Shards (A Percy Jackson and Avengers Crossover)

The Avengers (Collision Course)

Nick Fury stared at the notification before him, his other papers forgotten. He drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully. He'd send a group of agents after the boy, maybe even Team Omega or Team Beta. Fury reached for the intercom button.

He paused.

Perhaps he should call in the Avengers for this task.

He rubbed his chin. They hadn't gotten many group assignments since Loki's attack. It may be a good idea to let them work together on a case, even one as simple as this.

Yes. He'd assign this one to them. Thor was off-world, and he wouldn't call Doctor Banner in, but it was still not a bad thought.

With a nod, he pressed the call button. "Agent Hill, assemble the Avengers."

Elsewhere, three old ladies cackled in glee.

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Fury crossed his arms impatiently. Tony finally strode into the room and plopped onto a chair. He spun around  cheerfully. "So, what'd you call us in for, Pirate Man?"

Fury scowled. "You're ten minutes late, Stark." The rest of the Avengers just sighed, used to Tony's erratic behavior.

Tony ignored him, too busy hypothesizing. "Is it a rouge superhuman? Or maybe another alien invasion? Ooh, maybe it's unicorns and fairies this ti—"

"I need you to detain this man," Fury interrupted the billionaire, tossing a manila file across the desk. Steve picked it up and opened it.

"I was talking," Tony muttered angrily.

"We believe he's a terrorist. He's also wanted for the death of his pregnant mother and stepfather four weeks ago," the one-eyed director continued, displaying the information behind him.

"Boo, it's just a terrorist," Tony pouted.

Clint looked up, spinning a pencil absentmindedly. "He killed his own family?"

Steve murmured, glancing over the file. "Perseus Jackson."

"Uncertain. The claw marks on the bodies indicate an animal, maybe a bear or tiger. But it's impossible for that type of large animal to just wander into Manhattan and up to the third story of an apartment building." Fury shook his head. "Right now Perseus is just a suspect wanted for questioning."

"It says someone called 911, but no one was on the scene when the police arrived," Steve spoke up as he looked over the file.

Fury nodded, pressing the remote. A picture of a teenager popped up. "From the voice, it was probably Perseus. Maybe one of his friends. Which is another mystery, as the coroner said the bodies were at least a day old. If Perseus killed them, why call the police, especially after over a day?"

Steve shut the folder and slid it over to Tony, knowing the man's strange aversion to being handed things. Tony picked it up and scanned through it quickly, drowning out the conversation. He noted a few key details and then passed the file across the table to Natasha.

Natasha also looked it over. "He's definitely got a sketchy history," she muttered as she flipped through the pages. "Gunfights, kidnappings, strange disappearances. And then he surfaces halfway across the world. This rap sheet's definitely got the markings of either a major gang or a hidden terrorist syndicate." She shut it with a sigh and passed it to Clint.

Clint opened it. He'd barely started reading it before he started, surprised. He looked from the file to the screen and back again. "Wait, am I the only one worried that this kid's only seventeen? He's not even a legal adult yet."

Steve spoke up. His muscles bulged under his shirt as he crossed his arm. "Yeah, he's got a point, Fury."

Fury nodded, his mouth twisting. "His age is another reason all of this is so surprising. Even if he's not the killer, or some type of terrorist or criminal—which seems highly unlikely—Social Services needs to get ahold of him. But since he'll be turning eighteen in half a year, it's really not that imperative."

Steve ran a hand over his chin. He wasn't really all that comfortable with attacking and kidnapping a kid, but his file was just too much to ignore. "Where is he now?"

"He was spotted entering an abandoned building an hour ago. I want the four of you to relieve the agents I have posted outside the building and then follow Perseus back to his base when he comes out. I want to know where he keeps disappearing too. If he's alone when he gets to his hideout, arrest him and bring him here." Fury met their eyes with his one eye. "We only have one shot at his before he vanishes again, so don't mess this up."

"Hey," Tony complained when everyone swiveled around to look at him. "Don't look at me."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Clint shifted his cold muscles. They'd relieved the other agents half an hour ago. The suspect still hadn't exited the building. They knew for certain there was no other exits in the building, which meant he'd been in there over two hours now. Behind him, Tony sighed impatiently. "Still nothing?" He grumbled.

"Nope," Clint responded. He and Natasha were used to long stakeouts, days even, but Tony and Steve were a different story. Steve was taking the waiting pretty well, but Tony was a different story.

"Maybe he fell asleep," Tony suggested, cracking his neck.

Clint sighed. Tony was like a child on a road trip that kept asking his dad 'Are we there yet?' every five minutes. And Clint was starting to feel like the annoyed dad who kept having to say 'No, not since the last five seconds you've asked.'

"Or maybe he fell and knocked himself out," Tony continued. "Maybe he's making a bomb."

Natasha blew out a breath. Her red hair, pulled into a loose bun, glinted in the sunlight. "Tony if you don't shut up, I'll shut you up myself."

Tony frowned but stayed quiet, wisely deciding not to get on the spy's bad side.

"I'm just saying it's weird for him to just waltz into an abandoned building and then stay there for hours, unless he's homeless or something," Tony muttered, not even ten minutes later.

The other three Avengers groaned in unison.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Yes, Tony. It is weird. But we have our orders."

The breeze flew gently through the air, whispering secrets and warnings. Tony opened his mouth, probably to make a comeback about Steve and following orders, when Natasha spoke up. "There he is."

"Finally." Tony perked up instantly. The four heroes watched the boy exit the building and stroll down the sidewalk. The tycoon rubbed his hands together. "Let's do this."

Steve decided not to comment on Tony's sudden enthusiasm.

"Okay, follow the plan." They nodded at Natasha's words. The superheroes were in their normal clothes, not their costumes, and they had their comms on in case they got separated. Natasha and Clint exited first. Natasha's arm was wrapped around Clint as they acted like a married couple.

Tony snickered at that. "Pretty fitting."

Steve rolled his eyes.

Tony left thirty seconds later, pretending to be a businessman on the phone. Steve walked out soon after, just a man on an evening stroll. A large bag, holding his shield and Clint's bow and arrows, was slung over his shoulder, making it look like he'd just left the gym.

They inconspicuously followed Perseus as he continued walking, appearing unhurried. They went at different speeds, sometimes passing each other up or even taking a different road that connected back to Perseus' route. Steve stayed back the most, his bag too obvious for walking back and forth. Eventually, they reached the riverside. But Percy just kept walking, slightly hunched over, like he was tired.

Until he stopped and turned, looking directly at them.

"It's rude to follow someone around without introducing yourselves, y'know."