From the Depths: Secrets, Storms, and Shadows

Chapter 2: The Chase Begins

Percy stood in the shadow of a tall building, the cold metal of the fire escape ladder against his back as he waited. His instincts, honed by years of monster-hunting and fighting, were telling him to run. But he didn't feel like running—not yet, anyway. He wanted to see what these Avengers were capable of.

The sky was beginning to darken as dusk settled in over the city. The hum of Stark's drone grew louder, its sensors scanning the alleyways. Percy narrowed his eyes and focused. He extended his senses to the water in the air, feeling the moisture collecting in the clouds above. It would take a simple command to turn those clouds into a storm.

But not yet.

A flicker of movement caught his eye from above—a shadow leaping from rooftop to rooftop with silent precision. Natasha Romanoff. She was the first to make her move, scouting ahead with her usual deadly grace. Percy could appreciate her skill, but this was his game.

Suddenly, a soft crackle came from his right, the air shifting slightly. Percy tensed. He recognized the sensation. Tony Stark's armor had landed on the street just around the corner, silent except for the faint buzz of repulsor tech cooling down.

Percy smiled to himself. They were closing in.

The quiet of the moment was broken by the sound of a heavy impact, followed by a low, growling voice.

"We know you're here, kid," rumbled Bruce Banner, his voice carrying the undertones of the Hulk. Percy could tell the big guy wasn't fully transformed, but he was close—close enough that Banner's presence alone could be a threat.

Percy stayed still, knowing they couldn't see him yet. His heart beat steadily, his breath even. The cool night air was comforting, keeping him grounded. He had the element of surprise. But what would be the fun in staying hidden?

With a quick flick of his wrist, Percy reached out to the water running in the nearby storm drain. The droplets responded immediately, slithering out of the grates like tiny snakes of liquid, forming a thin wall of mist between him and the Avengers.

It was subtle—just enough to get their attention.

Tony Stark was the first to react. His sensors immediately picked up on the change in humidity and the sudden movement of water.

"Hey, we've got something over here," Tony called out through the comms, his helmet snapping into place as he activated his suit's scanners. "Looks like our guy's making his move."

He hovered a few feet off the ground, repulsors humming, as he scanned the street. His HUD highlighted the mist, tracing its source back to a storm drain near the corner of the building. Tony smirked under his helmet.

"Looks like you're playing with water, buddy," he muttered, hovering closer. "You sure you want to do that with a guy who can fly?"

Natasha was already moving, silently positioning herself on a nearby rooftop, her eyes scanning the ground for any sign of their target. She didn't say anything over the comms—she didn't need to. She trusted her instincts and the silent understanding she shared with the rest of the team. They'd worked together long enough to know when to act.

Bruce, still in control of the Hulk but teetering on the edge, stayed in the shadows, his massive frame tensed and ready. If things escalated, he would let the other guy out. He had a feeling they were going to need him.

Percy could feel their movements—he could feel the tension in the air. He didn't need to see them to know exactly where they were. He took a slow breath, letting the mist thicken until it obscured the narrow street. Then, with a quick flick of his fingers, the water droplets solidified, freezing into shards of ice that hovered in midair.

"Let's see how they handle this," he muttered under his breath, pushing the ice forward in a wave.

Tony's HUD pinged an alert just as the wall of ice came rushing toward him. With a sharp turn, he activated his thrusters and shot upward, narrowly avoiding the freezing shards. His suit's sensors went into overdrive, analyzing the sudden attack.

"Okay, ice powers now? Great," Tony said, his voice crackling through the comms. "Heads up, we've got some kind of freezing element going on here."

Natasha rolled her eyes from her perch. "I can see that, Stark."

Below, the mist had begun to clear, and Clint Barton, positioned on a nearby rooftop, caught sight of a figure emerging from the shadows. Percy walked casually out into the open, his hands at his sides, his expression calm but calculating. He made no attempt to hide, his posture relaxed as if he were out for an evening stroll.

"There he is," Clint murmured into the comms. "Got a visual."

Percy met Clint's gaze for a split second before raising his hand, as if in a casual wave. Before Clint could react, a jet of water shot up from the ground, knocking the bow out of his hands and sending him tumbling backward.

"Damn it!" Clint cursed, scrambling to regain his footing. "He's faster than he looks."

Thor, who had been watching from above, now stepped forward, his hammer in hand. His blue eyes narrowed as he sized up the young man standing before him. There was something...familiar about him, though Thor couldn't place it.

"You, stranger," Thor called out, his voice booming across the street. "You wield the elements as a god might. What are you?"

Percy looked up at Thor, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. He didn't answer, instead letting the silence hang in the air between them. The mist swirled around his feet, and with a subtle movement, Percy summoned a small vortex of water beneath him, lifting himself into the air just high enough to meet Thor's gaze.

"I'm no god," Percy finally said, his voice calm and even. "But I've dealt with a few."

Without warning, Percy flicked his wrist, and the vortex of water surged forward, crashing into Thor with enough force to send the Asgardian stumbling backward. Thor gritted his teeth, surprised by the strength of the attack, but he quickly regained his footing, his grip tightening on Mjolnir.

"You dare to challenge the son of Odin?" Thor bellowed, raising his hammer high.

Percy's eyes narrowed. "You're not the only one with powerful parents."

With that, Percy raised his hands, summoning a massive wave from the nearby river, the water roaring as it rose behind him. For a moment, the Avengers stood in awe of the sheer force Percy commanded.

Natasha moved quickly, trying to flank Percy while he was distracted by Thor. She threw a pair of electric discs at him, aiming for his back. But before they could make contact, the discs were deflected by a sudden burst of water, thrown off course by Percy's instinctive control over the elements around him.

"You're going to have to try harder than that," Percy said over his shoulder, his tone almost playful.

Natasha scowled, but before she could make another move, Tony swooped down from above, firing a barrage of repulsor blasts at Percy. The blasts hit the wall of water Percy had summoned, dissipating harmlessly into steam.

Percy turned to face the full team now, the wave still roaring behind him, poised to strike at his command.

"You're not going to catch me," Percy said, his voice steady. "Not today."

And with that, the wave crashed forward, slamming into the Avengers and sending them scattering in all directions. When the water finally receded, Percy was gone—vanished into the night, leaving the Avengers soaked and frustrated.

"We're going to need a better plan," Tony muttered, dripping water as he hovered in the air.

Thor nodded, wringing out his cape. "This one fights with the strength of a demigod."

Clint shook his head in disbelief. "Whatever he is, he's just playing with us."

Natasha wiped the water from her face and gave a small, determined smile. "Let him play. We'll catch him."