Annabeth Chase and the Avengers

Chapter 11

Annabeth

Percy and Annabeth were back at the Avengers compound, and Professor Hulk was there, ready to help them.

"Okay, here we go," Hulk said, "Time travel test number one!" He turned to Scott. "Scott! Uh, fire up the uh... the van thing."

Scott opened the back doors, and the machine whirred to life, energy glowing from it.

"Breakers are set," Steve said, striding towards them, with Nat following closely behind. "Emergency generators are on standby."

"Good." Hulk said. "We blow the grid, I don't want to lose tiny here in the 1950s."

"Excuse me?" Scott said indignantly.

"He's kidding." Nat and Annabeth said in automatic unison, not even pausing before coming up with their reply.

"Just-- just booze, it's a bad joke." Hulk said, realizing his mistake.

As soon as Scott had moved out of earshot, Annabeth whirled around to Hulk. "You are kidding right?"

"I have no idea. What we're talking about is time travel here, either it's all a joke or none of it is." Hulk hissed quietly, before turning back to Scott and giving him a large thumbs-up.

"We're good!" He added in a louder tone. "Get your helmet on. Scott, I'm gonna send you back a week, let you walk around for an hour, then bring you back in ten seconds. Make sense?"

Scott waved a hand and said, "Perfectly not confused.", with a sarcastic edge to his voice.

Percy snorted.

"Good luck Scott." Steve said, ignoring Percy. "You got this."

Scott put his helmet on. "You're right. I do, Captain America." He made a goofy smile at the super soldier.

There was a 'zip!', a flash of light, and Scott was gone.

"Did he just fangirl over Steve?" Percy asked incredulously.

Annabeth elbowed Percy.

"Alright, on a count of three!" Hulk shouted. "Three, two, one!" He flipped the switch, and Scott appeared...

As a teenager.

"This.. this... this doesn't feel right." Young-Scott said.

"What, what's going on?" Hulk rambled, with Nat talking over him.

"Wait, that's Scott?"

"Yes it's Scott!" Young-Scott snapped in a shrill voice.

Another 'zip!' and Young-Scott disappeared.

Nat glanced worriedly at the controls.

Scott flashed back...

Old.

"Oh! My back!" Old-Scott complained loudly.

More rambling from Hulk, and Steve pressuring Hulk to fix him.

Annabeth slapped her hand onto her forehead. "Idiots." She mumbled.

Hulk hit the control panel, and another 'zip!'

This time, Scott was a baby.

Silence.

Percy stared at Annabeth, his mouth struggling to keep his laughter inside.

"It's a baby." Steve said drily.

"It's Scott!" Came Hylk's defense.

"As a baby!"