The Project

The Brothers

-Arista's POV-

After my element training incident, Cade was very short with me. He escorted me to the next training room, computers, and walked away without a second glance. Sitting at my work station with the trainers prowling around behind me I realize I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm a teenager so I have a basic knowlegde of technology and such, but this is no social media site. This is thousands of letters and numbers crawling across a screen, taunting me to solve them.

"Do you know anything about hacking?"

A slightly high pitched voice questions. I turn and see a boy no more than ten, with curly brown hair and big blue eyes perched on the seat beside me. His legs dangle off the edge of his stool and he smiles at me winsomly, causing me to smile in return.

"Well..not really." I admit sheepishly. I'd done my fair share of hacking friends social media accounts, but that was mild compared to the task in front of me. The little boy sticks out his hand and introduces himself. "I'm Cole. Computer expert. How can I help you, M'lady?"

I can't help but grin at that.

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you Cole?"

"I try."He winks at me and I stifle a giggle.

"So what is your name, pretty lady?"

As I'm about to answer Cole literally vanishes from my line of sight. I look up slightly to see him being held securely by another boy, and that the other boy has his hand wrapped around Cole's mouth. I can't really see the face of the phantom holding the little boy, but his voice comes from around the wriggling kid in the way.

'If he said anything to bother you I am very sorry." A low, slightly husky voice states.

"Oh, um, no he didn't. He was quite charming actually." I say with a light laugh.

Cole drops back to the ground and bows slightly to me, before looking up at the boy behind him and sticking out his tongue. I direct my line of sight in the same direction and am taken aback by the sheer appearence of this boy. He is dressed black like the rest of us Project kids but he makes it work like no other I must say, his clothes fit his well-toned body nicely and he has to be at least six foot four. His mildy tanned face has a heavily defined jawline and his cheekbones look sharp enough to cut diamonds. Waves of dark brown, almost black hair, fall just over his forehead and compliment his green eyes. I drag my eyes away from his lips..

Which look pretty damn delicious..

Ugh. Shut up hormones.

And look him in the eyes. We stare at each other for a few moments before a voice interrupts.

"If you two are done looking at each other like a hobo looks at an all expense paid meal, I was asking this gorgous lady her name. So if you'll excuse us Nick..."

Nick glares at Cole and I happen to glance at both of them.

"Are you two related by any chance?"

"Unfortunately."

"Yes."

At Cole's 'Unfortunately' I can't help but snicker. Nick gives him the second glare of his I've seen in the past thirty seconds and Cole scoots closer to me, standing slightly behind me to my left. Honestly it's obvious they're related. Same hair, same face shape, and same eyes. But one set is pure blue and one is flashing emerald. A loud buzzer goes off and I see the trainers walking from computer to computer, seemingly checking our work. I whirl back to mine, realizing I did absolutely nothing with it. But Cole is one step ahead of me, sitting on my seat and clicking away at the keys like his life depends on it. I go to stop him but Nick grabs me by the shoulder, stopping me. As I look questioningly at him he hurries to explain.

"Let him do it. He can't do much but he can hack anything."

"Funny you say I can't do much big bro. I can steal your girl anyday."

Now it's me holding Nick back, but I know he's teasing. I can already tell these brothers are closer than most, and this is their way of showing it. I doubt either would really harm each other. He seems to notice my action and smirks as I notice the placement of my hands on his well muscled chest. I jerk back like he burned me and my face flushes, the boys here are going to be the death of me. Cole moves away from my computer and I look at the screen, apprently he hacked into some stock market site. The trainers pass us and look at our screens approvingly before moving on.

"Thanks." I breathe. "You're a lifesaver."

"So what do you give the men that save your lovely behind from per.."

Nick has his hand wrapped tightly around Coles mouth as my mouth drops open a little at this kids audacity. Then Nick looks at me and extends his other hand.

"Nick. And you are?"

I put my hand in his. "Arista. Don't we go by our numbers though?"

"The computer room is a lot safer than the other training areas. We use numbers there, but here we can use our names sometimes."

My hand is still clasped in his large one, and I look back at his eyes. A snide voice cuts in.

"Well, just couldn't hold back, could you 2020?"

"Cade, when I see someone pretty I talk to them. Is that a crime?"

"Well then you've never found anyone pretty. You rarely talk to a soul here."

"Are you jealous I never succumbed to your inummerable charms Cade?"

"Perhaps I just fail to see how you couldn't have found the other girls here pretty and have to target this one."

"Yeah, cause I call dibs!" Coles little quip cuts off Cade and Nicks argument, as Nick is chuckling and Cade is looking even more irritated, just with Cole instead of his brother.

I let out a slight sigh which causes Cade to look at me, eyes glinting with malice.

"My dear, I do hope you know that his name isn't Nick. It's Nicolai."

Nicolai? Oh shit.

He is one of us.