She Will Persist

21

Adira

All the boys were fast asleep, cheeks bunched up against the pillows or backpacks they had their heads resting on.

The fight we had yesterday didn't mean much. If I hadn't been here it would probably be someone else in a headlock and dangerously close to death. I wasn't worried about it affecting the dynamics of the mission too much. Frankly, it was about time we all erupted into a fight. Despite what I told Axel the other day about talking feelings out, there was no way that was gonna work with these boys. Sometimes a little blood and bruises were the only way to solve a problem. At least with spy agents.

I couldn't sleep. I could still feel Owen's arm around my neck like ghost claws. Getting choked was another painful memory from my time with the Syntegos that I thought I'd pushed away with Axel's help, but I guess it had been at the back of my throat this whole time, just waiting for a small hiccup to bring it back up.

Axel was beside me, our legs tangled up together even though I was sitting up and he was fast asleep on the carpeted floor. Occasionally he'd murmur something incoherent. I wasn't the only one with nightmares. I'd simply reach down and run my hand through his hair once or twice and he'd quiet down.

It was about 4 in the morning. The mission was tomorrow, and by that evening we'd be back at the agency in Denver. The thought of not having Axel beside me all night to calm me down frightened me a little bit, I wouldn't lie about that. But there was no way in hell I'd ask Flagg if we could keep doing it. My dorm mates would just have to deal with getting scared out of their minds when I started screeching in the middle of the night.

-

"10:24 I drive around to the south end of the library," Cal said.

"10:26 Harrison, Quinn, Lautaro, Blitz and I come out the north exit. Quinn, Blitz and I go around the east side," Axel said.

"10:26 Lautaro and I go west and we meet Oakleigh in the car," Harrison said.

"10:27 I disconnect from their server and the camera footage goes back to live," said James.

"10:28 I get up to the roof from the fire escape ladder," I said.

"10:29 I get up on the roof from the vents," Lucky said. "10:30 Adira and I use the grappling strings to get down the south side of the library. 10:31 we join you guys in the car."

"Back here by 11:03. Mission complete," Owen said.

We all nodded our heads as we studied the blueprints of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. James had been taking out his drone everyday and doing x-ray scans of the whole building over the course of our time at Jinx's, to finally print out an accurate map of the library Basilone will be targeting with his bombs.

Owen had said we were agents above all else. He was right. We put what happened yesterday behind us to go over our plan one last time.

The German looked satisfied that everyone knew what they were doing, yet exhausted. He still couldn't stand up without holding onto something, but Cal said he should try and maintain good blood flow, so he was with the rest of the group crowding around the outline on the end of the kitchen counter, gripping the edge like it was life support.

"Lucky, Adira, you get the grappling strings ready?"

The Mongolian and I exchanged a quick look of surprise. "Yes?" Lucky replied cautiously. Owen had given us the order almost in the form of a question, like we had a choice whether or not to do it. From the older boy's tired blue eyes I think it might be an apology for choking me half to death.