Siblings In Everything But Blood

Chapter 4: In Which Percy Is An Extraction Team

August 2010

Natasha's P.O.V.

Percy had survived his war, and New York was in chaos. Somehow, the city had fallen asleep for a week, and nobody outside of New York noticed. Of course, Percy had explained it to her, but nevertheless, it was unsettling. She had thought that something was wrong when she had finished a mission in New Jersey, and then called SHIELD for a plane ride back, only to get no answer. Looking at the gathering storms nearby, she had seen a gigantic monster that must have been Typhon being circled by little lights, which must have been the gods. After Percy had told her about the godly world, she had become clear-sighted. She had hacked into satellites, zoomed in on Manhattan, and froze. She could see an army of monsters charging at about 80 teenagers. The demigods did well, but the sheer number of monsters almost discouraged her. She had watched, heart in her mouth, as her younger brother appeared on screen and tore through monsters like a tornado tears apart towns. She had been simultaneously proud and terrified.

Natasha shook her head. She needed to focus on her mission. She had it all planned out. Get in, find out enough information to cause the crime ring to attempt to kill her, and then get to the extraction car. The car would be chased, and they would lead the crime ring into SHIELD's trap. It was risky and a terrible plan, but it would work. Hopefully, the car chase would be inconspicious enough that they wouldn't make the news. So she snuck in wearing civilian clothes, and listened in on the crime ring's plans, which was some idiotic idea that would get them more weapons, which they could use to take out the competition. She gasped loudly in an appropriate place, and then ducked as they tried to shoot her. She hightailed it out of the building, hearing loud explosions behind her. She glanced back, and dove for cover as one of the thugs fired a bazooka. A bazooka. So much for inconspicious. It hurtled towards a car.

Good news: the driver saw it, got out of the car, and ran for their life. Bad news: that was the extraction car, and the driver was the agent that was supposed to get her out of there. She kept running, dodging explosions and bullets. Fortunately, the thugs were terrible shots. Suddenly, a blue Prius with dents (were those hoofprints?) on the hood screeched to a stop beside her. Naturally, her younger brother was sitting behind the driver's wheel of the convertible.

"Come on!" he yelled, and she hopped in, not even bothering to use the door.

"Drive!", she said. The sixteen year old put a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap on, then proceeded to floor the gas pedal. She shouted directions to him as they tore through the streets of Manhattan, the thugs behind them in black cars. She turned and shot at the thugs, and told Percy where to dodge. A missile came straight at them, and Percy swerved hard to the left, the car's wheels squealing loudly in protest. They spun around in a complete circle, and shot off again. The street ahead of them was closed, and Percy turned the car around to face their pursuers, driving directly towards them.

"Paul's going to kill me if I wreck this car." he muttered as they played a dangerous game of chicken. At the last second, Percy showed some impressive driving skills by maneuvering the car through a thin gap, cutting across the pavement. She was rather proud, as she had helped his step-father teach him to drive, after all. News helicopters circled above. Natasha briefly wondered how Percy would explain his step-father's car being on the news. Luckily, there were no police cars chasing them. SHIELD had probably tipped them off. By some miracle, they made it to the trapped area, and agents swarmed the place. Percy high fived her, and she hopped out, waving goodbye. He revved the engine and shot out of the area, not wanting to be questioned by SHIELD.  Coulson asked her who had driven her, and she smiled, saying that he was just someone who was willing to help her out. Coulson looked faintly surprised at the answer, but dropped the subject.