Hazel Levesque Meets the Avengers

Chapter 21

Frank

Two days.

It had been two days since Hazel disappeared.

I walked into our apartment, ready to take Hazel on our date. But she wasn't there. I looked everywhere. No sign of her. I think it's a bit of an understatement if I say that I was worried for her.

On the first night she was gone, I got my first clue of what was going on. I had a dream that night. Hazel and I were standing in a small metal room. Hazel was jittering from all the metal. She explained what had happened to her, how the Avengers went after her. I was then woken up by one of Leo's alarm clocks.

Let's just say I woke up cranky that morning.

I spent the whole of the next day searching for her. Nothing turned up.

So, enough was enough. The next morning, I got dressed and went to the Empire State building. The receptionist let me through without question, either because of my tattoo of my praetorship or because I looked like I was ready for murder.

As soon as I reached Olympus, Nico shadow traveled into the throne room. His eyes were wild, as if he had seen or heard things that could re-write everything he had ever thought. His eyes touched each gods' for at least 10 seconds before moving on to the next. after he had scanned everyone's eyes, he moved onto mine. His eyes were desperate, but always searching for something.

After about 20 seconds, he sighed and relaxed. "Nico," I started softly, "are you alright? Do you know where Hazel?"

His eyes hardened at the mention of Hazel's name. "I know exactly where Hazel is." He growled softly. 

"Then why don't you go and get her?" Zeus asked with a cock of his head.

Nico drew his sword and faced the King, his eyes darker than black. "You are not allowed to talk here. It's thanks to you that we can't save Hazel without being killed."

Zeus' gaze went cold. "How dare you talk to me like that. I could blast you to smithereens this second, and no one would care." His voice was a whisper, the deathly, threatening kind.

Nico smirked. "Wrong twice in one sentence. I didn't think that was possible." Zeus opened his mouth, but Nico started talking again. "If you blew me apart, my father would be after you. You and his special helpers." Zeus paled a bit. "Also, quite a few people would care. The 7, Camp Jupiter, Camp Halfblood, Mrs O'Leary. That's just the beginning. So go on Zeus. Blow me apart. I dare you. I double dare you."

Zeus was now flushing gold. He coughed a bit and then turned to me. "Why did you wish to see us Praetor?" 

"Same reason as Nico. He technically came before you first, so I think that you should ask him."

Zeus turned to Nico. "What is it?"

Nico cleared his throat. "Well, why didn't you tell anyone about the Ink? Why did you use it to dispose of the creatures you knew you couldn't beat? That's where Hazel is, you know. She's stuck in a place full of monsters no one knows about."

All the gods turned to face Zeus, who was very visibly panicking. "Well, if people knew about it, they would obviously get in there and obviously die in the process of trying to rid the world of them."

"Not true." I contradicted. "Me and my friends rid the world of Gaia in a few months, when it took all you Olympians a few years to do it yourself. Also, Percy and Annabeth managed to survive Tartarus, and even face him, while you guys get scared out your wits with even the mention of it."

Zeus stared at us, and I could physically feel the air turn electric. "Well, what do you want us to do about it?"

"I want you to go into the Ink yourself and save Hazel. I want you to swear on the River Styx that you yourself will do it, no one else."

"I swear on the River Styx that I will go into the Ink to save Hazel Levesque." Zeus promised.

As soon as he finished the sentence, he was sucked into a dark wormhole. 

"Well shoot." Nico muttered. He then offered me his arm. I grabbed it, and he shadow traveled us away.