| PANDEMONIUM | Percy x Apollo

Chapter 3

As the footsteps drew closer, Matt hid Sally in near a dumpster in the alley and stood, batons raised, in the middle of the road, waiting for the man to get closer.

Matt heard Sally come out of her hiding place and sprint to the approaching man, but Matt did not stop her, because he could hear the steady thumps of the heart beat, calmer than they had been when she had been walking with him. She clearly knew the man who had come, trusted him, even. But he had appeared out of thin air, Matt could sense strong muscles shift as he ran, footsteps deceptively light and purposeful. Matt did not trust him. Not until he sobbed with relief and called out to his mother.

Matt Murdock knew that it had been many years since he met the Jacksons, but hearing the deep and powerful voice of Percy Jackson made him extremely self aware of his age.

Percy had become almost unrecognisable. Now in his mid-thirties, from what Matt could guess from sensing his physical appearance, it had been a good ten years at least, since he last saw Jackson. But such a drastic change was incomprehensible.

He was tall, lean and had swimmer style muscles. He seemed to be extremely fit and healthy. From a person who ate cheeseburgers at every given chance, that was quite an improvement. Matt remembered sensing scars and lots of injuries, past and new ones from all the times he had met Percy, but he couldn't sense any injuries on him. Not one. And all his scars were just that, bumps on his skin.

Matt had been so busy analysing Percy that he hadn't realised Percy had turned to address him.

"Daredevil." He said with a soft smile and a nod in his direction.

Sally wouldn't have told him his identity yet, Matt would've heard. But somehow Percy knew who he was. Matt could feel it.

"Mr. Jackson, I presume?" Matt asked. To see if Percy admits to knowing his identity or to see if he had been mistaken.

"Cut that shit, Matt. It's been too long." He said, spreading his arms out for a hug which Matt warily accepted.

"You've grown." Matthew commented.

"And you've grown old." Percy retorted.

"I'm still in my late thirties, Percy. That's not old."

"Not for a normal man, it's not."

Sally cut into the conversation right then. "I'm assuming from your attitudes that we aren't in any immediate danger? But Percy," she said, turning to her son. "You need to...see it. Somehow, I think it pertains to you."

Matt sensed her lie in the second half of the sentence. It most definitely was related to Percy somehow. She knew it. But she didn't seem to have guessed that Matt might've heard it too.

"Follow me. I know the area well." He simply offered.

Percy and Sally followed him unquestioned.

Sally was considerably relaxed but resolute in her gait. Percy on the other hand, walked like a soldier to a battlefield. It was a big change from his usual carefree attitude. But he had seen snippets of the soldier even in the early days. It was just way more intimidating now that he was so healthy.

It was a short walk back to the warehouse. Even when he was last here, he could sense some powerful force pulsing in the air around the building, but this time it seemed magnified somehow.

He could hear Percy's heartrate speed up as they neared the building.

As soon as they reached the site though, they were in for a shock.

There was nobody there.

Not one of the amateur soldiers was to be seen.

Matt probably hadn't noticed because he was so concentrated on Percy. But even before Percy had reached, nobody had gone to or from the building.