Percy Jackson and the Forgotten Heroes

19 - Jason Graces me with his presence

Annabeth's P.O.V

"Poseidon's fury might not be -" Nico was mid-sentence when the air went black all around me.

I went from being in the War Room discussing the prophecy, to a small garden cast in darkness. The plants weren't dead, but were a black inky colour. The roof far above, out of sight, I knew was a cavern roof, and milling everywhere in sight were shades of the dead. But the most shocking thing was the boy stood in the centre of the garden. He was around 16, with close cropped blonde hair and sky blue eyes, and a small scar above his lip. He didn't look any different from the day I last saw him.

"Jason." I tried to hide my surprise, but he smiled knowingly.

"It's been a while."

"A while? It's been 7 years! ...Nico keeps trying to summon you."

"I know. I thought it would be better - for everyone - if we had a clean break. Tell Nico... Tell him to let go. I've accepted my death, and it's about time he did. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. Something's going on. Things are stirring. The ghosts are getting restless."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly what's going on. The newcomers don't know anything, we all just feel that something's wrong. Something big. Possibly bigger than Gaea."

"But - won't the gods do anything about it?" It was a stupid question. When had the gods ever done anything useful?

"Hades knows. I assume the others do too. But they don't think it will happen. Nothing - and I mean nothing - like this has ever happened, not since before Gaea's reign."

"But what is it?"

Jason glanced behind him like he'd heard something and leaned in, whispering "I don't have much time. I'm not meant to do this. But one last thing - Percy's in danger." His image started to cut out, and I only caught pieces of what he was saying. "Kidnapped by - Avengers Facility - spy - not what it seems - be careful."

And then he was gone.

I shot awake in the Camp infirmary. Nico, Chiron, and Austin, the head counselor of the Ares Cabin, were milling around talking beside my bed.

"Percy!" I called out. All 3 of them whirled around to face me and I quickly explained what Jason had told me.

The first one to speak was Chiron "We can't launch a full-scale attack on the Avengers. That could start another war."

"I could get together a small team." Austin suggested. "We can go in and get him out without them linking us back to Camp Half-Blood."

Nico was mysteriously quiet and I saw the somber expression on his face. Jason was still a sore subject for him, but this wasn't just sorrow and anger. He was planning something. I wanted to talk to him, but there wasn't time. I had a plan to make.

*****

20 minutes later, I met Austin and his makeshift team of demigods. There was Pippa, the newest addition to the Ares Cabin, Lucas, the only ever child of Eris, and Zephyr, Percy's mentee, along with me and Austin.

"They're kids!" I protested.

"They're lucky!" Austin responded "I would have killed for a quest when I was their age."

"It's not a quest." I feebly argued "It's a
..."

"Mission." Lucas suggested.

"When you were my age, you stopped a civil war between the gods!" Zephyr complained.

"It's going to be dangerous."

Zephyr smiled mischievously, though there was some nervousness behind it "Oh, I'm counting on it."

I shrugged "Don't say I didn't warn you."