She Will Persist

22

Adira

"Lucky on my count. Three...two... one...go. Deera wait four seconds I'll tell you when. Lucky you're going right, up the stairs, right again and then geography is the fourth row in. Axel?"

"On it."

"You've got three minutes before the guard change. Deera go now. Blitz it's your play."

"Meteorology section. The camera is top left. Two and a half minutes to pick the books up."

"Yes. Get the angle right. It just has to be loud, the books don't have to go far. Cal where are you?"

"I'm on West End and 73rd. Five miles an hour because this is Manhattan. Someone wanna do that math?"

"Lautaro?"

"Trying to diffuse a bomb guys, don't push my limits."

"How long until you're done?"

"40 seconds."

"Can you make it 35 seconds, I've got your next one in my hands."

"Don't fucking drop it Deera."

"You think?"

"Axel where'd you leave it?"

"Two seats in from the third table when you come in through the door."

"Make it subtle."

"I practiced the pick up a million times guys, picking up a security badge from the floor isn't nuclear chemistry, wouldn't you agree Quinn?"

"I can personally vouch for that."

"I've got it. Camera loop on in the elevator?"

"Yes. You're taking it three floors down, Lautaro is through the first door on the right. Lucky slow down you've got to give her a little more time."

"Where is the guy I'm taking out?"

"Right around the corner."

"Take down time?"

"Two minutes."

"Make it one, I got this."

"We've all got this guys."

-

"I kinda have to have a life for you guys to uproot, you know," Jinx stood in the middle of her apartment while we packed up our bags all around her. "I'm glad your mission was successful and, you know, no one got blown up."

Zach cleared his throat and gave Harrison a promoting look.

The younger agent zipped his navy blue sweater up to his chin. Then he walked around the couch and put his hands on Jinx's shoulders and tilted his head down a little to look her in the eyes. "Jinx, listen to me carefully. You may think what we just did was some easy fun and games, but it's serious. The original plan was to get by without killing, but unfortunately we had to. I was actually the one to pull the trigger. That's seven people whose lives I've ended now." He took another breath and watched Jinx's eyes grow wider. "I saw you staring at our guns whenever we had them out. You're a little too inquiring for your own good, and I think you know that. So you have to promise us that you won't get caught up in any of what we leave behind. Guns are very real and they rip through flesh and kill people. Do you understand me?"

Jinx balked for a few seconds before she smacked his arms off her shoulders. Her green eyes blazed beneath her dark glasses frames. "Do not speak to me like I'm a child Hot Head. I may not have seen the horrors you've seen, but I have a very active imagination."