Pandemonium

As soon as he had woken up, Percy had asked that they go and start searching for his friends. But Apollo said that he wouldn't allow it, not until Percy had taken a couple more hours of rest. He then reassured him that they wouldn't be wasting time because Apollo himself was using different parts of his conscience to participate in the search and had also enlisted help from Artemis and Hermes.

Apollo then told him about his siblings' visit.

Apparently, Thor was set to visit Earth that evening and Tony had just told him that Triton had grounded him for two days.

Fuck Triton. He was gonna leave the Tower anyways.

But he couldn't flash out of the building. Not when he'd have to explain to the Avengers about it.

He couldn't go out the normal way either.

The Tower was surrounded by crazed fans and gossip mongers. It didn't help that a lot of major news agencies had parked their vans and set up camp around the place. And it was New York, so they wouldn't even get bored and leave because something always happens in New York. This was his city. He knew it like the back of his hand.

This was one of the times he hated New York.

He and Apollo hadn't decided what to tell the press yet. They were both public figures and although Percy wasn't anywhere near as famous as Apollo, he now has to answer questions with how viral their videos had become.

Apollo was showing him a video of a popular YouTuber who had released a set of theories based on the two videos.

Honestly, it was scary what people could do with the barest minimum of information.

@theapolloscholar had shared their YouTube video on Twitter that was now trending with over 40 million views within 24 hours.

Percy used to follow her handle for updates on nearly everything that Apollo apparently did so that he could be sure to avoid bumping into him.

Now, it just made him feel guilty as Apollo raised his eyebrows at him when he saw that Percy was already following the woman.

He seemed to hide a blush, but Percy could've been imagining stuff.

A woman with huge round red glasses and short brown hair appeared on the screen.

"Hello guys! Welcome to my new video.

Today let's talk about Apollo and the new videos of his that are making the rounds of all social media platforms.

Firstly, I assure you that I have confirmed from my most trustworthy sources that the videos are 100% authentic.

So now the question remains, what can we understand from it?

The first video is of what looks like a fight in an MIT parking lot. The other man is Dr. Perseus Jackson, one of the professors of Marine Biology at the institute. He is also being considered for a Nobel Prize this year for his contributions in his field.

These two can be seen arguing in the video. Towards the end, they are seen leaving together in a car which has been confirmed to be Apollo's.

Now lots of questions come up at this point. How do they know each other? What were they fighting about? And where were they going?

For that let's first take a look Dr. Jackson.

We did some digging and guess what we found out about Dr. Jacks-"

A knock on the door interrupted them.

It was Natasha.

"Come in." Apollo said, pausing the video. They were sitting side by side on the bed with Apollo holding a Starkpad in between them to watch the video.

She opened the door slightly and leaned in. "We've ordered pizza. Care to join us in the common room?"

"Sure."

The two of them followed her out and joined the rest of the team in the common room.

They were all huddled in front of the TV.

Clint and Steve were on one end of the couch. Bruce was on the other end. Tony and Pepper were together on a large chair beside it.

Natasha settled between Steve and Clint. Percy sat down beside Bruce and Natasha.

The low table in front of them was heaped with boxes of pizza. Between a super soldier, the Hulk, and two assassins, it wasn't a surprise to find so much food.

The news was on, and it was just his luck that the same woman, @theapolloscholar's video was being played.

"- was quite simple, infact. Dr. Jackson's records are easy to obtain. They're all in the public domain. He's got a very interesting history, with a nationwide manhunt for him at 12 years old."

Cue a very old picture of his that made him look deranged.

"But that's not what's important. The important part is that he used to be a star athlete, with a speciality in anything water related. I interviewed his high school swim coach and the guy was sure Jackson was on his way to the Olympics. Almost every high school swimming record is in his name."

They then showed a couple of photos from his high school swimming days. Percy didn't even know they existed. These people had definitely contacted a lot of his high school classmates and not even Percy remembered their names. Why did they still have pictures of him?

"After that, something happened. None of the people I spoke to knew what it was, some speculated that it was an accident, but something shook him so much that he abandoned his swimming career and shifted to academics. Even then he went for marine biology."

A picture of him in his lecture hall.

Honestly, only two days ago his students had been caught selling these photos. They must have made thousands of dollars with his sudden spike in popularity.

"Dr. Jackson and Apollo have known each for many years now and it's evident from a number of photos in the social media handle of their mutual friend Rachel Dare. Now what's interesting is that a lot of Apollo's songs over the last 10 years have a recurring theme of water. Be it 'Ocean Eyes' or 'Mariana Trench' or even 'Lagoon'. The lyrics often references water and oceans and lakes and waves. Some of his most popular lines have water references in them, like "drowning in those ocean eyes" and "embrace me like your waves kiss the beach"."

Percy tried to look at Apollo from the corner of his eyes. Clint was less subtle, and he got a slap on the knee from Natasha for that. Apollo though, looked completely at ease from the outside. Percy could feel him though, and he was a little nervous? Apollo wasn't one to get nervous so easily.

"Apollo himself had stated in an interview six years ago that one of his most popular singles 'Summer's Day' was written by him and a close friend."

"That's my favourite song of yours." Clint said to Apollo with a grin.

Percy smiled. He remembered that day. Summer's Day was the first and only time Percy and Apollo had collaborated on a song. Percy had been playing with the fish in Montauk Beach when Apollo had flashed next to him and claimed that he was unable to write anything past a few lines for a new song that he was planning to release. Apollo had told him the first few lines and Percy had chipped in with his own. They had spent an entire day on the beach, writing and composing.

"The song is presented from two points of view, where one of them is the sea and the other is the sun. It talks about how on a pleasant summer day, the most beautiful part is when in the end, the sun meets the sea. The song revolves around the theme of longing. And Apollo has always been open about the fact that he was pansexual. In fact, most of his songs are addressed to men. What we are wondering now is whether they were all addressed to one specific man."

Percy hoped nobody was looking at him, because he was sure he was blushing to the roots of his hair.

Various pictures of Apollo at his concerts danced across the screen.

"I say it wouldn't be a far cry to say that Dr. Jackson might've been the close friend who helped him write Summer's Day. And it might also be a possibility that they used to or they might be dating."

"Is it true?" Clint asked. "Are you dating?"

Percy and Apollo looked at each other.

Percy's phone rang. A welcome diversion.

It was Dr. Salisbury.

In the midst of all the craziness of the last few days, he had forgotten all about his job.

He accepted the call, mentally berating himself for leaving Ben to deal with all of his classes.

"Are you alright Percy?"

Oh, bless his soul. Dr. Benjamin Salisbury was practically a male version of his mother.

"Yes, Ben. I'm doing better. I was unwell this morning and couldn't inform you. I'm so sorry."

"Would you like a couple days of leave? You have plenty at this point. You barely take time off for yourself."

"Yes, thank you, Ben. I'm so sorry for the short notice and all the inconvenience I must have caused you these days."

"Oh, we've had to deal with worse, Percy. You don't have to worry about it. Someone came here asking for you though."

"Who?"

"She's a famous model apparently. Drew Tanaka."

"When was this? Did she mention why she came?"

"This afternoon. And no, she didn't say why. Just gave me her number asking me to give it to you if possible."

"Thank you, Ben. Would you mind sending it to me? And is there anything else I can do?"

"Take care of yourself. And maybe clear up all the stuff with the press? There are reporters all over campus. I heard a student claim that your phone's lockscreen was a picture of you and that singer."

Percy blinked.

"Wow, okay, I should probably do that. Do the students really hate me that much?"

"Oh come on Percy, they don't hate you. In fact, it's the opposite. You just can't see it."

"Whatever you say, old man."

"I'm barely older than you."

"You're nearing sixty. I'm not even half as old as you."

"That's a lie." Apollo said in his head. Percy mentally gave him the finger.

Ben only laughed good naturedly.

"Just take care of yourself, Percy. I'll see you soon."

"You too Ben. Thank you."

Percy hung up and turned to Apollo.

"Why do you think Drew wants to talk?"

"Tanaka wants to talk!?" Apollo looked really confused.

"Wait a minute." Steve interrupted. "The model Drew Tanaka?"

"How do you know who she is you sly old man?" Clint jabbed at Steve with his elbow.

"She looks a little like Peggy." Steve said, looking a little defensive.

"Whatever you say, Steve." Percy teased him. "But yes, the model Drew. She's one of us, but we never got along. I have no idea why she'd want to talk."

"Maybe she's looking for publicity? You two are trending now, she might want to make it into the news." Bruce suggested.

"Then she'd just give an interview and talk about whatever she knows about us, and she knows a lot of stuff. So it's not publicity she wants." Percy was sure.

"She wants money for her silence then?" Tony suggested.

"She doesn't need any more money." Apollo refuted. "Maybe she wants to try to get in your pants. She never stops trying." His voice was oddly venomous.

"Or maybe she just wants to talk." Said Pepper.

Percy sighed.

He called the number she had left for him.

"Hello?" He said, as the call connected.

A sigh of relief was heard from the other end.

"Percy," Drew purred from the other end of the call. "What took you so long darling?"

Percy rubbed a hand over his eyes and sighed.

"What do you want Drew?"

"I know some weird shit is going on." She paused a little. "And I thought you'd like to know something."

Percy blinked. Something very weird must have happened if Drew of all people was calling to inform him. She wasn't the most pleasant or forthcoming but she was loyal.

"Go on."

"You'll have to be a bit more pleasant than that, Percy. We haven't talked in so long."

"Please, Drew. I'm not feeling too well. I'd really appreciate it if you could do this fast." Percy didn't like using the sick card, but he had to.

"I know for a fact that gods don't get sick, Jackson." Percy opened his mouth to protest, but she continued. "But I'll ignore that for now. The thing is, I saw my old classmate Sadie Kane at an exhibition yesterday. She had coloured her hair this horrid bottle green shade. It was making my stomach turn and I was walking to her to tell her that it looked horrendous, but another lady beat me to it."

"I was reasonably pissed that she got to her first, but then I noticed that this other bitch wasn't human. So I decided to listen in. You never know what those Kanes are up to. And then this other lady says to Kane that her name was Katie and that she heard through the grapevine that Sadie knew Apollo, the singer. Sadie didn't say yes or no but she asked why Katie wanted to know. Then this Katie lady says that she had met Apollo the other day and he had asked her out but she wanted to know if he was in a relationship or anything, to make sure she wouldn't end up being a sidepiece or anything."

Percy sighed. Drew was terrible at keeping things short, and she never let anyone else talk when she was around.

"But then Sadie says that she should definitely say no because Apollo was married and she knew his partner and that she would inform his partner that Apollo was being disloyal. She then turned and walked away from the Katie woman and I didn't see them both again."

"But what happened yesterday night was that her brother came to meet me at my place with his wife. He said that Sadie was missing and hadn't been seen since that exhibition."

"What did that woman look like?"

"Oh she was Egyptian I think. Pretty looking with cargo pant-"

"Not Carter's wife. The woman who called herself Katie, what did she look like?"

"Uh..Long white hair, light blue eyes. Dressed like an Elsa wannabe I guess."

"Did she see you?"

"No."

"Good. Where was this exhibition?"

"British Museum."

"Anything else you might know about this?"

"Nothing I cared to remember."

"Have you seen any of the seven recently? Piper, Leo, or even Nico or Will?"

"Nope. I'd like to see you though."

"Sorry Drew. I don't think that'll happen time anytime soon."

"I hate to admit it, but I'm growing old, Percy. Besides, you owe me a favour now."

"Any other favour, Drew. I'm a married man." Percy made sure to harden his tone at that to emphasise the point.

"Bye, then. We've got nothing more to talk about."

And she hung up.

"You're married?"

"Your friends are missing?"

"Percy we need to leave right now." Apollo said through their mental link.

Percy realised why Apollo was in a hurry. He could sense Thor near the area, so he decided to improvise.

"Sorry guys. What about I answer your questions later? We just got some crucial information. We need to go check it out."

"But you're still recovering, Percy."

"Apollo say something."

"You can't walk out like that."

"Your brother said you were grounded."

Percy and Apollo looked at each other.

Apollo spoke first, "Looks like he has made up his mind, guys. Besides, we really need to start working on this. I'll make sure he takes care of himself though."

"Thank you so much, all of you." Percy told them. "I'm sorry, we'll have to leave right now or the place we need reach will get shut down for the day. I'll visit soon when I get the chance. Until then, could you keep an eye out for whether you can spot any of these guys on your cameras? You can access them almost everywhere around the world right? Thank you."

He slid a piece of paper with a list of names at Tony, discreetly magicking Sadie's name onto the list of missing demigods, then grabbed Apollo by the hand, and sped out of the room.

They took the elevator to the parking lot.

The doors slid open to show Thor smiling at them.

-

Nico and the captured demigods looked at the two new people who had been brought in and strapped to new chairs.

One of them had blonde hair with bottle green highlights and looked to be about their age, while the other one had curly blonde hair and was clearly a teenager.

Nico didn't know either of them, but the second one looked like someone he knew from a long time ago. He looked like Annabeth.