When Worlds Collide

94) Languages Shanguages

Nico leaned against the wall as he pulled out his phone.

Was he surrounded by fighting? Yep, completely.
Was he still a demigod and therefore ignored it since it wasn't that big of a deal to him? Also yes.

He clicked the button on the side of his phone that apparently changed the 'sim card ID', or whatever that was, before typing the worst name in the world into his contacts.

Lex Luthor.

Nico let out a groan before clicking the call button and transferring it into his comm.

It rang a few times before it finally picked up.

"This is Lex Luthor," the voice said in a practiced formal greeting. "I don't have this number saved, who is this?"

Nico rolled his eyes. "Demosthenes."

The scowl on the man's face was clear in his voice as he responded. "Oh. What a pleasure. May I ask how you got this number?"

"I could call the president on his personal phone if I wanted," Nico simply responded. He didn't know how it worked, but Leo made the phones so that they could call basically anyone so long as you knew their name. "I need you to get the League permission to enter Budapest."

"And why would I do that?" Lex asked, sounding bored. "I think it is pretty obvious that I am not a fan of you, so why should I-"

"Because I have 35 meta teens that have been held captive for I don't know how long, needing to be transported to a safe location." Nico saw a guard break through his forces once again and drew his knife. He quickly dispatched them before continuing. "If the League can't get here, then they could die while we wait for a different way out of here."

"Well, it seems like you really should have planned better. I'm afraid I can't help you."

"Can't or won't?"

Lex let out a small laugh. "Honestly, it doesn't seem to matter. Either way, you're on your own. Good luck with-"

"I'll make a deal."

That seemed to catch his attention. "And what could you possibly have to offer?"

"I have a lot of things that you don't. A title, military backing, morals, the list goes on— however I am thinking of some else you want."

"I'm listening..."

Nico smirked. "For the recording of this phone call not to leak."

"What-"

"I don't think the public would like hearing how you didn't give two fucks about meta-kids who needed help. Plus, you were pretty disrespectful to a member of a royal family. That seems pretty bad."

He could hear Lex's angry breathing before the man seemed to regain his composure. "Fine, I will make the call. Tell the League they are allowed in."

"Good, and if you're lying, I'll have no choice but to present this call as evidence that the League believed they had approval."

"You are aware that if you did that, you would be exposing yourself for blackmailing the Secretary General of the UN."

Nico let out a small laugh. "I've done worse."

With that, he ended the call and sent a message to Caly, informing her that the League had the all clear.

Nico looked up from his phone and saw the last guard go down. He began tying all of them up before reaching out to Virgil once more.

"League should be on their way," he said, tying up the last person. "Is everyone out?"

"I have them on the building across the street. Final count is 48."

Nico returned the skeletons to the creator before closing it and stepping into the shadows, stepping out of Virgil's a moment later. The teen jumped, causing a few of the kids to chuckle, despite the fact that they too had jumped at his appearance.

Nico looked at the group and saw the girl he had talked to earlier. "Can you get everyone to get into their usual training groups so we can make sure we have everyone?"

The girl nodded, running around the group until they were in ten smaller groups.

Nico approached each one, asking if anyone was missing until he was sure everyone was there.

As soon as the demigod had returned to standing next to Virgil, a young boy who looked to be about 13 walked up to him, looking anxious.

"hová megyünk?" (Where are we going?)

Virgil began to apologize for not understanding when Nico set a hand on his shoulder. "megyünk Amerikába. van valaki, aki segít neked Amerikában." (We are going to America. There are people who can help in America)

The boy nodded and walked back to the group, whispering to the others.

"How do you speak so many languages?!" Virgil asked.

Nico shrugged. "It comes pretty easy to me. Whenever I have free time, which has been rarely in the last few months, I usually try to learn a new language or expand on what I already know. It helps that there are a lot of kids that speak different languages where I come from. It gives me people to practice with along with motivation."

"Motivation?"

Nico watched the kids as they huddled together, whispering quietly to one another and smiled lightly. "I came to the States when I was a kid. I knew some English, but I mostly just had to figure it out because the only person near me that spoke my mother tongue was my sister, but she died soon after I got there. I was mostly fluent in English by the time we got to Camp, but it was still strange to only ever speak a foreign language. Now, when a kid shows up, I tried to speak their native language whenever I can. As a kid, all I wanted was for someone to speak my language, so I try to give them that comfort."

Virgil looked at him for a long moment, his eyebrows drawn together, before he looked away. "I had you all wrong... I'm sorry."

Nico had already gotten over their fight. He knew Virgil was just angry at the world and that he was just caught in the crossfire, but it was still nice to hear. "I forgive you. A lot of people make assumptions about me. I'm easy to judge— though I think you were the first person to ever think of me as too privileged, so at least you were original." Nico chuckled slightly. "Most people are put off by the death powers and dark clothes, but you looked at all of that and thought 'money. he probably has too much money'."

Virgil snorted and shook his head. "In my defense, it turned out you do have a ton of money."

Nico laughed. "I can't really argue with that. I have two rich fathers, yet I don't even use any of their money— hell, I don't even use my own."

"If I had money like you, I would buy a boat. Like a big ass boat. I wouldn't even take it out. I would just chill on the dock with it."

Nico shook his head with a smile. "That sounds like my hell."

"You don't like boats?"

"I don't like drowning," Nico said with another laugh. "I can't swim."

Virgil looked at him in shock. "What? How? You pick up languages in seconds flat, but you can't tread water?"

Nico shrugged. "We all have our talents."

A/N: fun fact: this if my first time ever outing out a chapter from my phone lol. It's way easier on my computer

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