A Foreign Dose

Chapter 2: Everett

     "From my calculations, the flight from London to Paris is only an hour and a half so we have about seventy-three minutes left,"  I replied to Elias.  He chewed his peanuts in silence, flexing his strong jaw, and nodded at me. 

     "Or you could have just looked it up on google maps." Malachai pulled out his dark, slender phone and showed it to me.

     "Well some of us don't need to rely on technology for everything." That was Evie from my right, glaring at Malachai.  She always prefers the window seat, she gets sick.

     Malachai laughed and met my eyes. "Awe, you have big sister fighting your battles for you?" he fixed his gaze back on her. "That's cute."

      I crossed my arms and grumbled under my breath, "We're twins."  Everyone always assumes that Evangaline is older than me. It's probably because I've never acquired a leadership role as she has.  I'm always behind a desk, well, my control center is more like it.  I never really go out into the field, I'm the tech analyst for the team.  Mom's always babied me, doesn't think that I can handle anything.  To most people, it would look like I'm the favorite but it's really my sister.  Mom puts so much pressure on Evie so that she's constantly excelling in everything she does. Hah, I'd like to see her do what I do every day.  That's a little unfair though because there's no way I could ever lead a team like she does.  I have to admit that it's true, she's the best.  And only two minutes older.

      Elias decided to bud in. "I think it's really cool how you can do all of that in your head.  I can hardly do math without my fingers." He chuckled softly.

      At least not everyone is so terrible.  Elias seems to be quite the gentleman.  His freshly pressed suit is crisp without a single wrinkle, even as he crosses his legs with his dress shoes gleaming in the window.  I haven't heard anything come out of his mouth that you couldn't say to your grandma.  "Then why are you on the team?"  Malachai brought me out of my reverie.

      I heard a small squeal from the other side of the aisle.  "Oh, speaking of which, what are all of your specialties?" Isla looked as if she might fall out of her seat and meet a terrible fate if the turbulence were to hit at just the right time.

      Evie cleared her throat.  Without truly knowing what's beneath her layers, she's my mom's mini-me.  Everything she's ever learned came from mom.  Even the clearing the throat trick to grab everyone's attention.  "I, Evangaline-well you can call me Evie, am-"

     She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before Malachai interrupted her. "We know. You're the head bitch in charge. Emphasis on the bitch." He leaned his head against the window, still looking at her.

    I leaped out of my seat, lunging at him.  Before I could reach him, I was back in my seat with Evies hand on my chest.  I can feel her steel ring, cool and heavy, against the heavy rise and fall of my chest.  Malachai straightened in his seat and a grin was plastered across that dangerously handsome face of his. "What were you going to do pretty boy?  Blab about paradigm-busting theories until I stabbed pencils in my ears?"

   "Both of you quit!" Evangaline snapped before conversing in a more polite manner with Isla.  "So you're the weapons specialist, correct?"

     Isla nodded and smiled. "Yes, I am.  Of course it's more than just weapons.  I also get to design our uniforms and fun, practical little gadgets to use."  She clasped her hands together in excitement.  I wonder how someone as bright and bubbly as her ended up here in life.  She should be out saving turtles or counseling a youth camp somewhere. 

    Evie returned her smile.  "Well, I'm glad to know that our uniforms are in the hands of someone with such impeccable taste."  She turned back to Elias, who sat in front of me. "And you?"

    He responded in his deep, husky voice.  "I guess you could say that I'm very knowledgable in the world of drugs."  Evie didn't dare to inquire any further.  She instead spoke to Dax, who is sitting across from Isla.

   "What do you do?" She asked.

   He shrugged, avoiding eye contact with anyone.  "I guess I'm just good at executing orders."

   The voice from next to Dax spoke up.  "I'm very skilled in every field, a very versatile member." She coaxed her words in honey, but I can still detect the venom hidden underneath.  It's exactly people like Malachai and, I think her name is Dahlia, which made my life a living hell for the past 15 years.  Even in my 20's, I can't escape them.

  The next hour passed in silence, heavy with the tension that comes along with seven strangers who carry their ominous past with them everywhere that they go.