Vampire Agent (English Version)

Chapter 14

Widow

When I finally finished in the restroom and rinsed my mouth several times, I shakily left the stall and headed back to my seat. Jonas must have heard me coming and got up to make room for me.
"Are you okay?" he asked as I sat down.
"Hm," I grumbled, putting on my hood and lounging back into the cushion.
"So far, there's rarely been anyone who's had such severe side effects from this stuff," he said, sitting back down and now opening a book.
"You mean apart from lions and elephants?", I grumbled sarcastically.
"I'm afraid there's not much that will knock your species' socks off in a very short time," Jonas apologized without looking up.
"How long have we been flying?", I then wanted to know after a short silence.
"For about three hours. This is a non-stop flight, that's..."
"I know what a nonstop flight is you moron," I interrupted him as he was about to launch into an explanation. He looked at me scrutinizingly.
"...We're flying for another four hours or so." he then said, putting a bookmark in his book and setting it aside.
"Dirt.", I muttered.
"How many times have you flown?"
I fell silent.
"First time?" he asked, because I didn't answer.
"Yeag.", I admitted grumbling. He handed me something and I realized it was gum.
I hesitated for a long moment, but then took it in a sharp movement.
"If you don't swallow it, you should be able to tolerate it," he said, watching me as I unwrapped it and wordlessly popped it into my mouth. Then I sat up again. As long as I felt this sick, I wouldn't get a wink of sleep anyway.
"Where's your entourage?", I asked, since I hadn't seen the two agents anywhere yet.
"They just took you to the plane and then went back to the quarters. Along with the data carrier they found in your pants pocket.", he looked at me as if expecting a confession.
"The things you carry around with you," I shrugged and leaned my head back.
"You're not too good for anything, are you?" he asked me, pressing his lips together in disappointment.
"I've peeked into the data, and since I don't know your intentions, nor those of the original client, I don't really think much of letting the thing fall into someone else's hands."
"So you're just a concerned citizen who wants to help.", he nodded with a playfully bona fide look.
"Funny. Do you even know what's on it?"
"Not quite."
"I don't know if I should believe you," I said mumbeling, checking the screen on the back of the seat in front of me.
"Unlike you, I'm not a compulsive liar," he tracked my every move with his gaze.
"The words of the reviewer?", I asked rhetorically, snorting dismissively, "I have different priorities than you, or other humans. Among them, that the formula for a newly developed nerve poison should not necessarily fall into the wrong hands."
He would inspect the contents of the disk anyway.
Eventually.
Jonas came to attention and gave me a serious look.
"Nerve poison?" he asked slowly, and I could tell for a moment that he was a little worried.
So he actually had no idea what was on that flash drive.
"Maybe you should get a hearing aid if you can't hear me properly," I replied pressedly, the corners of my mouth twisting a little downward. He'd better not speak so loudly.
"There are enough effective toxins, why develop a new one?", so he started talking to himself. But for me to have an expert opinion.
"What I would wonder much more is what a clan would want to do with it," I gave him the food for thought.
"Do you know which clan it was?" he inquired.
"I don't know. But little Vampirella had the action with the fire imposed on her as an entrance exam. And if that clan risks attacking the leadership of a government agency without restraint, I think there's something behind it that doesn't bode well in any case," I muttered emphatically quietly, so that other people wouldn't be able to eavesdrop on our conversation so well.
"Hm.", Jonas murmured, "You're smarter than I thought."
"Under other circumstances, I'd be flattered right now," I shook my head and looked through the movies.
Yikes, Drama.
"Maybe you are a help after all.", he said considering and I saw his slight grin out of the corner of my eye.
"If I knew what to help with, I'd certainly be more of use," I grumbled, finally putting on the headphones.
"Don't worry, you'll find out what's going on at the meeting at the latest," he said encouragingly.
But I felt rather uncomfortable at the thought of a surprise that I probably won't like.