didn't. I basically had no choice." Alex stared her down. "Like I said-"

"It's mutual self-interest." Percy insisted. "And self-preservation."

"Self-interest and self-preservation, but no trust and no assurances of any kind." Aglaia murmured thoughtfully. "Sounds like half the deal and a heavy price. Armies have failed disastrously with a lack of trust. Goals have never been reached and rulers have failed, no matter their power or their efficiency, for eliminating anyone they didn't trust- paranoia goes with power." She shook her head. "Once you possess everything, and have everything to lose, you are willing to commit every action, no matter how abominable, no matter how atrocious and monstrous, to keep what you have."

No one would meet her eyes. "We cannot cooperate without trust- nor assurances." She glanced at Alex. "I understand your reasons for not wishing to meet them face to face, especially after what has been done which they allowed, but we need assurances." She put down her teacup.

Aglaia mulled over it for a while. "What are you planning?" Mizuki asked.

"Funny you should ask." Aglaia stated.

"Oh Mizuki." Eleana said dryly. "I think she has a good plan, we all know her."

"Where is Drypetis? The three of you are usually tied at the hip."

"At the controls." Eleana smirked. "You know her."

"I do," Aglaia confirmed. She stood and went over to the window. She was wearing a gown of sea-green simpler than expected, but with golden detailing and an emerald choker around her neck.

"I don't like this. But if we can negotiate our terms… Namely them leaving us in peace once all this mess is over and done with- then yes." She turned towards them. "I will help. And Andrew has already decided to go."

"And here I thought he was smart." Alex drawled. "You know how he is, which is precisely why he has decided to come." Aglaia barely looked at him before she picked something up. "Now follow me. It's high time we leave." Her tone allowed room for no arguments.

They shot to their feet. "S.H.I.E.L.D?" Percy asked. "Is it them?"

"Perhaps… Or perhaps someone worse." Aglaia pressed herself against the wall.

"Come now," she said, grimly. "We have no time."

The commander stared out the window.

It was done. Aglaia was going with them. Now, they would have to monitor their calls very carefully.

Soon, their armies would commence. They would attack for vengeance and justice against those who wronged them.

He would miss Aglaia. He knew that Percy had dove into the depths of Tartarus for his love, but he felt that would do the same. He would go every length to make sure she would return to him.

But that was the most amazing thing. Unlike his other two loves, which he had experienced in his mortal life, Aglaia was incredible- even by his standards. He couldn't help but smirk. Again, the commander regretted that she had not been born a few millennia earlier- she would have conquered the world by his side and become a goddess in her own right.

I have a new mission, he thought. "Commander?"

He turned.

A young, dark-haired young man stood alert.

"Leon." He spoke. "Has the Agèma convened? Are we ready to intercede?"

"Yes, sir." He said. "They are awaiting your orders to take off."

"Excellent." He nodded. "I will be along shortly. And send a message to Drypêtis, saying we wish to know whether the devices are ready."

"Yes sir."

Leon nodded and walked away.

Soon, he promised. Very soon, they would take their justice and their revenge.

"When did they get here?" Alex snarled with such venom it startled everyone, including the three girls they'd met in Tokyo.

Andrew burst into the room. "Not S.H.I.E.L.D." He informed them.

"Well then, I know who it may be," Aglaia shot them a look. "How far away is Drypetis?"

"She's in that hotel." Eleana had shot to her feet. "Where are the weapons?"

"Here." Andrew held three bags. "I packed what I could."

"Then let's go for the fire-exit." Aglaia replied.

"That's the first place they usually look!" Percy argued. Alex agreed.

"We have no choice." Aglaia stated. "They've surrounded the whole building." Andrew gritted his teeth.

"Who are these guys?" Percy demanded.

"The ones that took us years ago."

Percy, Jason, Leo and Calypso froze. So did Eleana, Mizuki and Drypetis. Alex's eyes narrowed dangerously. "WHAT?!" That was the four campers.

"How do you know this?" Alex said in a dangerously low voice. "That's not something I'd want to stick around and discuss." Aglaia shot back. "We move- now!"

They burst out of the room.

They made it out of the room and into a hallway unfortunately before they even managed to reach the fire exit, alarms started blaring.

"That's odd." Aglaia said in surprise. "They're usually more subtle than this."

Alex scowled. "I'd like very much to know how you knew that."

"If we live." Percy said grimly.

"I'd sooner die than go back to them." Eleana snarled with surprising ferocity.

"Same." Aglaia muttered. "And I don't even want that."

"Let's talk later!" Percy ran forwards. "Where's the nearest exit-"

But before he could finish his sentence, some of the guests started screaming. Explosions could be heard from inside the ballroom, and Aglaia yanked Percy and Jason (the two at the front) and swivelled them to another direction entirely. "Follow me and stay behind!" She shouted.

"Where's Mizuki?" Calypso yelled.

"She's gone off- we'll see her soon!"

"What?" Leo yelped. "Where are we-"

A crash and a huge roar resounded which basically told them things were going to get tougher. The screams of mortals as they were devoured did not make things any easier for them.

Yup, things were nuts.

In the ballroom, guests were screaming as window-glass shattered into pieces and rained down upon them. But to nearly everyone's surprise, what attacked them was…

"Hydra?" Percy gasped. As in a many-headed monster, which he last saw wearing Monster Donut bibs. This one was clearly not a baby and this one was clearly not out on a random trip to the woods with donuts. It was eight times as large as the last hydra Percy fought. Its beady glowing red eyes, at least seven pairs of them, zeroed in on the eight of them, and it hissed, revealed razor-sharp teeth, long as daggers.

"Skata," Aglaia muttered, which was basically a swearword in Greek. That was surprising. But they had no time to react. They scattered, diving aside.

The monster had spat greenish acidic venom which quickly melted the marble floors. Unfortunately, it began to terrorise the visitors. One of the heads tore down a crystal chandelier from the ceiling, smashing it onto the floor, raining hot sparks of electricity, crystals, and bits of metal onto the screaming guests, many of whom were no doubt running as fast as they could.

Percy cursed as he got to his feet. He uncapped Riptide. He could see Aglaia shouting something to Andrew, but Andrew's reply was drowned out by the noise.

"Leo, we need fire!" Percy shouted at Leo. Leo looked at him wide-eyed. "Huh?!"

"Fire- burn the stumps- we need to cut off the heads all at once and burn-" but before he could finish his sentence, two of the heads shot poison at him.

Percy ducked and rolled aside.

Meanwhile, Alex picked up several glasses. He was sure they were costly, but now was not the time. He chucked them.

The wind whistled as they sailed smoothly into the air. One head snapped up the glass, crashing it with his teeth, but for someone who didn't play baseball- that being American sport- Alex launched as many glasses as he could.

It simply annoyed the hydra, but Aglaia caught on the idea. As did Eleana. Percy felt a hand grab him and he came face to face with grey eyes.

Annabeth's eyes, he thought, dazed, before he managed to focus.

"Percy!" Andrew hissed. "The others are going to distract and overwhelm the heads- we need to sneak to the side and cut them off- can you do that?"

Percy nodded. "If you can distract them with water, do that," Andrew stated. "There are pipes in this building. But make sure you dry them when Leo sets them on fire."

Eleana also had a remarkable aim. She, Calypso and Aglaia had teamed up and were chucking as many glasses as they could possibly throw. For some reason, wind had started blowing in this place, maybe due to the broken windows, but it didn't hinder the glasses in any way. In fact, it seemed only to be aiding them.

But there were only so many glasses. Percy dove to the side.

Unfortunately, this brought the attention of the monster which narrowed its eyes towards him and started shooting him with poison.

The poison missed Percy by millimetres, it blasted a nearby table laid with a linen tablecloth and set with porcelain. A lady screamed as her elaborate hairdo (more suited to be cotton candy or sugar floss strung with jewels than human hair), began to melt. She batted it frantically, knocking her hair to the ground and revealing it to be a wig on a balding scalp.

At this point, Jason flew into the air and launched himself on one of the monster's necks.

Alex swore in Irish. Jason realised, as brave as this was, it had been a mistake. A big, stupid mistake. With any other monster, it would have weighed them down, seriously messed with its coordination, but this was a monster with seven heads and could grow two more if one of them were to be cut down. Plus, it was larger and much stronger than most of the stuff they faced on a regular basis.

Jason reacted the way he could: he zapped them with lightning. The monster heads hissed and retreated but began snapping towards him, more annoyed than anything. Jason had no choice. He withdrew his gladius and sliced off the nearest head. The others drew back once more, hissing. People recoiled and screamed once the head rolled onto the floor, twitching and oozing.

"What the hell?!" Eleana shouted angrily.

The stump, now tinged with green, began to bubble and morph, sprouting and elongating, growing two more heads on long stalk-like necks.

"Damn it!" Alex cursed as he rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding an ancient statue that was put on display, as the stone crashed into rubble, crushing anything beneath it.

He ran fast, jumped and used a table as a springboard, launching and grabbing Jason who was still on the head, dragging him to the ground. The hydra snarled, its attention captured by them as it spat poison. Alex pushed Jason aside.

"That was not your smartest idea," Alex muttered. Jason cursed. "I know."

Unfortunately, the hydra had made it its new mission to go for Jason and Alex. Alex had knocked- accidentally or on purpose, no one knew- one of its other heads aside and it decided to go for the two blue-eyed blond boys.

Several of its heads snapped forwards, taking chunks of marble tiles, smashing buffet tables aside with its claws, and spitting massive gobs of green poison at them. The guests were in pandemonium. They retreated, but then a voice called: "Hey!"

It froze and turned.

Percy Jackson waved Riptide teasingly in the air. "C'mon, you great lump of-" but before he could finish his insult, the hydra spat poison in his direction, forcing him to take cover. But a pipe burst.

Water sprayed from the wall, the guests shrieking with shock as it sprayed them. It rose like a tidal wave, forcing the creature to back away.

Then from the doors, several soldiers appeared. They might have been the Greek version of SWAT, or the elite special operations unit, Percy didn't know. The hydra took one look at them, hissed, and prepared to strike.

The mortals unleashed a hail of bullets towards them. It screeched in rage, and snapped up one mortal in a gulp. Percy could see Aglaia, her beautiful face pale, her eyes wide with horror. Before she shouted in fury, picking up a fallen chair and throwing it, with surprising strength, knocking two of the heads.

"Hey! Over here you scumbag worm!" She shouted. "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size?!"

"Are you mad?!" She heard Philippos shout. Aglaia ignored him. She was too mad to care. She withdrew two knives rolled to the side as several heads spat poison, rolled back as two of the heads snapped at her, and a third tried to get her from the side. She stabbed it in the eye. It screamed, rearing back and hissing. Aglaia took this opportunity to throw shards of glass and crystal at it.

"Leo- now!" Percy shouted.

Just then Leo's whole body lit up in flames. "Yeah, baby!" He grinned, maniacally, causing more screams from the mortals. "It's time to light 'em up!"

Percy launched through the air, the same time Andrew skidded on the ground if only slightly lower. He grabbed half of the heads. Alex took advantage of this, and grabbed the other half, keeping them still as Percy sliced them with Riptide. Any heads that were accidentally missed, they hacked at, chopping them to the ground.

Leo launched his flames and burnt the stumps. A terrible sound filled the room, as the body fell to the ground, coiling, twitching, clawing at the marble, before the fire spread- apparently it was flammable- and engulfed every bit of it.

"We need to go!" Aglaia hissed. She grabbed Eleana and Calypso, shouting at Leo and the others to come on. Alex grabbed Jason by the shoulder and Andrew gestured to Leo and they took off running.

"They would have seen everything," Aglaia cursed, apparently very upset. "There are cameras all over the palace." They rushed up the stairs. Bursting to a door, the demigods and sorceress found themselves on the roof. "Stupid, damned hydra!"

Just then, wind blew in torrents, and the chopping of blades filled the air. They looked up to see a helicopter descend. "Right on time!" Drypetis yelled, from the seat. Mizuki was right next to her, on the controls. "We have to get going!" They immediately boarded. The helicopter flew away.

"Where'd you even get a helicopter?" Percy asked, incredulously. Normally, he didn't like to be up in the air, unless with Blackjack.

"I told them where to get it," Aglaia shouted over the noise of the blades.

The city of Athens shrunk behind them.

"Drypetis had the sense to go back to the ship and put some distance between us," Mizuki shouted. "It was hard to find her though- there were some guys in black crowding in on us in the streets they were trying to stop me from reaching Drypetis!"

"Are you sure those aren't the mortals?" Percy said loudly.

"Positive," Mizuki called back.

"But this doesn't make sense," Andrew grumbled. "This isn't like them, they're usually more subtle and less clumsy than this."

"The hydra was a diversion," Aglaia pointed out. "But a very obvious, mythological creature?" Eleana sounded very surprised. "They've always worked in the shadows-"

"Framing others for their dirty works," Aglaia scoffed.

"Wait," Alex's voice was dangerous. "We'll talk about this later."

"Wait- hold up!" Percy held up a hand and sat up. "Wait a second- you guys- you've know who sent that hydra?"

"Percy," Calypso said. "I don't know much about hydras, but I'm pretty sure those are larger than the ones you've encountered."

Percy absorbed this in silence and shock.

"It's them," Alex spat. "We need to get back to the ship."

Back in the United States…

The Greeks and Romans agreed to meet on neutral territory.

"Are you sure they'll be here by tonight?" Reyna asked.

Piper nodded. "That's what their Iris-Message said," Annabeth pointed out.

Reyna frowned. "These new demigods… Are they Roman or Greek?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Well, Alex really hasn't been claimed so…"

Reyna only frowned further, "I don't mean to doubt anyone," she said quietly. "But how do we know we can trust them?"

"Alex saved our lives," Piper said firmly. "He's also gotten us back to the US, at his own expense, literally and figuratively, and all the while, he's supposed to be on duty. Besides, he's the soldier. He seems-"

"The soldier-type," Annabeth said dryly.

"Yeah." Piper agreed. "As for the others-"

Just then a huge shadow descended upon them. Romans and Greeks alike, jumped up in defensive positions, but it was only huge, flying Greek trireme.

"'Sup amigos?" Leo cheered. "We're back!"

On the way, the crew had gotten a first-hand glimpse of the prickly relationship between Andrew and Alex.

"Really, Alex?" Andrew asked. "I always thought you were one of the most brilliant strategists and soldiers in any army. Then I see you flying at a hydra- a real-live hydra- and causing it to go crazy and fly at you."

"It wasn't as if I had a choice," Alex fired back. "What would you have done?"

"Fire more stuff at them, overwhelm the heads all at once, hard and fast," Andrew began. "Then-"

"Hey!" Jason stood. "He did it for me. I was the guy who needed saving. If there's anyone you want to blame, blame me."

"Sure, blame the idiot," Andrew drawled. "And here I was under the assumption that you were rather experienced at this sort of thing."

"Enough!" Alex shouted. "He's not like us, it was an 'in-the-bloody-moment thing'! He was desperate to save his friends."

"So was I, yet I never threw myself at a hydra- particularly at the heads."

"Will you quit it?" Aglaia's voice betrayed her impatience. A sure sign they were overdoing it. "Leave it be, Andrew. That was a mistake."

Andrew was silent, but his grey eyes blazed dangerously.

I've seen that look before, Jason thought. But where?

Before the answer could hit him, Andrew retorted. "We can afford no mistakes in this line of work. The next mistake we make, will cost us not only our lives, but the lives of others who depend on us." He stepped forwards breathing deeply. It was quite obvious, that in spite of his tanned skin, he resembled a classical marble statue with perfectly-proportioned chin as well as the rest of his features; straight, thin, high nose, elegantly-arched eyebrows, fine lips with a small mouth. Despite the features being masculine in appearance, and the hair being shorter, he looked like-

"Land, ho!" That was Leo's cheerful voice. Alex and Andrew gave flinty gazes at one another, before the ship touched to the ground.

When they disembarked, it was quite clear that the Romans and Greeks had all gathered, curious to see the new arrivals. No doubt that word had spread fast, even to the ones that hadn't been there for the meeting and the oath.

Alex was none too pleased. The campers greeted old friends and family, he and Andrew shot looks at one another. Aglaia emerged, wearing a mask- a golden mask. It seemed cast out of molten gold. But the weirdest thing was it moulded perfectly with her features- and at the same time obstructed them. The mask's lips moved with her own, the nose did and the eyebrows which were nothing more than painted lines, but it did a great job concealing her face.

"Erm, what's with the mask?" Leo asked.

"I'd rather not have any distractions, you've all seen my face," she said evenly.

Percy walked up and greeted Annabeth, Piper, Hazel and Reyna with hugs. Frank clapped him on the back. Everyone crowded around him.

"Where's Chiron?" He asked.

"He got held up," Connor Stoll walked forwards. He eyed the party with interest. Many of them peered curiously at the new arrivals.

"Is that it?" Sherman Yang said, loudly.

"Trying to insult us before we've even spoken?" Andrew smirked. Normally Alex wouldn't have any patience for this, but for once Andrew's sharp wit could knock this upstart down to scale.

"Why? Have you got something to prove?" His grey eyes twinkled mischievously as he looked at the son of Ares up and down, and a grin spread throughout his handsome face.

Sherman coloured. He opened his mouth, but Miranda Gardiner- his girlfriend- held him back. "C'mon, Sherman, we've talked about this."

"Yes, Sherman, listen to the nice lady," Andrew smirked. "Don't ask for something before you even know what it is you're going to get."

Everyone eyed them with interest.

"Why don't you say that to yourself, punk?" Sherman snapped.

Andrew laughed. He actually laughed. "Boy, I know what you're planning for me: a beat-up. A bashing, plain and simple. Or do you want to try and dunk my head in the toilet, like a good, old-fashioned, schoolboy? Get your buddies to come and try to beat the living s*** out of me, once you have the opportunity; a sneak attack? Crowd around me, four, five, six even eight against one? Or your entire Cabin against one?" His grin only widened. "But don't let me discourage you. Honestly, it will be quite funny if you want to dunk my head in the toilet." His grin widened maniacally. "It will be extremely amusing to see you try and watch what happens to you. In fact, you can even bring all your buddies and your girlfriend to come and watch. So, shall we?"

Before Sherman Yang could bellow some insults, death threats or anything else, a voice spoke.

"Enough." Aglaia said sternly, rolling her eyes.

Andrew sighed. "And here I was prepared to laugh myself to knots. Since when were you such a party-pooper?"

"When there's no time for a party." Her eyes narrowed. "Or small-scale conflicts, no matter how historic." She said dangerously. Aglaia looked from him to Sherman Yang held back by Miranda. "Now is neither the time nor place for such stupid, unnecessary things. You of all people know that," she insisted, looking at Andrew. "We all have to face the facts." She turned her gaze to Sherman. "You might not like it but there's a bigger war to fight." She looked at Miranda. "I'm sorry for this."

"No, I am." The daughter of Demeter looked shame-faced. "You shouldn't have had to apologise." She glared at Sherman.

"No, it's necessary to bend your pride at times, particularly in cases of survival." She stated.

"I agree." Mizuki sounded grim. "Though it's never wise to let your guard down." She cast a sour look around the place.

"Um, hi," Annabeth said, awkwardly. "I'm Annabeth- Annabeth Chase." She reached out to shake Aglaia's hand.

"Piper McLean." Piper did the same.

"Reyna," Reyna spoke. "Reyna Ramírez-Arellano. Praetor of the Twelfth Legion Fulminata."

"Aglaia." Aglaia said politely. "You've already met Alex, that over there is Andrew." She said with a sigh, gesturing to him. "And these are Mizuki, Eleana and Drypêtis."

The respective demigods nodded politely. "And to answer your friend Sherman's question, I am afraid it was all we could do for now. We received Alex's signal, but none of us could move all at once without attracting attention from our enemies."

Annabeth eyed her curiously. "Well, first off, who are your enemies? And if you don't mind me asking, why are you wearing a mask?"

Aglaia's shifting green eyes lowered. "It's best if I keep my face covered," she said quietly. "I've found that out a while ago."

"You didn't cover your face when we first met," Percy said, astonished.

"Nevertheless, it's better to take precautions, I'll explain later," she assured him.

"As for our enemies…" She looked back at the others.

Piper said quietly. "They're the ones who took you when you were kids, right?"

Silence. It was as if they'd frozen into ice.

"Yes," Alex was the first to break that silence. "Those ones." He turned his narrowed eyes towards Aglaia. "Which reminds me, how did you know those were our enemies back there? As being the ones who sent the hydra?"

"What?" More than one person explained.

Aglaia shook her head. "Perhaps it's best if we sit down to conduct this conversation."

Reyna gestured to a covered pavilion with a tent. Her two metallic dogs, Aurum and Argentum followed. If the newcomers thought this was interesting, they didn't show it. Cabin counsellors from Camp Half-Blood and members of the Senate from New Rome sat.

"We were attacked by a hydra," Alex spoke first, once they'd sat. "In Athens."

"What were you doing in Athens?" Annabeth and Piper gaped.

"Picking me up," Aglaia stated. "I'm Greek, born and raised."

"Oh." They both flushed with embarrassment.

"Andrew was with me as well."

"Yes," Alex cast a mildly distasteful look to Andrew who raised an eyebrow, dryly.

"There's the other thing," Alex said, his voice dangerously calm. "I did not know he would be coming."

"I do have a phone, you know," Andrew smirked. He took it out of his pocket and brandished it. "I got the signal. You signalled every survivor who has one. "

"And as such, knowing that the signal came from you, he decided to go to me," Aglaia explained. "Considering that you would have hated to even consider him and gone to him last."

"Yes, well, I could hardly miss out on the fun now, could I?"

Alex gave a long-suffering, but annoyed look.

"Andrew is one of the most brilliant minds any of us have ever met," Aglaia said quietly. "A great mastermind at many things."

"Including, but certainly not limited to, battle strategy, sciences such as physics, biology, chemistry, archaeology, optics and magnets, zoology, botany, geometry and trigonometry, criminology, architecture, classical history, deciphering dead languages and more." Andrew shrugged.

They stared at him. "Wait a second," Annabeth paused. "Are you-"

"An Oxford professor," he smirked. "Not the tweed-wearing kind. And I don't smell of coffee, thank you very much." He sounded British, Annabeth had thought.

But he also seemed somewhat familiar.

"You seemed to pick Mizuki, Drypetis and Eleana quickly enough," Aglaia pointed out.

"We were in Japan anyway," Mizuki sighed. She turned to look at the others. "Now that Andrew has given you a list of some of his accomplishments and what he would bring to all this, I should also say my part. I am a Miko- a Shinto priestess, and that's where he found me, at the temple." She cast a look at Alex.

"I was being quite respectful," Alex said, point-blanc. "Point taken." Eleana muttered.

"I also do… Covert activities as the priestess," Mizuki confessed. "Nowadays, Miko priestesses normally perform temple cleansing rituals and sacred dances, they clean the shrines and assist in ceremonies like weddings, bless homes… Those type of things you would expect from us. But in days gone by, we were shamans. Exorcists, oracles who communicate with the Kami- the gods, to see the future and expel demons. And I still do fortune-telling. But the most serious things, such as determining auspices, communicating with gods and spirits, expelling demons et cetera… Things no Miko would ever dare to do nowadays, in case we attract unwanted attention, particularly from ordinary people and the priests. I still follow the old ways." She sighed. "Many manga and anime depict us as having mystical powers." She shook her head smiling. "And I must admit, in my case to an extent… This is true."

Everyone looked shocked and started whispering excitedly, even fearfully.

"I am also a poet and an author," Mizuki said slowly. "Several of her works have been published and have attracted great notice in Japan." Aglaia said quietly. "And I can play musical instruments quite nicely, as well as some rudiments of traditional medicine, Chinese and Japanese."

Annabeth looked at Will Solace. They were all wondering the same thing.

"But medicine is normally my thing," Eleana said. "I've been trained as a medic, GP, surgeon… You name it. But I've also played for orchestras- and now I've sung."

Everyone stared. "Wait." Will blurted. He stood. "You're Eleana."

"I thought she made that clear for you."

"No- you- your album-"

And there it was- mostly everyone had been too distracted otherwise to notice. But now…

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Someone from the Aphrodite Cabin squealed loudly. "You- you-"

Someone gave a scream. And not a scream of terror, but the scream of something much worse than being confronted by a monster. The scream of a fangirl.

"And here it is," Eleana sighed. As everyone went crazy.

"Omigosh, omigosh!"

"Can I have your autograph?"

"I can't believe this is happening!"

"THIS IS SO AWESOME- AMAZING!"

"I tried to buy tickets to your concert in L.A- they were sold out!" Piper had seen this before, when she admitted that her dad was Tristan McLean.

"Okay, enough." Annabeth ordered, sternly. "Anything else?"

"A number of things," Eleana admitted. She looked at Drypetis.

"Mechanic, inventor-" she pointed to Andrew's phone in front of him. "That for instance. My invention entirely."

"Cool!" Leo whooped. "Awesome- mind showing us how you did that? I've been wondering how-"

"Leo," Piper interrupted. She shook her head. "Not the time."

"Right, sorry." But he didn't look very sorry. Everyone turned to Aglaia.

"And you?"

"I do a number of things," she admitted. "First off, I'm multilingual. As I've mentioned, I'm Greek, so I'm a native speaker in all the dialects and the standardised modern language. I also speak Classical Ancient Greek- including the various dialects as well. Mycenaean and Cretan too. All this in addition to reading, writing and speaking a number of languages dead or alive, and I'm quite well-versed in mythology and theology from various places. I had a Danish grandmother, so I learnt the Viking sagas and myths, as well as the Olympian ones." She gave a brief smile- or rather, the mask did. It was so expressive, that it was hard to remember it was a mask, even if it was gold.

"I can also fight- but I suppose we can say the same for them," she looked at the others. "And I'm quite well-practiced at hairstyling, makeup and dressmaking- more than once I've made my own outfits, and numerous family members, often in short notice."

Piper blinked. "Well," she muttered. "My cabin-mates might be happy for that."

"I'm glad to hear that." Aglaia smiled and chuckled softly. Piper blinked, then smiled. She had a surprisingly beautiful laugh, even if it wasn't much of a laugh.

"I'm also practiced in numerous other things, I've graced social circles for quite some time, with and without my mask, and I know how to influence people."

"Wait, did you just say with your mask?" Annabeth asked, incredulously.

"Yes, this isn't an ordinary mask." Aglaia touched something hidden beneath her chin. Instantly something amazing happened. Some film of a sort covered the eyeholes, it looked like a computer-generated image of pixels just before they burst into life. The mask's structure began to shift and change. The colour paled and turned white- like Caucasian skin. The film over the eyes seemed to sizzle with pixels before they cleared, revealing pale blue eyes, and long, sandy-coloured lashes having been grown above and beneath. The nose was slim but longer, her mouth larger. Her face oval and fresh, blond hair sprung in curls from the hairline of the mask and covered her black hair.

For a while everyone just stared.

"Whoa," Leo was the first to breathe.

"How did you do that?" The Stoll brothers demanded, they looked impressed.

"This mask was made by Drypetis and someone else," Aglaia stated. "Under my request. It answers only to me." Aglaia's voice had also changed. Becoming more… Husky, they assumed. "But the voice I'm able to change. I can also do makeovers quite well- I am a stylist- for anyone who doesn't have a mask." She nodded.

"Oh," Annabeth managed. "That's… Neat."

Aglaia nodded. "More on that later. I assume you wish to know about our enemies."

"Yes," Reyna spoke.

"Perhaps I should begin." Aglaia suggested. "Firstly, we had no idea who our enemies are. They were clever. They weren't like HYDRA or the Ten Rings- those are terrorist groups," she said quickly, when some looked confused. "No, they were brilliant. In fact, they can't even be considered terrorists. Terrorists wish to make a statement; that's the reason they kill so publicly, make explosions and so forth. They want to send a message. These people are out for something more.

"In Athens, I was told that we were demigods. In hindsight, we shouldn't be that surprised considering that two Norse gods popped into reality right in the middle of New York. Still… The news is not… Always pleasant. Especially as these are the words of a maniac."

"I did say that they told me we were the children of gods," Alex said suddenly. "Not that I believed them. How could someone say that about us?" He shook his head.

"Furthermore," as Aglaia continued, her mask shifted back to gold and the blond hair receded. The film over her eyes lifted revealing the truly astonishing green colour, as iridescent and with as many colours as gems. "And this is the serious bit: make no mistake, they were enemies. And they still are. We didn't just survive." She looked at the others.

"We escaped." Mizuki stated. "And they are brilliant. If they're still kidnapping children they would have learnt not to repeat the same mistakes."

"They're like learning robots," Drypetis said calmly. Her hands were tinkering, they noticed. She had several metal bits she was fixing with a wrench and screws. "They were smart enough to stay hidden from just about everyone. Smart enough to take kids without anyone finding out who did them. Or even connecting the dots from across continents."

"And even if they did look for us, which in my case, was non-existent," Alex said. "There was no one to look for me at home, but Aglaia and Drypetis…" He glanced at them. "People searched for them. And no one ever found them."

"Worse," Eleana said. "When I was taken I was captured by another organisation. HYDRA." She looked grim.

Everyone looked around. "You mean the ones you mentioned?" Hazel choked. "As in the terrorist organisation?" Frank stared.

"The same ones." That was Alex. Eleana nodded. "I spent years believing it was HYDRA who took me and kept me. It appears I was wrong."

"They use HYDRA for their own purposes," Aglaia explained. "And the Ten Rings." Alex narrowed his eyes at her, but she continued. "I don't know who else is in their pocket, but they're infiltrators. And suppliers. They're immensely wealthy, I don't know how yet. But they are. But wealthy enough to keep those terrorist organisations- and governments- in line."

They stared. "Wait," Alex began dangerously. "What?"

"Never underestimate the power of greed," Aglaia's real voice was high and clear- but not painfully high. "And even governments can be infiltrated. How much do you trust the American Senate? The White House? Or the Kremlin? Or anywhere else? Did you know they've been infiltrated?"

Shocked, aghast and frantic whispers were everywhere. "Possibly S.H.I.E.L.D," Aglaia conceded. "Though we can't be sure. And militaries worldwide. All I know is that they're everywhere. And that HYDRA and the Ten Rings think that all their members are loyal only to them. They're wrong. They've been supplying soldiers, scientists, labourers and spectacular new inventions; like weapons and diabolical products of all kinds, to do their dirty work for them. HYDRA and the others believe that these guys are here on their best interests. They train their troops 'exclusively'; teach them to be loyal to them; give them scientists and lab rats; and everything from basic foodstuffs, medicine, biological and chemical warfare, weaponry and even weapons of mass destruction if our theories are correct. More than half of HYDRA's agents owe everything to them. And some- if not all- are likely to be still working for them as double agents- or even triple agents, who knows? And these guys go along with it, because all they ever ask of them are cooperation and cover." She leaned forwards.

"No one knows they exist. HYDRA may claim responsibility for various things. But not them. Even members of the CIA and various intelligence agencies are covering for them. Corrupt governments too. In return, they supply them with kids- demigods, I suppose, can be counted among them. Like us." She looked at her friends. "Or if they don't provide them, they simply look the other way."

Everyone looked aghast and horrified. Many faces were sickened and pale. Others looked terrified.

Aglaia sighed. "It was while before I found anyone linked to them. And not even all of HYDRA knows their names." She shook her head.

"They're called the Nekrikí Agóna." Aglaia paused.

Everyone and everything was silent. It was as if ice had filled them all from head to toe.

"How the hell do you know about this?" Alex narrowed his eyes.

"I've been waltzing my way into the heights of society for years, Alex." She said calmly. "It took me years. Saying that it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack doesn't cut it. Try finding a needle in the depths of an ocean. Well, imagine that particular ocean resides on a planet whose surface is entirely water- no solid landmass of any kind. It's hard enough to find a member of HYDRA that infiltrated a government, spy agency, military division or anything. It's even harder to find a member of HYDRA that's actually loyal to these individuals and actually know about them, penetrating their disguises and their immaculate façades whilst giving off the impression that nothing out of the ordinary is happening at all- to the biggest organisation of spies, soldiers, scientists and all others. And don't doubt for one second that they aren't good at hiding things in the first place."

"She's right." Andrew finally spoke, startling everyone. "These are the trickiest enemies that you've ever faced. And the worst part: is that they grow stronger, smarter, faster- you name it."

"So, you decided to hunt them down." Alex said flatly. "Do you realise what could have happened? They were the ones who took us in the first place."

"Yes, which is why we were betting on them underestimating us," Andrew said calmly.

"And yet, you called me reckless." Alex looked positively deadly now. "For charging a hydra."

"We planned. We executed."

"If you're going against someone who may fight back or destroy you, things rarely go according to plan. It's the same for all military operations. What if they could tell that you were making a move on them? Or that you suspect?"

"Ah, but you see," Andrew said. "They hide behind HYDRA. And HYDRA is at loggerheads with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So, you framed S.H.I.E.L.D?" Eleana sounded surprised.

"No, we used them as a cover," Andrew confessed. "It might seem wrong to you, but we had no choice. In fact, we had an advantage: HYDRA's agents are all expendable to them. And while the Agóna doesn't treat its own as expendable- every individual counts, it's just not done for the right reasons. Like she said, they do give up their own to HYDRA. They train soldiers, scientists and labourers for them, and teach them to say the HYDRA creed, parade their ideals and do such a great job for them- but some of them are secretly loyal to the Agóna. If HYDRA and the Nekrikí Agóna ever clash, they'd know which side they'll pick and it'll be the one who trained them- who taught them to feign loyalty to others, whether it's HYDRA, S.H.I.E.L.D or some government, but nurture their loyalty towards themselves.

"But I digress. What I meant to say was, since HYDRA's been infiltrated by Agóna operatives, and HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D are against one another… Well, we do have our ways. We can easily make it look like S.H.I.E.L.D's taken one of their own- another casualty or a prisoner. Simple."

"I'm amazed," Alex drawled. "You didn't think this would make things harder for us all- what if they'd panicked?"

"Every single day, a HYDRA operative is killed or found out by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent." Andrew stated clearly. "HYDRA are expert infiltrators and sleeper agents- not just scientists and soldiers. And who infiltrated HYDRA? Who was ever that good, that outstandingly amazing to infiltrate HYDRA- a hidden organisation who's infiltrated the White House, the American Senate and the House of Representatives, the CIA, Number Ten Downing Street and the House of Commons in London, MI6, MI5, the Kremlin and the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation- to name a few. Who? Only them."

Their audience were pale.

"Only the Agóna. So, if we find someone who's affiliated to HYDRA, but is secretly loyal to them-"

"We make it look like it was yet another confrontation between agents. We also tip S.H.I.E.L.D off time to time," Aglaia said. Her mask made a face. "Though we've not taken the risk lately. They're far too paranoid. And if it's a HYDRA sleeper agent who's infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D but is a triple agent for the Agóna-"

"We make sure they're found out and when S.H.I.E.L.D is hunting them," Andrew said calmly. "We intervene. Fake a death. An explosion. Things like that. Long enough to interrogate them." He cast a look at Eleana. "You know how we interrogate them."

"Yes." Aglaia sighed before anyone could ask any questions about that She gave a glance at everyone around the table. They seemed to be struggling to absorb everything.

"Agóna?" Percy managed.

"Yes." Aglaia stated. "And they have influence and power not only over terrorist groups, but numerous other things. I'm sure they must get their money from somewhere. Not just bribery."

"So why don't you enlighten us?" Alex asked. His voice was menacingly low. "Where do they get their money?"

"Unfortunately," Aglaia said. "Our friend died before he could reveal more."

"So out of all of this," Alex waved his hand casually in the air. "You only received a name and a list of organisations and governments they have influence and power over."

"That's not a small list, Alex." Andrew said dryly.

"What about their base?" He shot back. "The one we escaped from?"

"You mean in Sokovia?" Aglaia sounded surprised.

"Yes."

"Wait," Will spoke up. "Sokovia? Isn't that a country in Eastern Europe?"

"You're correct." Andrew acknowledged.

"Sokovia has quite a depressing history," Aglaia confessed. "In my eyes, every country is special, but this one's not remarkably noteworthy in the eyes of others. However, in a time when airplanes had not yet been invented, and travel and trade was done mostly via sea, Sokovia was the gateway and the crossroads to anywhere and everywhere on the continent. Particularly if you're intending on going somewhere landlocked in Europe. Empires have fought wars over it since the Middle Ages, the Nazis made a point of invading and had a dangerously firm hold upon the country, fighting like the devil to keep it that way. And then when the Cold War came, it landed right in the Soviet sphere of influence. Ever since then, even after the fall of the USSR, corrupt dictators suppressed any opposition with ruthlessness and brutality, while opposing factions have proved just as brutal and callous." Aglaia paused. "In short, the people of Sokovia have not had it easy. Anyone could come home only to be killed on the way, or to find their houses trashed and their families brutally killed or taken as hostages."

Nearly everyone winced.

"Which was why with all its civil wars, and numerous other conflicts, uprisings and such, it was comparatively easy for HYDRA to manipulate the Sokovians- on either side." Andrew's grey eyes gleamed threateningly. "And no doubt they've built or reconstructed old buildings to use as facilities housing all the children they've taken throughout the world. They used HYDRA to bribe the officials or the rebel groups- perhaps both, though without the others knowing. And HYDRA gives it to them as a gift, influenced by Agóna agents."

Annabeth looked pinched and pale. "They sound dangerous." She admitted. "Very dangerous."

Andrew looked at her flatly. "You have no idea. We've told you nothing of them yet."

It should have made them feel cold but Percy convinced himself that they'd faced worse. Maybe he was wrong, Kronos and Gaea didn't seem as clever. But they had to get over this fear.

And there was something else. Something which had been disturbing him ever since he'd met Andrew. His face… He looked a little like Nico in the fact that he might have been originally been olive-skinned, but like Nico had grown pale instead, like marble. In fact, he reminded Percy of a marble statue, with his perfectly straight and high nose, and defined cheekbones- like some ancient bust of a Greek prince, king or an Athenian general. Except that he had dark hair and his eyes…

Percy's eyes widened. He looked at Annabeth, and her own grey eyes, shared by her siblings in Cabin Six. His eyes were grey.

Grey eyes. What did they call Athena?

The grey-eyed one.

Andrew leaned back against his seat. "I still think it was incredibly reckless." Alex said bluntly.

"It was either that or wait for them to come find us, and I am done waiting for something worse than death." Aglaia said flatly. She turned her eyes towards him. "They have a great deal to answer for. Torture, murder, kidnapping and starvation- who knows just how many children died thanks to them?" Her iridescent green orbs flashed.

"And if they had taken you back?" Alex challenged. He looked at the two of them. "You would not only have failed at stopping them- it would have been the end of you both."

"We made certain that they would not find you if they did," Aglaia said carefully.

"Once they've found them, they leave no survivors alive." Alex said, eyes blazing terrifyingly.

His handsome face was grim and dark, like thunder clouds. His eyes seemed to flash silvery-sparks. Everyone else would have probably been too afraid to approach him. But worse was what he said.

They leave no survivors alive…

"No," Aglaia said quietly. "They never do. But they know we've escaped. Do you think we'd still, waiting for them to find us? Do you think that's a good idea? My family remain in public, Alex. Anything could be framed as an accident. Or maybe HYDRA could take them hostage. I, for one, would rather not wait. Who knows how many hostages they can take? The lengths they're willing to go, the things they're ready to do?" She stared him down. "We were children. And how many of us survived?"

Silence. She was the only one brave enough to look him in the eye like that. Jason thought he'd spotted admiration and respect in Alex's eyes.

Alex froze when he felt a vibrating sound. He looked down at his cell phone. "Excuse me," he muttered. Turning away, he tried to find someplace quiet.

"Hello?"

"It's Sergeant Nathaniel Darrow." The voice said.

In the dark, Alex's eyes narrowed.

"I take it there's trouble on your front, then?"

"Yes. They're onto them."

"Who?"

"The Avengers."

Alex ground his jaw. Damned, pesky mortals. "And?"

"They came to my house, asking questions about Captain Emily Zhang, Frank's mother. They had a photo of Mars."

Alex's eyes narrowed further. "A photo? Of the war god?"

"Well, of Emily, me and our teammates, with Mars hanging around. I had the copy which didn't have Mars, but somehow they've managed to obtain a picture with the war god, and enhanced it."

"Damn," Alex cursed. "They know Frank Zhang's involved?"

"Percy Jackson, Jason Grace, Annabeth Chase, Piper McLean, Frank Zhang, Hazel Levesque, Leo Valdez and possibly more."

Alex sighed. "Then we'll just have to accelerate our plans, then. Can't have the Avengers or damned S.H.I.E.L.D, including the one-eyed personification of paranoia, catching the existence of Olympus before they're ready."

"How long is that gonna take?"

"I hope no one's listening in on you."

"Oh, I've made sure. But Alex," he lowered his voice. "They've found out that the Ten Rings targeted Emily- specifically. They're the ones who targeted him in the first place."

"Do they know who's infiltrated your military's command centre?" Alex asked.

"No- they just think it's the Ten Rings. Or maybe they'll start to suspect HYDRA, knowing them."

"So they don't know about them- but now I do. Or rather," Alex made a face. "Aglaia and Andrew have found out."

"What?"

"They're called the Nekrikí Agóna. In case anything happens to us-" he grimaced. "As superstitious as this sounds, it is actually quite useful to know the name. Make sure the others know about them."

"Right. And are you sure about this? Heading into Olympian territory? What if the gods find out?"

"We'll just have to stay two steps ahead until it's right," Alex answered. "Be careful. I wouldn't put it past Stark, Romanoff, Barton and S.H.I.E.L.D to bug you."

"Do you intend to tell Frank Zhang about what happened to his mother?" Nathaniel questioned.

"I will," he assured him. "But we have to have an explanation as to how we know this. Plus, this may prompt him to do something reckless."

"Or galvanise him into action."

"Nothing's a coincidence in this world," he said flatly. "Thanks for the tip, Nathan."

"Don't mention it."

The line went dead. Alex put his phone down and took a deep breath to calm himself. Everything was happening so fast, which was both good and bad. They needed to get moving.

"We're in trouble." He said when he approached them.

"W-what?" Leo gaped.

Alex held out his phone. He had a WHIH news app installed and he opened it to show the very annoying, photogenically flawless, scathing Christine Everhart. The most damnable person ever to grace TV. Or maybe a toothpaste ad. She certainly had the teeth for it.

"The attack in Athens' royal palace, with the hydra," he bit out. "With the Mist down," Reyna murmured thoughtfully.

Christine Everhart spoke up on the video clip. Something about a monster creature, possibly an alien, in Athens' royal palace kidnapping- Alex really didn't want to hear that. He didn't want them to hear too much either.

"S.H.I.E.L.D's been called, Greece's government has called for a state of emergency, they're thinking maybe something that happened to New York will happen to them." He said shortly. "Either way, no one's getting in or out."

"Well, isn't that just perfect," Aglaia drawled, sarcastically. "What else is new?"

Alex gave Frank a long look. "You said your surname was Zhang." He said flatly. "And that you're Canadian."

Frank stared. "Um… Why?"

"Have you ever heard about a soldier named Emily Zhang? Captain Emily Zhang?"

Frank started. "Wait- what?! She's my mom!"

Alex took a deep breath. "Someone is trying to find out details of her death," he said. "Someone being the Avengers."

"What?! The Avengers?! Wh-" Frank was saved from his shock and undignified moment by Hazel.

"Why are they looking into Frank's mother?" She asked.

Alex was reassured by her calmness. She seemed sensible. "Because," he said slowly. "Your mother," he addressed Frank slowly. "Was targeted by the same people who targeted Tony Stark years ago, in Afghanistan. The ones who prompted him to become Iron Man."

Gasps from all around. "The Ten Rings," Aglaia said softly.

"That's not all." Alex said darkly. "They specifically targeted her. The Avengers are beginning to believe that the Canadian military has been infiltrated. And the Canadian government will just have to be added to the long list of governments which are a threat."

"It's them." Andrew said darkly. "We told you, they've infiltrated HYDRA. Well, not just HYDRA. The Ten Rings."

"How much do we know about the Ten Rings?" Drypetis asked.

"Almost nothing," Andrew answered. "Except that they're even more secretive and harder to catch than HYDRA. According to S.H.I.E.L.D's files, they aren't your typical terrorists. The level of secrecy is unparalleled- that is, when you're not comparing them to the Agóna. We still don't know who's behind them. They're dedicated to destroying world peace by whatever means necessary."

"Why would they target my mom?" Frank's voice broke. Instantly, Hazel was by his side. As were his friends. "How do you know this?"

"We have contacts within S.H.I.E.L.D," Mizuki confessed. "Alex may not have known what we were doing but he did know enough that we needed insiders within S.H.I.E.L.D." Alex closed his eyes.

"I don't know why they targeted her," Aglaia said gently. "But I do know that if you're a demigod, just as we are, and an organisation targeted her is affiliated with them." Her gaze hardened. "It means that the Nekrikí Agóna are responsible."

Frank sank to his knees. "No," he found himself saying. "No."

Hazel embraced him, but Frank…

"I'm sorry," Aglaia's voice was compassionate. "But if they've had something to do with this-"

Frank looked up. His eyes blazed. "I'm going to find them." He vowed.

"Are you?" Andrew asked, eyebrow raised. "For one thing, do you even know that the Ten Rings have numerous undercover cells worldwide, not just in Afghanistan, but possibly in this very country? And that they each operate independently from each other? That they're disorganised, but very hard to find, even more than HYDRA? It took us over a year to actually find proof that they are connected to the Agóna, that's a few years less than it took for us to uncover the truth behind our individual theories-" he gestured to Aglaia. "That some other organisation was behind all this. It's hard to differentiate between spy and civilian, it's even harder to differentiate between regular CIA and MI6 spy from S.H.I.E.L.D, and infinitely harder to differentiate between a S.H.I.E.L.D operative and a HYDRA sleeper agent. And it's way harder to find out who among those are Agóna loyalists."

"I don't care!" Frank shouted. Hot tears threatened to spill. "She's my mother! They did this to her!" He choked. The tears slipped and fell, Frank no longer caring.

You go out there alone, you'll disappear, as if you've never existed." Andrew warned. "Worse, you might pull someone with you. You have info they can torture you for," Hazel's eyes were wide. "On the camps. On nearly all the demigods here. On Olympus' location. On your gods. The strengths and weaknesses of your armies. Everything."

Whispers of shock and fear radiated everywhere. Panic threatened to rip them apart. Someone could attack them. Someone could infiltrate and do this to them. Someone could harm their mortal families.

Like it or not they had no choice but to trust them.

"He's right." Alex said. He bore no resentment or grudging admiration for acknowledging this. He looked at Frank directly. "We need you alive and safe so we can figure out a way to take out this threat forever."

"Do you think-" Reyna began, her eyes wide. "We'll be able to rescue more demigods?"

The newcomers were silent.

It was Aglaia who broke the silence. "I don't think," she began. "That we should rule that out. But be warned: not everyone survives, one way or another. The ones that end up serving will have been brainwashed and mind-conditioned, raised from a very early age to be loyal."

"To kill. To become the perfect killers," Alex said bluntly. "They would have had backgrounds where their mortal parents were abusive. And their immortal ones might not even remember they existed. They could've grown up on the streets. And ended up worshipping them in order to survive."

"We'll have to be careful with everyone we meet." Eleana said carefully.

"For now, I think you should warn your mortal families," Mizuki said. "Contact them and if they don't know, make your excuses that you'll be busy and that you won't be able to see them for a few months, even- anything. They can't be used as bait."

"Then," Alex said. "We have to come up with a decent plan. And if it's alright, we need to prep everyone up to fight them."

Frank clenched his fists. "And will that work?"

"We can prepare, against enemies like them, there's no guarantee, though." Alex said. "Can you teach us?" Piper asked. "To be like you?"

The newcomers looked at one another.

"We can try," Drypetis said. "But in the meantime… What do we do about trust? We're willing to work with you. Even trust you. Are you willing to trust us?"

Many of them looked incredulous. Most of them didn't even have a choice.

"Regarding your Olympian parents," Aglaia spoke. "I want a contract."

"A contract?" Percy echoed.

"Yes. None of us are willing to see them face-to-face, or even come in contact to them. There's no trust lost between us. So, there needs to be a contract. They're likely paranoid we're about to betray them, we don't trust them not to hurt us, even if we are their children." She explained. Aglaia stood. "I propose a contract. Signed under the oath of the River Styx- that's the binding oath in Greek mythology, isn't it? To prevent betrayal from all sides. We've already sworn not to hurt, kill, imprison or betray you in any way, nor allow such things to happen to you. They must do the same for us."

"She's right." Drypetis said. She put down the things she had been tinkering. "They must swear not to do any of those things to us. Not to hurt us, not to kill us, not to imprison or betray us."

"And," Aglaia continued, holding up a hand. "That they won't allow it to happen either. To blackmail or threaten us. Even bribery cannot be tolerated."

Reyna looked incredulous. So did the others. "You think the gods would do that- well, maybe some would-" thunder. "But to force them to sign this oath-"

"We also want to be left alone after this," Aglaia interrupted abruptly. "We don't want them forcing us to do quests to fetch a pair of shoes, a godly helmet, or anything for them. We don't want to be forced or feel compelled to kill anything for their benefit."

"We've suffered enough." Eleana said, her voice firm. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, but after what they did to us…"

"Long story short, we're sick and tired," Alex stated. "We've dealt with callous, greedy, selfish individuals who had so much power, they didn't think it was too much to lord it over us, to force us to kill each other," Alex's voice rose. "To slave for them!" He stepped closer. "Do you know something? There were a group of kids, back in their base in Sokovia. How old were they? Pre-school to primary age! A seven-year-old girl, and a four-year old were pitted against one another, forced to fight to the death!" Their eyes widened. Alex went on. "The seven-year-old won, but she hesitated when the trainer gave the order to kill. The little girl was threatened, and she finally gave in. The four-year-old died." Gasps. "The seven-year-old was beaten up badly by an adult and nearly killed because she showed hesitation, the slightest bit of mercy. Next time, they told her, they would kill her if she showed any mercy. That was what it was like back there," he said threateningly. "And we are not putting up with any of that anymore."

Piper tried to speak. "They would never-" But even she couldn't be sure.

"No." Aglaia stood. "And part of our agreement are funerary arrangements. I want a Greek Orthodox funeral, a burial. Alex is a Roman Catholic," she looked at him. "So, I think he'll be okay if-"

"Cremation, Catholic ceremony," he said bluntly. "Mizuki is a Shinto- so a Shinto funeral is required." Aglaia said.

"And I'm Zoroastrian," Drypetis spoke up. "I want an air burial."

Percy looked at her strangely. "A what?"

"I want my body to be exposed," she said. "Fire is sacred to the followers of Ahura Mazda, Lord of the Eternal Flame," she insisted. "We cannot allow fire, nor the earth from which all life grows, nor the waters from which we drink and which teems with life, to be tainted by the touch of rotting corpses.

"I want my body cut up and placed on a Dakhma- a Tower of Silence, which is a circular structure, raised for dead bodies. My body must be allowed to decompose as it will and fed to the vultures or other scavenging birds."

His jaw dropped.

"You do realise that many Zoroastrians nowadays opt for cremation?" Aglaia asked dryly.

"Makes no difference to me. I follow the old ways." She said shortly. She had been tinkering again. "I'll give written instructions on what must be done, the details of the ceremony, the prayers said, but it must be carried out."

"Right." Percy swallowed. He looked at Reyna, Frank, Annabeth, Jason and Piper. "Any other preferences?"

"Do you have any preferences?" Aglaia asked. "Like I said, I'm just going for an Orthodox Greek Christian burial. The last rites. Things like that. Should anything happen to me, I want to be buried near my family estate."

"Ashes scattered," Alex shrugged. "After the last rites and a Catholic ceremony. From Tara."

"Burial, Catholic funeral." Andrew shrugged.

"Shinto funerary rites are somewhat complex," Mizuki sighed. "I can write out details later. But you'll need Shinto priests for that."

"I don't follow any particular religion, but I was Anglican prior to all the craziness of my life." Eleana heaved a breathy sigh. "Cremation sounds good."

"Well," Annabeth bit her lip. "We do have… Cremations here at our camps. With burial shrouds."

Their eyes darkened.

"No," Drypetis was the one who spoke. "My family and I have suffered more than enough. We were banished and exiled from our home, under pain of death or imprisonment and torture. The fire temple was stormed," she said heatedly. "We fled as refugees, treated as unwanted garbage, passed from one place to another, until Sweden generously allowed us within their borders. And even then, many made it quite clear they did not want us. My mother was shunned by her community and her family for bearing a child out of wedlock! Yet she still bore the brunt of it, raised me well, taught me everything she knew and more, to be a good person. Even though everyone, including my own father, threw us aside like rubbish." She hissed. "I will not have anything to do with the father that does such things. I want an air burial- Zoroastrian funeral."

"Now that's done." Aglaia spoke suddenly. She placed a piece of rolled up paper on the table. "There's the contract. I drew it up and spoke to the others on the way here. Feel free to look at it, if you wish. I have more than one copy."

Nobody spoke.

"What if they…" Connor Stoll spoke hesitantly. "Refuse?"

Alex shrugged. "Then I'm afraid," he said menacingly. "You'll have to deal with this problem on your own. And the problem of the rapidly disappearing Mist. I warn you, it's going to be very, very difficult. Even for my standards." He smiled grimly.

Another silence.

"Then it's settled." Annabeth stood. She took the copy of the contract. "We'll all sign this?"

"Correct." Aglaia said. She produced a pen. "Shall we begin?"

After having the contract examined multiple times by well, the Athena Cabin and the cleverest, sharpest campers available, Aglaia was the first to sign.

In an elegant flourish, she wrote her signature- in Greek. Seriously, it was the Greek alphabet. And in English.

"There are numerous copies in Classical Latin and Greek, Modern Greek and English." She explained. "It was the best we could do in such short notice."

Mizuki took the pen and signed next in Japanese Kanji and English. Alex took the pen, signed the contract, passed it to Drypetis who signed in her native Farsi, Swedish and English. Eleana took it, and she passed it to Andrew after she'd signed.

Percy was the first camper to sign. He signed it, in both Ancient Greek and English and Jason took it and signed it in Greek, English and Latin. Piper, Annabeth, Reyna, Leo and everyone present signed it on behalf of the camps.

"Now that's all done." Eleana said. "Are you going to take this to the gods?"

"Why don't you come with us?" Someone asked. Darkened looks and scowls were what they received in response.

Despite the contract, mistrust still reigned. Well, that and resentment.

"Fine," Piper took the contract. "Jason and I will take it."

"Now that is a good idea," Percy admitted. They were the ones most likely to convince the gods, even with Piper's charmspeak.

"What?!" Everyone on Olympus gaped.

Hephaestus looked away. The fact that the girl, who might've been his child said…

Thrown away like rubbish… My own father… Did he? Did he do that? Did he mean to?

Like him?

"The nerve of them," Hera steamed.

"But did you hear what they said?" Someone else whispered. "The story about the seven-year-old and the four-year-old girl?"

Everyone winced and Artemis looked murderous. "They'll pay for this." She spat. "This… Agóna will pay."

"Do you think they were lying?" Athena wondered.

Hermes shook his head. "No," he admitted. "I'm the god of lies. I know when they're not lying."

"They're good at masking."

"Still no lie," he said flatly. He turned away. "I think we should sign this contract."

"I agree," Apollo said quietly. "It might bring them to justice. And…" He had been strangely quiet for all this. "It might prevent them from being enemies."

That was true.

Athena sighed. "I agree," she said passing a hand over her eyes. "I think that boy… Andrew… I know he's my son, but even I do not recall ever…" She hesitated.

Everyone grimaced.

"None of us can," Aphrodite bemoaned. "Not a single memory. Yet… I'm almost completely sure that that girl, Aglaia, is mine." She'd seen the girl without the mask.

"The same way the Persian girl, Drypetis has to be mine," Hephaestus agreed.

"And Mizuki and Eleana," Apollo was pained. "They're mine, aren't they?"

They all looked deep in thought.

"Either way," Athena said gravely. "Jason Grace and Piper McLean are approaching with the contract. It must be signed or else there is no way to resolve any of these issues."

And with grumbling in store, the Olympian council awaited the arrival of two of the Heroes.

The rest of the Heroes were down. Drypetis had come up with the first order of business. She and Andrew withdrew battle plans, and blueprints for, well, weapons of all kinds. They discussed the Andrew discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the Agóna- as far as they knew them. The Agóna were still the most mysterious, enigmatic group they had ever encountered. They didn't know the operatives, much less the leaders.

"So, they rely on mortal terrorist groups like HYDRA and the Ten Rings to conceal them and do their dirty work," Annabeth theorised. "It doesn't sound big enough to be an actual force on its own."

"Oh, I promise you, they have no lack of manpower," Aglaia warned her. "HYDRA and the Ten Rings are extra precautions- though that is like wiring your home security system to a nuclear bunker. Complete overkill, but a necessary precaution come to think about it. They're very sharp." She said ruefully.

Annabeth grimaced, yes that was true.

"But the number of children they've captured…" Aglaia hesitated. "We are only a few of the survivors. I know for a fact that there were many, many more from that particular base in Sokovia, which is now in ruins."

"Those poor children," Calypso murmured. Her fists clenched. "What kind of sick joke do they think it is to make a seven-year-old and a four-year-old girl fight to the death, like slaves in a fighting pit?"

"Yeah," Hazel growled. Her eyes actually blazed with fury. The others looked murderous. "And they killed Frank's mother."

"They must've known she was the mother of a demigod," Aglaia murmured.

Piper gasped. "Or that she was a Legacy- a descendant of Poseidon."

Everyone paled further.

"They've got to go," Clarisse hissed. "We can't tolerate them, taking out our families- that's way out of line! I say we send them a message."

"Yeah," Someone agreed.

"Don't allow yourselves to be goaded by them," Mizuki warned. "Those were some of the ways they can use to trap you."

"She's right." Aglaia stated. She shook her head. "We can't underestimate them. We don't even know the full extent of what they're capable of or what they've done. And something tells me that this isn't even the half of it. It was almost impossible for me and Andrew to find much about them."

"Even less possible to find out if they operate like the Ten Rings, independent of one another, or like HYDRA, a single, global organisation, despite being covert." Andrew stated.

"And if there is a head… Where are they? Where are the headquarters? Who are the ones behind all this?" Aglaia shook her head again. "So many impossibilities."

"The base in Sokovia…" Annabeth murmured. "What can you tell me about it?"

"Only now that it's in ruins," Aglaia stated. "I was unconscious when that happened. I would have never gotten out without Alex carrying me off to safety." Her eyes softened.

Annabeth absorbed all this. "So it's destroyed?"

"Utterly." Aglaia straightened. She looked at the others. "It was quite the explosion. They barely managed to get us out."

Drypetis smiled. "I was sent to fix the machinery below. Unnoticed by them- and I had spent months planning this- I purposely made a default. I had to find a way to activate it, when the time was right, and to conceal it from them. But Alex knew and-" he winced. "So did Aglaia. And a few others. They made the necessary distractions."

"And when the timing was right," Andrew continued. "When it looked dangerously close, warning sirens, panic, mayhem…"

"We did a whole bunch of other things too," Drypetis confessed. "But I daresay, maybe they weren't expecting something as simple, and yet as brilliant as this." Eleana said, appearing from seemingly nowhere, nodding approvingly at her friend.

"And yet it has always chafed at me," Aglaia frowned. Her mask frowned with her. Piper found it strange, but she began to forget, despite the obvious gold cast, that this was not her actual face. "It was so easy."

"Yes," Andrew admitted. "But we got out. And we managed to survive."

"They're like learning robots," Drypetis warned. "They will learn from this mistake. They did not want to let any of us go. They will make no mistakes again."

"Clever but not impossible." Aglaia looked at Piper, Reyna and Annabeth.

"No," Annabeth agreed. "We'd better get started. It's going to be a long while."

Aglaia gave Alex a covert look, an exchange of glances before she followed them to the Big House.