ASHES ↠ b. barnes [II]

four

        IT WAS A WARM SUNDAY in Romania, and even though the assets had made it a routine to go outside and take a walk on that day— since they didn't have to work, they were stuck with their mission this time.

         Their apartment floor was covered in newspaper. At simple glance, pictures and big letter could be seen, the paper carefully organized by sections and small spaces uncovered so that the two could walk around.

        Allura was sitting down on the floor, her legs crossed and her green eyes as focused as they could be. Her strawberry blonde hair was in a loose but slightly picked up on the top. She was wearing a black t-shirt and grey pants, black socks on her feet since she didn't fell completely comfortable when she was barefoot.

         She was folding a piece of newspaper that had no useful information for her case. She carefully put it on the table, knowing that James enjoyed reading it and would most likely check it out later.

        Said man walked into the apartment, carrying more newspaper in his arms. He observed his apartment, rolling his eyes and putting the newspaper on the empty space.

        "You're lucky this man likes us and gives us newspaper for free." Allura turned to him, a small cheeky smile appearing on her lips as she raised an article about the two bands.

         "They're two different groups. One of them had a symbol on their uniforms, which is covered as if it were prohibited." She told him simply. "According to this, they've been fighting for years. Ever since-"

         "1976." James interrupted, showing her an article his eyes had landed on. "This says they've been all over Europe. Fighting and making crime scenes as they go." He showed her a map that traced all of the countries they had been in.

        "Spain, France, Bulgaria, Norway, Iceland, Germany, Sweden and Romania." She read out loud, her green eyes going to her partner. "Were we taught Swedish?" She asked him, the man's eyes filling with amusement as he nodded.

         "I can't bring Swedish newspapers, though." He told him, going to sit next to her and checking the newspapers as well.

        "No, Soldat. That's what the Internet is for." She showed him her phone, James raising an eyebrow and pointing at all of the newspaper.

         "I don't have a phone."

         "No. You have newspaper." James shook his head.

         "So you get the phone and I get the paper?"

        "You've always been better at reading it than I am." And that was true, and it was probably something about who they were before that made them have different talents and specialties.

        Allura always worked digitally back in her planet, with manufactured digital representations. She'd use them skillfully, without breaking a sweat as her fingers slid on the flying screens.

        As for James, he had always read the newspaper when he was younger in New York. He had grown up in the twenties, when technology wasn't as advanced as it had been becoming in the past years.

        "You couldn't even turn the phone on when I gave it to you." Allura shot him a look, the man sighing and opening the newspaper next to him. "Fine." He said.

         Allura opened her notebook, ripped a page out and grabbed a pen, beginning to read articles and to write the important pieces on it. Her fingers seemed to move on their own as she typed and scrolled, James turning to her every now and then to see just how good she was at using the device.