The Hanging Man • JW

Mind Games

Athena woke up to someone nudging her softly. Her eyes flicked open to reveal that her head was leaning on someone's shoulder. Lazily, she looked up and saw a pair of familiar doe brown eyes  smiling down at her.

"Morning, sleeping Beauty," Jack grinned as Athena pushed herself off him.

"Shut up," she mumbled tiredly, eyeing him with a hard glare. Instead of shutting up, he snorted with laughter making her shove him playfully.

The five of them squeezed out of the car and headed through the airport to meet their Boss who was waiting for them in a private jet.

"Late," Tressler tutted as they sat in the comfy aeroplane seats.

Danny checked his watch, "right on time." He gave a cheeky grin before sitting down.

The six of them talked for a while, going over the show and just small talk until the jet rumbled to life and it started to go down the runway.

Athena sighed, gripping onto her seat preparing for the uneasy takeoff. She closed her eyes as the plane sped along, and suddenly felt a hand place on top of hers.

Slowly, she opened a eye and saw Jack smiling softly at her. For the first time in ages Athena felt heat rise into her cheeks as she smiled back at him.

"You're not scared of planes are you?" Jack teased, reminding her of their first plane ride together.

"Not scared of planes, just them flying... With me in them," she grinned, her mind suddenly fading from the plane ascending rapidly in the air. 

Athena's ocean  eyes caught his dancing brown ones and she swore a shiver ran down her spine. It was always chilly on these plane rides...

The two conversed throughout most of the plane ride before remembering the plan. They quickly got up and entered the part of the plane where Arty, Danny, Henley and Merritt were talking.

"No," Arthur said, looking at Danny, "do me."

Athena cocked a eyebrow, crossing her arms. "When was this relationship going to be revealed," she smirked, making Danny's jaw drop.

"Shut up, Athena," he rolled his eyes before returning to Arthur.

"But I warn you, I can be hard to read when I want to be," Arthur continued, crossing his arms.

Danny pointed back and forth between them. "Just stay with me, okay?"

He paused for a moment, as if he was trying to sink into Arthur's past. "So Art, You were a tough kid. A real rapscallion." He made a mime of a punching action before continuing. "You had a dog, a real tough dog. A brutish breed... A real- I want to say Ben the Bulldog?"

"Actually," Arthur scoffed, "I was a prissy little tot. I had a fluffy white cat called Snuffles." The other four horsemen burst into laughter as Danny shook his head.

"Let me try," Jack suggested, looking eager. "I can do way better than that."

"Yeah, let Jack do it," Athena grinned, glancing at the boy.

Danny shook his head again, "Come on. Give me one more time!"

Athena groaned, burying her face into her hands. "Prepare everyone," she mumbled before letting a eye peek through her fingers.

Ignoring Athena, Daniel continued. "Family," he said, "let's do family." Arthur raised a eyebrow. "You had a uncle on your mothers side. A  masculine name. A real kind of, salt-of-the-Earth, you know? A real stick-it-to-you kind of name. Like some kind of.. Paul Thompson?" Danny paused, hoping for a shed of light before sighing heavily.

"You know what? I got nothing."

Arthur shrugged, "nearly though."

Danny's eyes widened. "Was I?"

"My uncles name was Cushman Ermitage," Arthur laughed along with the other at Danny's disappointed face.

"Really? Snuffles and Cusham Ermitage, that was your childhood?" Danny sighed, sitting down on the aeroplane seat, defeated.

"I really hope tonight's show is going to be better than this," Arthur commented, raising a eyebrow at the horsemen.

Athena grinned cheekily, a glint in her eyes. "It will be magical, Arty," she spoke with a almost sarcastic tone as she leant back into the seat.

The plane soon landed, driving the horsemen wild with excitement. In a few hours they were going to do the unthinkable.

***

Athena thought it was impossible for a smile to be so big as Danny hacked into Arthur's account using the information they had tricked him into giving.

"Piece of cake," he mumbled under his breath as he rapidly typed numerous things into the laptop.

Athena watched, sitting besides the older boy. Her heart was beating in her chest as her eyes followed the mouse. What if this all crashed down? What if it all was a trap to see if they'd actually break the law to do what they had to do?

But they needed to do this. To avenge the many people who had been scammed and lied to from Tressler's business. Even if this all went wrong at least the people would know why they did it. For the greater good.

"Done," Danny beamed, staring at the laptop with pure amazement.

The room was silent for a moment as everyone took it in. There was no going back now.

Merritt crossed his arms, staring at the screen. "This better work, Atlas, if not I'm blaming you."

Athena snorted, leaning back on the sofa with a half smile on her lips. Danny arched a eyebrow, looking towards Merritt.

"This will work," he confirmed, closing the laptop lid with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Well then, we better get ready," Henley shrugged, a calm face behind her excited feeling.

-

This is the worst chapter I've ever wrote haha but it's just a filler as next chapter is the big one as you NYSM fans all know!

And thank you for all my votes  and comments I can't even speak like I'm so shocked. This is my first book with this much success! (Others I've deleted)

I'm currently working on a Fred Weasley fanfiction that will soon be released so if you're a Harry Potter fan I'll tell you when it's released!

Thanks for reading!