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“Most likely,” Harry said. “He’ll be useful to us, in time. But we can’t waste time looking for a passive player.”
“I’m never averse to taking an active role.”
Tess didn’t even think about what she was doing. For some reason, her head swayed from her hand and she glanced around just in time to glimpse of Daire’s eyes in the mirror, pinned on her.
As fast as they met, she drew them away. “Can we have music?” she asked. “Maybe the radio. I think you disagree with each other just for something to do.”
“Debate is healthy,” Harry said. “Prompts innovative problem solving and decision making.”
“Except you’re not making any decisions,” she said, undoing her seatbelt and grabbing the shoulders of both chairs to boost herself forward.
Squeezing between the seats, she lunged over to open the glovebox and raked through the cassettes.
“What are you doing?” Harry asked. “Sit back in your seat. It’s dangerous to be doing that while we’re moving.”
“Thought your buddy was a super-agent,” she said, finding the desired tape and shoving it into the deck. “He should be able to drive in a straight line while I wave my ass in the air.”
As the music started, she dropped to sit in the middle of the back seat.
“Tess—”
“Let me tell you what I’ve heard since we got on the road,” she said. “Both of you fundamentally agree that information is key. Neither of you have a lot of love for Zeus, but both of you respect he shouldn’t be underestimated. Olympus is out because, A) it’s already in the rearview. B) you can’t access your precious Minotaur. And C) you hang there too long and Zeus will sneak up on you. So instead of staying there, waiting, you want to speak to your Six, or what’s left of them, to ask for money for a new venture.”
“Asking for money gives us a read on them,” Daire said. “Doesn’t matter if we get it. Their reaction is what we want to assess.”
“You’re explaining something she doesn’t need to know,” Harry said.
Daire didn’t respond. But that was okay; Tess could speak for herself.
“You are used to having agents under you and, from the sounds of it, unlimited resources,” she said. “You don’t have that anymore. Believe me, I’m not wild about it, but for now, the three of us are it.”
“You won’t be taking part in anything,” Harry said. “As soon as we can, we will find somewhere for you to stay in hiding.”
“Think about leaving me anywhere and I guarantee I won’t be there when you come back for me.”
Harry twisted a little and paused before turning around to look at her. “Why do you insist on being difficult?”
“Same reason you insist on being ornery,” she said. “It’s in the blood, I guess.”
A murmur of an almost silent laugh came from the driver’s seat. “If she’s with us, we can keep an eye on her.”
“You say that as though I’m the problem,” she said. “I won’t cause trouble.”
“You are trouble,” Harry said. “With a capital T. We can’t have a woman involved in ops.”
“Why not?” she asked. “You said Daire’s mom was an agent.”
“An agent? Absolutely not,” Harry said. “You will never act in the field.”
Hooking her arms onto the shoulders of both front seats, Tess pulled herself to the edge of hers. “Daire does.”
“Daire is trained.”
“You can train me.”
Harry laughed. “I don’t have enough years left in me… or the patience.”
Tess sighed. “Look, I’m not interested in being a super-agent. All I want is the freedom to live my life my way… Isn’t that what you want? You’re only doing this for your freedom.”
