From the Depths: Secrets, Storms, and Shadows

Chapter 2: The Chase Begins

Percy moved like a shadow—fluid, deliberate, and impossible to pin down. The moment Steve hesitated, Percy darted to the side, his movements almost too quick for the Avengers to process. He was a blur of motion, slipping past Natasha and out of the alleyway before anyone could react.

"After him!" Steve barked, his shield already in hand.

Thor launched into the air, Mjolnir spinning as he gave chase. The Quinjet, hovering nearby, tracked Percy with its spotlight, illuminating his every turn. Natasha and Steve sprinted after him on foot, while Tony's suit roared to life, rocketing him into the sky to provide aerial support.

"Friday," Tony said, scanning the streets below, "run facial recognition again. There's no way this kid's a ghost."

"Still no match, sir," the AI responded. "He's either off the grid or has excellent countermeasures in place."

Tony muttered a curse under his breath. This wasn't just some random enhanced runaway. Whoever Percy was, he knew exactly how to stay hidden.

Percy's POV

The pounding of boots on asphalt echoed behind him, but Percy didn't look back. He didn't need to. His instincts screamed with the positions of each pursuer: Natasha gaining on his left, Steve not far behind, and Thor's thunderous presence above.

He turned sharply down a side street, using the faint glow of the Quinjet's spotlight to gauge its position. His breath came in steady, controlled bursts, his body moving with the ease of someone used to being hunted.

"Gotta admit," he muttered to himself, "they're better than SHIELD. But not by much."

The sound of a grappling hook firing cut through the air. Percy spun, spotting Natasha swinging toward him from a nearby building. Her movements were precise, calculated, and entirely too fast for comfort.

With a quick glance, Percy assessed his surroundings. A fire escape ladder hung low on the side of the building to his right. He jumped, catching the bottom rung and pulling himself up in one swift motion.

Natasha landed gracefully on the ground beneath him, her eyes sharp as she tracked his ascent.

"You can't run forever," she called, her voice calm and measured.

Percy smirked. "Who said I'm running?"

He scaled the fire escape with practiced ease, reaching the rooftop in seconds. From above, the city stretched out like a maze of lights and shadows. He could see the Quinjet hovering a few blocks away, its spotlight scanning the streets.

Thor landed heavily behind him, the impact of his arrival shaking the rooftop.

"Yield!" Thor commanded, his voice booming.

Percy turned to face the Asgardian, tilting his head as if considering. "No offense, big guy, but your idea of 'yielding' probably involves me in cuffs. Not really my style."

Thor raised Mjolnir, his expression firm. "Do not make this difficult."

Percy's gaze flicked to the hammer, then back to Thor. "Yeah, see, the thing is..." He trailed off, taking a step back.

Before Thor could react, Percy dove off the edge of the building, landing on the fire escape of the adjacent structure.

"By the Nine!" Thor roared, leaping after him.

Avengers POV

"Thor's not exactly built for subtlety," Natasha muttered into her comms, watching the Asgardian's pursuit through the Quinjet's live feed.

"Subtlety's overrated," Tony replied, flying alongside the jet. "We just need to wear him down. He's fast, but he can't keep this up forever."

Steve's voice came over the comms. "Don't underestimate him, Tony. He's already evaded SHIELD for weeks. He's not going to make this easy."

"No kidding," Clint added, his voice dry. "This guy's got more moves than I do, and that's saying something."

Natasha watched the feed closely, her mind racing. Percy's movements were deliberate, almost too deliberate. It wasn't just about escaping—it was about control. He wasn't running blindly; he was leading them somewhere.

Percy's POV

He could feel the plan coming together, every twist and turn falling into place like pieces on a chessboard. The Avengers were fast, but they were predictable. They relied on their tech, their strength, their coordination. Percy, on the other hand, relied on instinct and a lifetime of surviving the impossible.

As he turned down another alley, he heard the faint hum of Iron Man's suit overhead. He smirked, pulling a small metal object from his pocket—a SHIELD tracking device he'd swiped during his last encounter with their agents.

He tossed it into a dumpster as he ran, knowing the signal would throw off their scanners.

Avengers POV

The Quinjet's scanners pinged as the tracking device came online.

"Got him!" Clint announced. "Signal's coming from the alley on 34th Street."

Tony veered toward the location, his repulsors lighting up the darkened street. He landed in front of the dumpster, scanning the area.

Natasha and Steve arrived moments later, their weapons drawn.

"Something's off," Natasha said, her eyes narrowing.

Before Tony could respond, the tracking device exploded with a deafening bang, releasing a cloud of smoke that enveloped the area.

"Damn it!" Tony yelled, his sensors scrambling to adjust.

From his vantage point on a nearby rooftop, Percy watched the chaos unfold. His smirk widened.

"That should keep them busy."

He turned, disappearing into the night before they could recover.

The Avengers regrouped on the Quinjet, frustration evident on their faces.

"He played us," Tony said, pacing the cabin. "That wasn't just luck—that was strategy. This guy knows exactly how we operate."

Natasha crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful. "He's not just running. He's testing us."

Steve looked at the footage on the monitors, watching Percy's movements with a critical eye. "Whatever his reason, he's dangerous. We need to figure out who he is and what he wants before someone gets hurt."

Thor, still bristling from the chase, tightened his grip on Mjolnir. "He cannot evade us forever."

"Maybe not," Clint said, "but he's making us look pretty stupid in the meantime."

Natasha leaned forward, her eyes narrowing at the screen. "He's more than just a skilled fighter. He's hiding something—something big. And we're going to find out what it is."

Percy's POV

Percy sat on the edge of an abandoned rooftop, his legs dangling over the side. He stared out at the city, the faint hum of traffic below barely registering.

His heart was still racing from the chase, but it wasn't fear that had his adrenaline pumping—it was excitement. For the first time in weeks, he felt alive.

"They're good," he admitted to himself. "Not good enough, but still... good."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small seashell. He ran his thumb over its smooth surface, the familiar texture grounding him.

"I can't keep this up forever," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the wind.

But for now, he was still free. And that was all that mattered.