A Silverback's Discovery

Seven: The Avenger

Han was restless. He had never had so much free time in his life. And he had never been so still. He never thought he would miss nights of patrol, but he did. He couldn't even go to Third Company's morning meetings to stay in the loop, as he was supposed to be in class.

He hadn't even made it until dinnertime after school before he called up Rand. "Save me," he said into the phone.

"From what? Is something after you?" she asked, mildly alarmed.

"From boredom."

She gave a frustrated sigh. "It's barely been a week since your injury. You know how long I've been on desk duty? Three months, Han. Months."

"Okay, okay, yes, you have it worse. What're you researching today?"

"South American archaeology, particularly in Bolivia."

Han gave a fake snore, throwing himself back onto the couch. "This is just making me more bored."

"Trying to figure out any sort of clue as to what this mysterious weapon is that Orsini might have gotten his hands on."

Han sat back up suddenly. Maybe it wasn't so boring after all. "Can I help?"

"Now you want to help? You literally snored at me."

"Well, I didn't know the stakes. Now I do, I wanna help."

"Fine. Come to the mansion."

Rand hung up the phone and Han was out the door in a matter of seconds.

***

"Am I ever going to drive that car again?" Orion asked from the doorway of the garage as Han got out of the car.

"You can drive it now, just have it back by nightfall," Han said with a smirk, throwing Orion the keys.

"Gee, thanks," Orion said, hopping down the steps and heading for the Jeep, his go-to car choice. There were several to choose from, all different kinds, from practical to luxury, convertible to SUV.

Han went inside and found Rand in the library, where she spent most of her time these days. And taking up most of the sitting spaces were the members of Easy Squad. Deb, who was blessed with the power of a bee and had some wicked cool powers, flung her long brown hair over one shoulder as she looked up at him.

"Come to help now that you're on desk duty?" she asked with a smirk.

Han ground his teeth. That was Deb for you, needlessly antagonistic. "I'm not on desk duty. I'm on a very important mission I'll have you know. I'm a spy. Like James Bond."

Nash, gifted with the powers of a rhino, gave a small snort of laughter at that and then immediately turned read. "Sorry," he said, covering his face with his book. But his ears, too big for his head, were still in view.

"What? I could be like James Bond."

"Suuuuuure," Deb said, twirling a strand of hair in one finger and turning back to her book.

Han looked at the last member of Easy Squad for some kind of backup. Micah, a tall, lanky kid gifted by some kind of small pig species that Han could never remember the name of, sat on the floor, leaning against the love seat. He was the newest member of the team and so therefore, Han figured, was the most likely to want to impress and please. "You could be James Bond," he said unconvincingly.

Han rolled his eyes and moved to sit next to Rand on the couch. "You all wouldn't know spy talent if it hit you in the face." He poked Rand's arm. "Any new developments?"

Rand didn't even glance up from her book. "In the hour since we last spoke? No. Still reading. Here." She handed him a book from the pile in front of her.