Aquaman? Whoops, Wrong Universe: A Percy Jackson Marvel Crossover

Chapter 31: Percy

The voice inside his head was so loud. He couldn't think of anything else. It was different from the commands he normally received—maybe that was why he was so caught off guard once it spoke. He knew he should've recognized the voice. It was unbearably familiar, yet he couldn't remember where he had heard it from. A dream, maybe?

His memory was fuzzy. Everything was fuzzy, really. This whole "battle" had taken it out of him. Not physically, no, just mentally. The faces he saw every time he turned made his mind itch and burn. Especially the girl. He had never experienced such utter confusion. He couldn't think straight. He could barely remember his mission, which was what scared him the most. His mission was the most important thing in his life. The only important thing, really. If he couldn't get his head on right and execute his objective, then what was even the point of his existence? 

He hated it. Even just staring at the girl for too long made his fighting skills weak and distracted. His swings were too slow. His footwork too uncoordinated. His strength seemed to fail him. Nevertheless, he had been winning. Well, until the voice told him to stop. 

Walk away, it had said, the suave rumble of its inflection forcing Riptide to obey. Summon your power. Do what you were meant to do. Wipe out the puny heroes. 

Riptide had been wondering why he hadn't been allowed to use his influence over water... did they not trust him? If that was the case, he would make sure he would become the most reliable soldier anyone could ask for. He didn't know why, but he felt an extreme need to be accepted. To rise in the ranks. 

He remembered whispers he had heard around the base. 

"He's not as good as the Winter Soldier," a man had said to a coworker when he thought Riptide wasn't listening. "There's something off about him."

Riptide had been sharpening his sword, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He supposed his silence and tendency to not respond unless absolutely necessary was perceived as a signal he wasn't listening nor paying attention. He scoffed at that. He was always listening. He knew much more than most thought.

It wouldn't be the first time he had informed Pierce on the going-ons under his nose. He had seen many people disappear since he arrived. The shifty guards with darting eyes tended to vanish. The scientists who asked one too many questions "resigned" without saying goodbye. Spies were asked to speak to Pierce and never reemerged from the dingy room. One might hear a scream and the splash of blood against the door. But the next time you went inside, there would be no trace of foul play. 

It preserved the atmosphere of danger and the importance of obedience prevalent inside the complex organization. One could never be too careful with what they said. 

Riptide had swiped his sweaty hair out of his eyes, trying to remain nonchalant as he strained his ears to hear what the man said next. He was a nobody guard who was only there for grunt work. Moving supplies, basic security, et cetera. Nothing that couldn't be replaced.

"The god has his hold on him. I don't even know why we have him in the first place. One day, this is going to bite us back. Mark my words."

Anger flared inside of Riptide. He was trustworthy. He did everything his superiors asked of him. Even... even going back into the serum machine. How dare someone propose he wasn't loyal? As for the comment about the god... Riptide had had no clue what that meant. 

Riptide shook his head, bringing himself out of the memory. He stretched out his hands, feeling the moisture surrounding him. It was everywhere. In fire hydrants, sewers, even in the air. It was suffocating him, and the only way to get sweet relief would be to command it to him. Force it to obey.  Droplets of water began creeping their way towards him, as Riptide repeated his order in his mind over and over again.