She Will Persist

15

Adira

"I'll call the Director," Owen stood up and pulled the burner phone out from his back pocket.

"There you go again..." James muttered, lowering the lid of the laptop. "Not calling him Flagg like some of the L1's."

Owen put his hands on the table and stared James down with his foul blue eyed glare. "You know, considering that we just uncovered some pretty vital information that will probably prolong our time together, I'd learn how to hold my fucking tongue," he growled down at him.

James wasn't even the slightest bit deterred. "I wouldn't hold your breath."

Owen looked about ready to launch himself across the table and sock the redhead in the face. "Check what is leaving quicker, a ferry or a plane from here to Tunis," he directed James harshly.

James grudgingly slid the laptop back over to himself and started typing. "Yes mission leader," his snarky voice was dipped in venom.

"Just fucking do it Strider!" Owen yelled at him.

Axel and I exchanged another look. This was continuing to go just swimmingly.

"What are you going to tell Flagg?" Cal butted in quickly.

Owen sighed and tore his eyes away from shooting daggers at James. "That Basilone has been supplying terrorists with bomb supplies."

Cal licked his lips. "But do we really know that for sure? What about his boat, the one that went missing with him that they found wrecked off the coast of Tunis?"

"Probably put there on purpose. Fake his death, get people to stop sniffing," Axel said, turning away from the table to watch Owen scroll through the phone in his hands. Next to him I did the same thing. "It's a classic for a reason."

"Do you think he's there right now then? At the factory?"

"Well, we're finding out."

"Ferry. 2:30 this afternoon," James said. He shut both laptops and slid them off the table then carried them off to his backpack.

"Tickets?"

"Already got them."

-

"Do you know what we should do?" Lautao's accent suddenly cut through the sea breeze.

I turned from where I had been staring at the glimmering water off the portside of the ferry. We were moving quick, the water all kinds of shades of blue beneath the white foam the boat's motors were kicking up. The afternoon sky was clear, and the wind was quick, but not laced with ice. I stood beside Axel overlooking the boat, still in his dark sweatshirt. Lautaro, Cal, and James were behind me leaning against the windows of the bridge.

"Fuck this and head to Vegas?" Axel suggested. He turned and leaned against the side of the boat right next to me.

Lautaro seemed to contemplate this for a second before snapping out of it. "No. We should totally prank Blitz."

Cal's eyes lit up and he took his back off the dark tinted windows. "Yes! We know how much he values sleep and we can take it away from him!" Blitz was inside napping somewhere, saying he would come outside in just a few minutes. But that was about 45 minutes ago.

James squinted at the Irishman. "I had no idea you were so devilish Cal." His red hair picked up in the breeze and whipped around on his head.

"Are you saying you're not getting in on this?"