Connected Infection

5. Upheaval - Chapter 2.1

 2

Baltimore, USA

Monday, July 17th 2028

18:19 (UTC-4)

'Agent Raven, your timing is impeccable.'

Raven threw a glare at his partner, and then scowled down at the stain on his shirt. 'It's not my fault that woman jammed so much relish in my burger,' he said.

'You've got some on your chin too.' Popescu reached across the car and brushed his jaw with her fingers.

Raven waved her hand away and ran his fist over his mouth. 'Did I get it?'

'No, it's still there.'

'You did ask for extra relish,' Jim Jimenez said, from the back seat of the car they'd collected from UNAXI's New York offices.

'I meant enough to actually taste,' Raven muttered, 'not more relish than meat. Did I get it?'

'No. There, by your chin,' Popescu said.

'I'm wiping my chin! There?'

'No,' she pointed. 'There. Honestly, it's like working with a child.'

'Now?'

'No, there. There's still a big smear of the stuff.'

'Where? I'm rubbing my face off!' Raven snapped.

'Come here, let me do it.'

'No, I can do it,' he said, placing both hands over his jaw and dragging them across his face. 'There.' He turned to face Popescu.

She frowned. 'Raven, oh, look, let me...'

'Are you sure it's relish?' he demanded, grabbing the rearview and angling it towards him, craning his neck to see his jaw. 'Are you sure it isn't a... There's nothing there!' He turned on Popescu, fists bunching as she descended into a fit of giggles. 'You think that's funny?'

His partner nodded, her glossy hair falling in front of her face. Jimenez also began to laugh.

Raven snarled and drove his fist hard into Popescu's upper arm.

'Hey-' Jimenez began, and Raven rounded on him, reaching between the seats to grab the American agent by the collar, yanking him into range.

'Raven, cool it, we're on a job,' Popescu said, taking hold of his wrist.

Raven took a long breath and threw Jimenez back. He turned back to the front, frowning at the smear on his shirt again. 'What am I going to do about this?' he said.