SPECTRE ➸ Daniel Atlas

~seven~

SEVEN

❝All good work has magic in it, and
addresses the mind in a subtle way.❞

✧✧✧✧

The Five Horsemen arrived at the private jet of Arthur Tressler, at least ten minutes late much to Art's irritation. It was about a four hour flight to New Orleans, it was long for everyone to calm down until their next that show that evening. 

Everyone was minding their own business. Arthur was giving a live interview on skype, Jack was talking with Jasmine, Daniel was playing with his two coins, while Gen and Henley sat in the back with Merritt, who was joking around and filling the air with laughter. 

"Allow me to make plain what we all have been thinking." Merritt said looking at Gen as he relaxed on the seat. 

"And what's that?" Gen said raising her eyebrows at the man.

"Well obviously you have feeling of affection for Daniel." Merritt stated nonchalantly, like it was the most obvious thing. "Unrequited and misguided, owing to his lack of emotional availability." He added with a shrug. 

Gen turned from and leaned a little sideways, to see Daniel staring at her, and unwanted blush started forming on her cheeks. She brought her hair a little forward to cover the blush, as she turned back to Merritt.

"Consequently, you're very tightly. . .How should I put it?" Merritt said trying to look for the right word. "Um. . .corked."

"Oh, am I?" said Gen raising her eyebrows at him.

"Now, recognizing you have physical needs not being met, and strictly in vein of helping a sister out, I invite you think me as your own personal corkscrew." He finished smirking in her direction. 

"Wow. Thanks." Gen said rolling her eyes as she grinned at him. "Let me mull over that offer of cheap and meaningless sex."

"Cheap and meaningless maybe, but. . .uh. . .not time consuming." Merritt pointed out. 

Gen started laughing, as Merritt grinned and Henley chuckled. 

"Okay, that was funny," said Gen once she had stopped laughing, as she pointed her finger at him. "But no more sex-jokes."

"Okay," said Merritt raising his hands. "But the offer still stands."

"Gen doesn't have her eyes on anyone right now," Henley said to Merritt. "Because all see is Danny."

"It's so not true!" Gen exclaimed her eyes wide. 

After some time, much to Gen's delight, both Henley and Merritt stopped pestering her about Daniel and instead opted to tell some jokes, which was mainly Merritt. Gen couldn't stop laughing and he continued on his jokes.

"Guy goes to the doctor. Doctor say 'Sir, you're gonna have to stop masturbating.' He says, 'why' he says, 'so I can finish the examination'."

Gen had never been the one for crude jokes but the blonde couldn't stop laughing. Not because the joke was funny, but because Merritt was trying so hard to come up with some. As her laughter echoed through the plane, oblivious to Gen's eyes Daniel was watching everything with a frown. He was jealous. 

As Gen continued laughing, Daniel stood up from his place and made his way over to them. Ignoring Jack's question, he patted him on the cheek and stopped in front of Gen and Merritt. Henley was smirking from her seat. 

"Hey guys." Daniel said as Gen tried to control her laughter. "Uh, we got a show to prepare for."

"Huh-nm" Gen nodded but didn't say anything, because she felt like the moment she would open her mouth, she would start laughing. 

"Oh, do we now?" Merritt said as he stood up and looked Danny straight in the eye. 

"No, no-no, no."  Daniel shook his head, as he moved away from him. "You're not doing that thing on me, no, no, no."

"What thing?" Merritt said as he continued to move toward Daniel. "I'm just looking at you."

"No you're not. I've been watching you for a year. I know all your little tricks." Daniel said stubbornly. 

"Is that what they are to you? Tricks?" Merritt questioned.

"Yes, it's gimmicks. it's Barnum statements. It's reading the eyes. Body language. I get it." Daniel said with quick nod. 

 "If it's such an easy thing, why don't you do Gen?" Merritt said turning toward Gen who was standing behind him with Henley by side. 

"No, I 'bonded' with him last night." said Gen shaking her head. "Don't you remember? Why don't you do Henley?"

"Yeah, Danny why don't you do me?" Henley raised her eyebrow at him challengingly. 

"No you're too easy." Daniel said shaking his head. "I'll do Jasmine."

"No," Everyone turned their heads toward Arthur Tressler as he spoke. "Do me."

Gen grinned at Danny, a mischievous spark in her eyes.

"Oh yeah." Merritt nodded. "Yeah. Do Art."

"Let's see if you can uncover his secret." Gen added with devilish grin. 

"Okay." Daniel moved forward towards the plane and faced the others. 

"But I warn you, I can be difficult to read when I want you to be." Arthur said smirking at Danny. 

"Just stay with me, okay?" Daniel began. "So, Art, you were a tough kid. You know, kind of a real rapscallion. You had a dog. A real tough dog. A brutish breed. Like a real... I want to say, Ben the bulldog."

"Actually, I was a prissy little tot. I had a fluffy white cat called Snuffles."

Everyone began laughing at Daniel's lame attempt at Mentalism. 

"Wait, let me try one." Jack said grinning. "I can do better than that."

"Yeah, let him do it." Gen agreed pointing at Jack, as the others laughed. "He can do way better than that."

"Come on, give me one more time." Daniel said looking at everyone. "One more time." And without waiting for answer he turned toward Arthur. 

"Let's do family." Danny continued. "You had an uncle on your mother's side. He had a real, kind of. . .A real masculine name. A real, kind of, salt-of-the-earth. . .You know, a real stick-it-to-you. . .Like it was some kind of Paul Thompson? Was it a Paul?" Danny sighed "Okay. You know what? I got nothing."

"Nearly though." Art said. 

"Was I?" Danny asked surprised. 

"Yeah. My uncle's name was Cushman Armitage." Arthur laughed.

"Really? Snuffles and Cushman Armitage? That was your childhood." Daniel said looking at Arthur in disbelief. 

"I certainly hope tonight's show is gonna be better than this." Arthur said looking at the Five Horsemen. 

"Don't worry," said Daniel. "Just you wait."