𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒉...

Pandora of problems

After dinner Percy went to spend some time with Annabeth while the avengers were lounging on the couches.

As soon as Percy was out of earshot Tony spoke, "earlier this evening Peter reported that some weird occurences have been noted." This brought everyone's attention. "What do you mean Tony?" Natasha enquired. "What I mean is, I got some CCTV footages of the places Peter reported. See for yourself."

Tony tinkered with his toys and put up a screen between them on the table. It showed some teenagers laughing in an alley and in the blink of an eye they're gone.

"This is half of the problem. The other half is that they were back the next day at their school." Tony informed.

"This could mean that the kidnapper may have kidnapped the wrong group and when they realised it they left them." Natasha pondered.

"That's unlikely." Steve countered. he then turned to Tony, "why would they kidnap these teenagers. If it were for ransom then they would've taken any kid."

"That's the issue. Peter is worried because these people were from his own class. He never talked to them before the day of their kidnapping. The next day he overheard them talking how they passed out in the alley, none of them were drunk and woke up the next day in the same alley to see that they were late for school." There was pin drop silence in the room. Nobody suggested any valid reason.

"Whatever this is we need to look into the matter. We can't tell about this to Percy or for that matter any of the demigods. They have their own problems and this is a matter that should be dealt by avengers. I think you" Steve pointed to Natasha "should go undercover to the school, gather intel and look for evidences." She smiled in agreement. Before they could disperse Bruce added "Clint you should go as well. Nat may need a sniper." Clint grinned at Natasha.

He held out his hand "like older times?". She happily took it "like older times." She then faced everyone "it's already night so we'll go tomorrow." Steve gave her a thumbs up and left for his evening run. She took the cue and left with Clint to pack the super ninja assassin weapons. Tony strutted off to his lab to work at his new project which nobody knew about. Bruce shook his head at Tony's childishness and walked over to the infirmary where Percy was sitting by Annabeth's bed backing her up about their present lives.

Bruce went ahead and dragged a stool for himself near Percy. "Percy, I need to know if anything like this happened to her in the past. It may help us if we know what type of medication was given to her." Percy acknowledged him. " She was stabbed by a poisoned knife in her arm last year. But Will, our doctor was able to heal her within a day with ambrosia, some painkillers and his healing powers." Percy shared.

"And you tried all of this again?" He asked to which he nodded in affirmation. "Okay Percy. We'll see what we can do. For tonight I am keeping her for observation. I need to know the pace at which her organs are working then only we'll be able to concentrate on the problem." Bruce stood up to check her vitals one last time before he called it a day and advised Percy to go to sleep else he would be exhausted in the morning when they would start her treatment.

Percy reluctantly left her bedside but not before planting a feather light kiss on her forehead.

***

The morning brought with it new hopes for Percy. He quickly got dressed and walked into the kitchen. It was pretty early by normal standard but that's what happens when you are on quests. It became a habit. In the kitchen was Natasha in her full assassin gear eating fruit loops.

"Never knew that a badass avenger would like fruit loops" he mused to start a conversation.

"Well, it's not in any rulebook that you can't eat fruit loops." She shrugged her shoulders and continued, "besides if I don't eat them they might get expired. I am trying not to waste food." Percy smiled and took a seat across her on the dining table with an apple in his hand.

He decided to bring the topic he wanted to talk to her yesterday.

"Natasha, I know that it comes as a shock to be a demigod. To feel as if your world turned upside down. I want you see around you. Nothing is different, it's just that you now know about your parentage and have a power but from what I've gathered you're already one of the best in combat so it doesn't change much." Natasha sighed. She had been thinking about it the moment she got to know that she was a half blood but she couldn't let anybody see her restlessness so she put on a poker face. it all came rushing back now. She wanted to know what this all meant and only Percy knew how to guide her.

"Percy I am still not sure if I can handle this change." She confessed. "It's alright. I'll help you. Annabeth would too... when she wakes." He replied. At that moment Clint sauntered into the room. He also like Natasha was in his gear, complete with his bow and arrows and a long bag slung around his shoulder which suspiciously looked to be containing a sniper rifle.

Percy eyed the duo. "Are you going somewhere?" He voiced his thoughts. "Yup" Clint answered, "we are going on a mission." Percy's lips formed an O.

"Okay. But Natasha now that you know that you're a demigod, you'll be on monster radar. Expect some monsters to visit you on your mission. Some certain metals can kill them. But I don't have any apart from my pen-sword which will reappear in my pocket if I give it to you. However, if you just visit my apartment and ask my mom for some celestial bronze daggers you'll be good to go."

Natasha looked over to Clint with an eyebrow raised to which he nodded.

"Okay then, a little detour to Sally Jackson's apartment then we're off to our mission." She answered for both of them.

Soon they left for their assignment, leaving Percy to finish his breakfast. He cleaned the dishes before making his way to the infirmary. About 2 hours later the avengers trickled in. They said they wanted to know the daily report on her improvement. Shortly thereafter Bruce came in with his team of doctors and commanded others to not to crowd the patient. He checked her vitals and did more checking with some machine which no one knew about. After about half an hour he finished and motioned them to come over.

"Her vitals are all working properly. The problem is that her body is working in the same way a normal person's does. It looks like her body is not affected by the coma as well. I took some images of her brain to see if it works properly too. The reports will be here shortly." He reported and walked away promptly to print her reports.

What he said puzzled Percy. If what Bruce said is true then it would be like Annabeth's sleeping. But nobody sleeps for a month! Percy didn't want to admit but it was sure that some other force was into this. Someone put her to sleep for their own evil reasons.

Percy didn't notice Bruce coming back . It was only when Steve shook his shoulders that Percy came out of his reverie. "Uh.. what were you saying? Sorry I was thinking about something" was his lame reason. Bruce sighed, "I said that we brain is working normally. At some point the nerves in her brain move fast and at some time slow. Her brain activity is similar of a person's when he's dreaming." By each word Percy became more and more worried. This could mean only one thing.

The Greek world is messing with his life again.

"All the problems seem to be inside her head. She's dreaming and we need someone who can look inside a person's a head for this." Bruce said

"You do know a person capable of this. Right?" Percy prayed it to be true.

"Yes, and I already called her. She'll be here by evening."