The Civil War

“Jason Grace, also known as Captain America. Such a heavy title for one man, isn’t it?”

Jason shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sub Director Lupin’s dark brown eyes bored into him.

The room was mostly black and white with a few purple tiles on the floor. Lupin’s office was on the top floor of an imposing looking building. One of the walls was purple and had a golden laurel in the center, the symbol of Troy.

“It is but I do my best to fulfill my duties,” he replied. He winced when he heard his voice crack a bit towards the end.

Lupin gave him a wry smile. The red-headed sub director was once called “Black Widow”. She retired and passed that title on to Jason’s best friend and partner, Reyna Arellano.

“Jason, I’m sure that you are aware of what happened to Luke Castellan?”

The addressee frowned but nodded. “Yes but what does that have to do with me?”

Lupin handed Jason a folder.

“That contains the details of his disappearance.” Jason flipped through it, scanning through the pictures. “I want you to lead a five-man team to investigate it. The members have been pre-selected, one representative from each sector.”

“With all due respect, Ma’am, shouldn’t a team from Achaea be the ones to investigate?” the blond said. “If we are the ones who would try to figure out what happened, the Achaeans could think that we’re tampering with evidence.”

Lupin looked down at another piece of paper on her desk.

“I received a letter from one of the councilmembers telling me to send a team. I don’t question the orders before executing them. ‘Obey first before you complain.’ Isn’t that what we say?” she raised an eyebrow.

Jason sighed and stood up, picking up his shield and attaching it to his back along the way.

“Very well. When’s briefing?” he asked.

“Tomorrow at 0900,” Lupin answered promptly.

Jason nodded and left the room.

=****=
“Why are you the mission leader, Grace?” Octavian Gaius, also known as Doctor Strange, said almost as soon as the team sat down in their transport jet.

Jason glared at the shorter blond. “Don’t ask me. Ask Lupin.”

Hank Pym, alias Ant-Man, laughed and clapped Octavian’s back. “Aren’t you used to Grace leading missions? He gets the job done. Besides, everyone follows him.”

Octavian opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted.

“Gaius, if you keep whining, I’m seriously going to make this jet roll,” Elena Hernando, their pilot also known as Psylocke, threatened.

The blond scowled but said no more.

“Finally some peace and quiet,” Reyna muttered.
Jason bolted upright. She was so quiet she nearly forgot she was there.

Reyna gave him a side-glance before smirking. “Forgot about me already?” She put a hand on her chest in a gesture of mock-hurt.

Jason rolled his eyes and replied. “It’s not my fault you were so quiet, Rey.”

The dark-haired girl shook her head and closed her eyes. “Wake me up when we get there.”

=****=
“There are blood splatters on the ground,” Hank remarked. He brought out a slightly damp cotton bud and swabbed the dried up red marks.

“There are tire tracks over here,” Elena added. She snapped pictures of the markings. “Based on the appearance of the tracks, I’d say three motorcycles.”

Reyna frowned. “That’s strange. We have dried blood and tire tracks yet no signs of a struggle. The pattern of the blood should prove that some sort of fight broke out,” she said. The black-haired girl bent down to take a closer look. “Yet its pattern doesn’t appear to be that of a close-ranged fight.”

“Are you suggesting that Castellan went with his captors willingly?” Octavian asked.
Reyna thought for a moment before answering. “It’s possible but we’re going to need more proof.”

“Hank, what are the results of the blood sample; are they Castellan’s?” Jason asked.
Hank looked down at his tablet. “Negative. It’s…” The brown-haired boy frowned. “That’s strange. I don’t have a high-enough access level. I’m just a Level 6. How ‘bout you Cap?”

Jason strode forward and took the tablet. He entered his access code and waited for the confirmation. To his surprise, the screen didn’t change. It refused to give them access.

“Something’s up. Let’s head back to HQ and rep-”

Before Jason could say anything else, he was interrupted by something exploding a few meters behind him.

=****=
“What was that?!” Reyna yelled.

Everybody scrambled back into the jet. Hank was man-handling a black-haired man. Jason wasn’t with them.

“Elena! Start the jet, now!” Hank shouted.

“I’m doing it! I’m doing it!” Elena yelled back.

“Filthy Achaeans!” Octavian snarled. He stalked towards the black-haired man. “Agent Jackson right?”

The black-haired man looked up and glared at Octavian, sea-green eyes drilling figurative holes into the blonde’s head.

“That’s Ronin to you,” he replied.

Reyna scoffed. “Let’s interrogate him later. Knock him out.”

“Wha- Hey!” Agent Jackson protested to no avail. Hank’s fist swung down clocking the agent at the side of his head.

“They have Jason,” Reyna voiced deceptively calm.

“We’ll get him back, Reyna,” Elena said.

“In the meantime, you need to file a report, Your Highness,” Octavian sneered.

Reyna glared at him. “Call me that one more time,I will end your career.”

Octavian smirked and took a step back, hands raised in a ‘surrender’ position.
“We’ll see about that, he mumbled.”

=****=
A bright light shone on Jason’s face, jolting him awake. He could he the silhouettes of his captors but that was about it.

“Who are you? Where am I?” he asked. His throat felt parched.

A blonde girl with stormy grey eyes came into view.

“Agent Grace, yes?” she asked.

Jason squinted up at her but nodded just the same.

“You’re in the Achaean Headquarters. There are a few questions we’d like to ask.”

Notes

Clarification, I used the name "Hank Pym" and "Ant-man" but he's based on the random Senator named "Hank" in Son of Neptune.

Elena is one of the minor OCs mentioned in Fenrir_Glacies' fanfic "Daughter of Neptune".

Yes, Octavian is Doctor Strange. Don't get me wrong, I admire Doctor Strange but I just think his powers are appropriate for Octavian.

This was edited and proof-read by Fenrir_Glacies.

Until the next update!