Intelligence Kills

Chapter 7

Seven-

Friday-

Jack hit his head against the wheel for the eighth time in twelve minutes. All morning, Athena had been pointing out all of his various mistakes while driving. She'd nag him about no turn signals, speeding or, like right now, tailgating the driver ahead of us. I could tell it was driving him nuts but Athena seemed to be enjoying every second of it. Rouse and I were sitting in the back listening to him gripe about how she couldn't leave him alone. Wasn't this guy like, in his thirties?

We were driving in a Mercedes Sprinter Van. It was black and the only windows were the ones in the driver and passenger doors and the windshield. The back was like a surveillance van, according to Athena. The right wall was covered with screens, monitors and buttons. The left had two desks with computers and chairs, cabinets and shelves loaded with gadgets. Rouse and I were in the back section. He was connecting to satellite dishes in space to help us figure out ways to destroy Alithera. I was transferring blueprints into the computer system and displaying them on the screens on the right wall.

"You know, this whole comms unit thing is confusing," I said. I picked up an earpiece and watched it dangle from the thin, transparent wire. Rouse yanked it from my hands.

"Why's that," he asked sharply. I really hated this guy. I glared at him and pulled the earpiece back.

"Why are you here," I shot back. It was the fifth thing we'd found to argue about in the last five minutes. Rouse was picking the fights. I'd say one thing and he'd be all over me. In all honesty, it reminded me of Accord. Both were completely useless, utterly annoying and craved unneeded attention.

"He's here because I want him here," Jack snapped, turning to glare at me. Athena smacked him upside the head and he turned his glare to her. "Will you please stop it?!"

"Eyes on the road, dipshit," she retorted. He turned furiously to face the front. She looked back at me and rolled her eyes. I smirked.

"Jack, why the hell did you want him? He's annoying and he bugs me," I said. Jack almost turned around but Athena's death glare stopped him about halfway. Rouse shot me his own glare. I sneered at him.

"Shut up, McCoy. It's Mr. Corbin. Not 'Jack.' I'm way older than you," Jack said. I snorted.

"I'll call you what I want," I said. I paused for affect. "Jack."

"Why did I have to be stuck with to fucking teenagers," Jack groaned. Athena looked around, turning all the way around in her seat before she turned to look back at Jack. She shrugged and gave him a confused look.

"I don't see anyone fucking in here," she said. I covered my laughter with a cough. She had a dirty mind... Rouse sat with his mouth open and Jack's jaw twitched. Athena's lips twitched into a smile. She looked back at me and winked. "Hey, Sniper! Jack says he's stuck with two fucking teenagers. I don't see anyone. Do you?"

I shook my head, my shoulders went through a series of spasms from my contained laughter. "Nope."

She flipped her hair back over her shoulder, unbuckled her seatbelt and walked back to me. He eyes glittered mischievously. Jack hit the gas and she lurched forward into my lap. I caught her before her head collided with the armrest of the chair. She glanced back at Jack. I swear his jaw was about to dislocate from how tight he was holding it.

"Knock it off you two," Rouse snapped. He pointed to Athena. "Back up front girly."

She sighed. "We weren't going to do anything. Gosh, loser. You need to get out more." Her smile widened when Rouse didn't say anything. She walked back up to the front.