Page 46 of Static/Cling

Bjorn rubbed fingertips hard against his chest. “I am not a very good friend.”

“Bet Leif would argue.”

Bjorn couldn’t help a smile at the warmth that idea filled him with. “Maybe.”

“Okay. I’m turning you off now so I can test the others. Fingers crossed it comes back on when you need it.”

“Always.”

There was an almost imperceptible click in his ear and when he glanced over at Sal, they winked at him, then spoke, and across the room, Leif laughed and gave them a thumbs up.

They left soon after that, loading the van in one trip. It wasn’t a mission that required a lot of gear, which, Bjorn thought computers and backup computers, and maybe even backups for the backups, should have figured more heavily in the make-up of their load out, but what did he know about digital search and retrieval?

He wasn’t there to do the heavy lifting. He was there in case it all went sideways.

“Here.” Leif handed him the shirt he’d lined. “Put this on.”

“Why?”

“Insurance. I don’t want you building up a huge charge and shorting out that earpiece, or the van or something.”

It made sense. He donned the shirt and tried not to shiver at the way the static crawled along his skin as if trying to get away from it. After a few minutes, he could tell the charge he naturallybuilt up over time had dissipated slightly. It was odd, and he couldn’t decide if he liked it or not.

Roger drove, which was a surprise. Bjorn would have thought him too flighty and distractible, but he proved remarkably competent behind the wheel. Although he did concede it was probably better not to have anyone sitting beside him, just in case.

Leif continued to work on the liner for Bjorn’s clothes, having moved on from the shirt—which Bjorn had on—to a pair of loose jeans he’d retrieved from Bjorn’s dresser. The project had taken over the entire middle seat.

Bjorn sat in the very back seat with Kassian, one shoulder pressed against the window with Kassian’s head on his other one.

Kassian snored. Loudly.

Half an hour after Roger pulled out of the Tim’s drive-through, Sal hmmmmed quietly in Bjorn’s ear.

He frowned. “Sal?”

“Hi. Listen?—”

“Kassian’s sleeping,” Leif whispered. “Please let him.”

“And Roger’s driving,” Bjorn added. “Maybe don’t distract him.”

“I’ve turned them both off. I just want to talk to you two.”

“What about?”

“I need you to watch over my boys.”

“Sal,” Bjorn said.

Leif chuckled. “Did you forget we’re the noobs here?”

“This is personal for Kassian. And Roger’s… well, he’s Roger. Keep him on task. He’s fine if he has a job, so just make sure he has a job at all times. And Kassian, keep him out of his head. Don’t let him start thinking about his brothers or get all vigilante on us. Get in, get the file, get out. That’s all we’re doing here. Not starting a war with the military.”

“We’re a team, Sal,” Leif reminded them. “We’ll all look out for each other.”

“I worry Kassian might forget to do that.”

“He’s a pro,” Bjorn reminded them.

---