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“The one and only,” Aidan said.

Matt flashed a smile. “You’re early.”

“Could say the same about you.”

Matt shrugged, turning his attention back to his phone. “I like being where other people aren’t. Lets me focus better.”

Aidan watched him fiddle for a couple of minutes before continuing. “Something wrong with your phone?”

“Eh. I’ve been trying to streamline some of the processes. You know, integrate different messengers into one app, linking it with the calendar, photos, stuff like that.”

Aidan cocked his head. “Why?”

“Well, I already know Java as a language, and really, I could probably manage this if I was actually using Java. But I’m trying to teach myself Python, which I’m not so good with, so all I’ve managed to do is make a mess. But hey, unlike the other phones, I haven’t broken this one...yet.”

Aidan chuckled. “Broken them?”

Matt winced. “Nick says I never know how to take it slow and...maybe he’s right, just don’t tell him I said that. I might have tried to do too much with the last few phones, and when you screw with programming enough, sometimes you end up with an expensive brick instead of a phone.”

“And I imagine that doesn’t do any good for the warranty.”

“Nope! Something Nick likes to remind me of all the damn time.”

Aidan sat down in the grass a few feet away from Matt. “You know, I can’t tell if he drives you nuts or if he’s your best friend from the two times you mentioned him.”

Matt chuckled. “Sean says we’re like brothers, but I think that’s only because we argue.”

“Brothers are also pretty close.”

“I think that’s why he says it too, though he’s never like...said that was the reason.”

Aidan thought back to his brief interaction with Sean and nodded in understanding. Sean hadn’t even taken the friendly handshake, and Aidan could easily see the team leader having a hard time passing out compliments. While he didn’t want to be too harsh on a man who was obviously struggling, Aidan had difficulty seeing Sean saying anything positive.

Matt lapsed into silence as he tapped at the phone, seeming not to notice Aidan was there anymore. Aidan wasn’t surprised. He’d taken the opportunity to catch sight of his team members whenever possible as they went about their business on the base. With nothing else to do and no access to records, Aidan entertained himself by seeing what his soon-to-be team members were like when they thought they weren’t being observed.

As far as he could tell, Sean didn’t know how to give a genuine smile. Matt was always attached to a device, whether a phone or a tablet. Ricardo barely spoke, and when he did, it was typically only to Sean. Nick was a strange one, looking like he was more asleep than awake and unaware of most things around him.

Matt stirred, looking at Aidan curiously. “So, you’re really going to be our fifth?”

Aidan nodded. “Whether anyone wants it or not.”

“What about you?”

Aidan blinked. “What?”

“You said whether anyone wants it or not, do you want to be here?”

That was a damn good question, but Aidan wasn’t sure it would be a good idea to tell Matt. They barely knew one another, and Aidan imagined no one on Team Maelstrom was happy about his presence. While Matt was at least making an effort not to be an ass, Aidan wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to start talking about his motivations.

Aidan shrugged. “I’m here, so that has to count for something, right?”

“Not when you’re ordered to be here.”

Aidan smirked, hesitating as he heard footsteps approaching from the woods. “Would it make you feel better if I promised to try to play nice?”

Matt smiled briefly, looking in the direction of the forest. “I don’t know if you were trying to get a rise out of Sean on purpose or if that’s just how you are. He can be a little serious, especially lately, but he’s not a bad guy.”

“Just a little grumpy,” Aidan said.