Deviant by Adrian McKinty Page B

group, and possibly a covert religious agenda. I formed our team to probe that agenda and keep an eye on them. Hence the Watchers.”
    â€œWe got the name from
Buffy
,” Cooper said.
    â€œThey pray and read the Bible … That’s the big secret?” Danny said, unimpressed.
    â€œWell, no, there’s also the covert religious agenda,” Tom said.
    â€œSince we’re rushing, can I bring up the cat story?” Tony queried.
    â€œIn a minute, yes,” Tom said. “But Coop, you had some information about Hector Watson?”
    â€œYeah, apparently he’s trying to get a date with Jessica Pereillo,” Cooper said.
    â€œI thought it was pertinent information,” Tom replied, irritated.
    â€œWho told you he asked her out?” Tony wondered.
    â€œI heard it from Billy Reynolds. Hector was all braggy about it,” Cooper said.
    â€œHector doesn’t brag. He’s actually an OK guy, if you want to know,” Tony said.
    â€œYou’re friends with that skeevy Hector dude?” Danny asked.
    â€œHe’s not skeevy, he’s OK,” Tony said.
    â€œHe’s the man behind the man,” Tom said. “But even so, we’ll move on to the security breach. Olivia?”
    Olivia cleared her throat and took a piece of paper from her pocket. “They’re pretty clueless. They don’t have the technology to make a radio descrambler, and they don’t know how to do a wireless paging system run on a remote server,” Olivia said with satisfaction.
    â€œAnd that’s what you’d need, is it?” Cooper asked quietly.
    â€œOr two cans and a very, very long piece of string,” Danny added.
    Olivia chuckled with an adorable little laugh.
    â€œTommy, do you have any cups up there?” a voice yelled from downstairs.
    â€œDammit, I thought she was at Safeway,” Tom said.
    â€œThis is some meeting,” Cooper said sourly.
    â€œWe’ll do it at your house, then. I’m sure that will be perfect,” Tom said.
    â€œYou know we can’t with Aunt Lisa always around,” Cooper muttered.
    â€œTommy, do you have any cups?” Tom’s mother yelled again.
    â€œNo peace at all in here, and we have to come all the way from Cobalt,” Cooper said.
    â€œDo something about it, then,” Tom snapped.
    â€œWhy don’t we meet at Starbucks, like I suggested?” Cooper said.
    â€œZero security at Starbucks. Zero.”
    â€œTom! Cups!”
    â€œI’ll take the cups down,” Tony said, getting up and grabbing the assorted cups, mugs, and glasses.
    â€œI’ll help you,” Olivia said.
    When they had gone, the mood was even more strained.
    Finally Cooper cleared his throat and asked Danny, “Listen, er, a couple of us have been wondering if you and Tony are going out?”
    â€œWhat? Are you kidding? I only just met her.”
    â€œAh, good, good, because I was going to, I was thinking of, well …”
    â€œTake it from me, you got no chance with that high-maintenance rich girl,” Tom said.
    You’re one to talk, Danny thought, but said, “She’s not that rich. Her dad works at NORAD.”
    â€œEverybody that lives in that part of Cobalt is rich,” Tom said.
    I live in that part of Cobalt, Danny thought. The boyssat in silence for a minute before Danny said, “Olivia seems nice.”
    Tom nodded.
    Finally Cooper said, “So last night I was on Gears and I was just drifting, chatting, killing people, getting experience—”
    Tom began coughing and gasping for air.
    â€œWhat’s happening to you?” Cooper asked with no concern whatsoever.
    â€œI’m feigning an asthma attack,” Tom said.
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œSo you won’t tell me any more of your Gears of War story.”
    Before either of them got really ticked off, the girls came back.
    â€œTom needs mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” Cooper said to