The tension in the air was thick. They had narrowly escaped the Justice League once again, but something felt off. Percy couldn’t shake the unease that gripped him as they sat huddled together in the abandoned warehouse by the docks. Will—Sun—had been freed, but ever since they had returned, he had been distant, his usual warmth absent.

Percy glanced over at Will, who was sitting against the wall, staring at the floor. His blond hair fell over his eyes, and his hands fidgeted in his lap. It wasn’t like him. Will had always been the calm one, the healer who kept them all grounded. But now, there was something different about him, something Percy couldn’t quite place.

Jason—Arrow—noticed it too. He was pacing the room, flipping his coin nervously. Ace stood off to the side, her back pressed against the wall, her dagger Kaptopris glinting in her hand. Shadow remained in the corner, quiet as usual, but even he was stealing glances at Will, his dark eyes filled with concern.

"Will," Percy finally said, his voice soft but firm. "Are you okay?"

Will didn’t look up. For a moment, it seemed like he hadn’t heard Percy at all. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Yeah, I’m fine."

But Percy knew better. The response was too mechanical, too detached. Will wasn’t fine. Something had happened while he was with the Justice League.

"You sure?" Jason asked, his tone careful, but the worry was evident. "You’re acting... different."

Will’s head jerked up, and for the briefest moment, something flashed in his eyes—something dark. But just as quickly, it was gone, and he forced a small smile. "I’m just tired. It was... a lot. Being captured, I mean."

Percy exchanged a glance with Jason. Something wasn’t right, but pushing Will too hard now might make things worse.

"We’re all tired," Percy said slowly, "but if something’s wrong, you need to tell us."

Will shifted uncomfortably, avoiding Percy’s gaze. "I’m fine. Just need some rest, that’s all."

Percy didn’t believe him, but he decided to drop it—for now. They had bigger problems to deal with. The Justice League was still hunting them, and their time to figure out their next move was running out.

"Alright," Percy said, standing up. "We need to keep moving. We can’t stay here much longer. The League will track us down again soon."

Jason nodded, flipping his coin one last time before pocketing it. "Where do we go from here?"

"We need somewhere more secure," Ace said, stepping forward. "Someplace they won’t find us."

Shadow finally spoke, his voice quiet but sharp. "The city’s crawling with them. We won’t get far without being spotted."

Percy rubbed the back of his neck, the weight of leadership pressing down on him. They couldn’t keep running forever, but staying in one place was a death sentence. And with Will acting so strangely, it made things even more complicated.

"We’ll head west, towards the outskirts," Percy decided. "There’s less surveillance there. We can find somewhere remote to lay low for a while."

The others nodded, though none of them looked particularly thrilled about the plan. It wasn’t much, but it was the best they could do for now.

They moved quietly through the shadows of the city, sticking to back alleys and side streets. Percy led the way, his senses on high alert. Will lagged behind, keeping to himself. Percy kept glancing over his shoulder, watching his friend carefully. The weirdness hadn’t gone away, and if anything, Will seemed to be withdrawing even more as the night wore on.

At one point, Percy stopped and fell back to walk alongside him. "Will," he whispered, "you’re not yourself. Something happened back there. What did they do to you?"

Will flinched at the question, but he didn’t stop walking. "They didn’t do anything. They just asked questions, like I said."

"Then why are you acting like this?" Percy pressed. "You’ve barely said a word since we got you out."

Will’s steps faltered, and for a moment, Percy thought he was going to say something, confess whatever was eating away at him. But instead, Will shook his head. "I’m fine, Percy. Just... drop it."

Percy clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling up inside him. But before he could push further, Jason’s voice cut through the darkness.

"Percy. We’ve got company."

Percy’s head snapped up, and his eyes scanned the area. Up ahead, near the end of the alley, he saw the telltale gleam of metal—armored figures moving toward them.

The Justice League.

"Damn it," Percy muttered. "They found us."

Ace stepped forward, her dagger already in hand. "What’s the plan?"

"We fight," Percy said, drawing Riptide from his pocket and uncapping it. The familiar bronze blade shimmered in the moonlight, and Percy felt a surge of power as the sword took form.

The Justice League wasn’t going to stop until they were captured—or worse. And Percy wasn’t about to let that happen.

"Get ready," he said, his voice low but steady. "We’re not going down without a fight."

The Justice League advanced, led by Batman and Wonder Woman. Percy’s heart pounded as he readied himself, Riptide humming with power in his hand.

Jason flipped his coin, and in an instant, it transformed into a spear. He stood beside Percy, his eyes sharp and focused. Ace was at his other side, her dagger gleaming with deadly precision.

Shadow melted into the darkness, preparing to strike from the shadows as he always did. But Will... Will stood off to the side, his expression distant, as if he wasn’t fully present.

"Will," Percy called, his voice filled with urgency. "We need you."

Will blinked, as though waking from a trance, but before he could move, Batman made his move. He lunged forward, aiming for Percy with a calculated precision.

Percy blocked the attack with Riptide, the force of the blow vibrating up his arm. Wonder Woman was right behind Batman, her lasso whirling as she advanced on Jason and Ace.

Jason parried her strikes with his spear, but Percy could see the strain on his face. They were outmatched, and they all knew it.

"Will!" Percy shouted again, desperation creeping into his voice. "We need you now!"

Will hesitated for a split second before finally stepping forward, his hands glowing with a faint golden light. He raised them, preparing to heal Jason as he took a hit from Wonder Woman’s lasso—but then, the glow flickered and died.

"What...?" Will whispered, staring at his hands in confusion.

Percy’s heart sank. Something was seriously wrong with Will. His powers weren’t working the way they should. And in the middle of a fight with the Justice League, that could mean the difference between escape and capture.

"We have to retreat!" Percy called out, blocking another strike from Batman. "Now!"

Jason nodded, barely dodging another attack from Wonder Woman. "Agreed!"

They began to fall back, using the cover of darkness to slip away from the fight. But even as they escaped into the shadows, Percy couldn’t stop the sinking feeling in his gut.

Will wasn’t just acting weird. Something was wrong with him—something dangerous. And Percy had no idea how to fix it.

Soon, he'd realize it's not just Will that had something wrong.