Alexa problems (PJO/Avengers crossover)

Chapter 24: Camp

Not another Tony chapter!

Peter's POV

"Mr. Stark, Mr. Stark?" I called into my phone. My back was pressed into the rough brick of the alleyway I was sitting in. The noxious fumes from the dumpster I was sitting next to made me want to barf, but I couldn't move yet, I needed to know if Mr. Stark was ok.

He couldn't have fainted at the news that Percy was a demigod, could he? Or maybe Percy had super speed and kidnapped Mr. Stark.

A groan came from the phone, and I strained my ears, was that a "I am just waking up," grunt or a "trying to escape from a high schooler with superpowers," grunt.

"Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark!" I yelled into the phone louder. I could see passers-Bys looking at me weirdly, but I didn't care. "Mr. Stark! Are you o-"

Before I finished my sentence there was a beep as the call disconnected. Mr. Stark had hung up on me, or Percy had ended the call so I couldn't hear anything else. I needed to get a hold of Friday. Karen could communicate with Friday, but to communicate with Karen I would have to put on my mask. My very recognizable mask, in an alley that people could see as they walked by.

I looked around the alley for any hiding place, but it was completely empty besides the large dumpster. I groaned,

Please let the bad smell be coming from a bad slime experiment.

Grabbing my Hello Kitty backpack from beside me, I opened the dumpster lid and jumped in. I landed face first in a pile of rotten food that leaked out of a ripped garbage bag. I pushed myself into a sitting position, trying not to smell whatever brown goop had leaked onto my hand.

The smell in here could have wiped out a herd of elephants. I gagged as I pulled my mask, never had I ever been so relieved for the scent of weeks' worth of sweat.

"Karen, can you talk to Friday?" I asked urgently.

"Of course, Peter," Karen answered, "What would you like to say to her?"

"Ask if Mr. Stark has been kidnapped."

"Friday says that Boss is not kidnapped and is in perfect health," Karen replied instantly. "She wants me to let you know that Boss fainted on call with you and was very distressed when he woke up. Which is the most likely reason as to why he hung up on you."

The news should have made me relieved, but instead I felt only more nervous. Mr. Stark fainted; he must be really stressed out about this. I had to help him. Mr. Stark had helped me when I was just some teenager in a ski mask and hoodie catching buses. He had given me a million-dollar suit, Karen, and a med-bay to get patched up in. He had given me everything, the least I could do was handle a little awkwardness.

I took off my mask and headed off to Percy Jackson's apartment.

I arrived at the apartment a little after 6:00 PM. I could smell something delicious cooking on the other side of the door. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A second later a kind voice yelled "coming".

I shifted from foot to foot as footsteps approached the door. I was tempted to bolt when a middle-aged woman opened the door. She had long brown hair with streaks of gray and her eyes were framed by wrinkles from smiling. Her blue top was covered in flour, and she beamed as she saw my face.

"You must be Peter," She opened the door wider, "Come on in. I'm Sally Jackson-Blofis."

I stepped into the apartment and the smell of food increased tenfold.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting your dinner," I said awkwardly in the entryway, unsure if I should take my shoes off.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all." The woman, who must be Percy's mom, waved for me to follow as she walked into the kitchen where she pulled out a blue lasagna from the oven.