Entropy

 Characters: Alex Rider, Jack Starbright, and Harry Potter

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 2,217

"Eight A, Eight B. Eight A, Eight B…" Jack Starbright muttered repeatedly to herself as she scanned for their designated seats, moving hurriedly down the narrow aisle of the mid-sized plane that she and her fourteen year old ward had just boarded.

Said ward followed behind her at a more sedate pace, one hand stuck casually in his pocket. He wore a slight grin as he watched his guardian glare viciously at a tall man in a suit and tie who was trying to steal her space in the overhead luggage compartment.

Who knew that Jack was such a harried flyer?

"Let me get that." Alex offered as he approached, grabbing the surprisingly bulky tote bag she had been lugging behind her. This was his first encounter handling the carry-on, Jack earlier having protested adamantly about anyone, but her taking charge of the bag. His many attempts to help her with it had been gunned down faster than a plane in enemy territory. Alex was now honestly worried as to what she had contained within it…

"Thank you Alex," Jack growled. "At least you're polite!" At this she shot an evil glare in the direction of Mr. Suit and Tie, making the man scowl back and retreat further down the aisle in search of more people to cheat out of their rightful repositories. Though it really wasn't needed considering the fact that they were among the first to board the plane, leaving quite a bit of room for them all. Alex supposed that he just had a lot of luggage. Or, you know, something…

"The nerve of that man!" The red-head fumed, immediately reaching to take back her luggage. "He could clearly see that it was my space, and that I was trying to put my stuff up there! Hmph!"

In a surprising display of strength, she heaved the bag up off the floor and into the overhead compartment. Alex blinked.

"So I'm guessing that you won'tneed help with that?"

"Oh, sit down!" Jack grumbled, lightly shoving the teen into their row.

"Ooh, window seat."

"On second thought, no!" She pulled him back out again and hurried in first, plunking herself down in the far seat, which had just been claimed previously by her young ward. "I want the window seat." She smirked triumphantly at the fair-haired teen.

"Okay, that is no fair!" Alex objected, though he sat down next to her anyway, swinging his small rucksack off his back and carefully stowing it underneath the seat in front of him.

"Life's not fair." She commented blithely, pulling out the in-flight magazine that was stored in the pouch attached to the back of the seat in front of her. She started to flip through it as Alex settled himself down, finding the most comfortable position that he could on the hard cushions. Might as well get themselves set before the barrage of people swarmed onto the plane with them, and stole their peace.

Both of their activities were suddenly interrupted by the presence of another passenger as he stopped at the end of their aisle, and his jaunty greeting, "Pardon me, but I think that I have the pleasure of sitting with you two."

Alex, paranoid, suspicious, spy Alex, automatically gave the man an initial once-over, taking in his stance, expression, and the (thankful) lack of weapon-like bulges under his clothes. Then, relaxing slightly, he gave him a more thorough inspection. Jack just turned red.

Casual, white-washed jeans, well fitted. A comfortable yet stylish cotton button up, along with a seemingly expensive brown cloth jacket framing his shoulders. A watch, digital, set to military time, coupled with well worn, yet somehow fashionable construction boots, probably once belonging to his father. Overall his appearance subtly indicated the presence of money though the apparent favoring of comfort and function over flash.