Chapter 1

"Bozhe moi! You are the most irritating, most immature person I have ever met, Wheeler! Move out of my way!" Linka let out, frustration coloring her pretty face like a sunset does ocean waters. She hated feeling guilty about her outburst, too. She knew that the Yankee had only meant to be helpful in offering her a hand loading up the Geo Cruiser, but somehow he'd coaxed out of her the usual annoyed reaction, and she all too easily found herself giving in to it. She had read the gesture as something chauvinistic and she did not like being belittled. Linka's defenses were usually high around the red-headed American and that in itself fed her fury further. The curvy blonde girl was an expert in appearing cool and collected, and it irked her that it all disappeared like smoke whenever Wheeler was concerned.

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're the most uptight Russian girl I've ever met!" Wheeler shot back, without missing a beat, his blue eyes lighting up like a bolt in a dark sky. His shoulders were set straighter and his jaw was tense as he looked her over. It was as if a strange wave of electricity could be felt by both feuding parties.

"Ha! And what other Russian girls have you met, pray tell?" Linka nearly growled, as he hit another nerve. She disapproved heavily of his fascination with girls. He seemed to score a date in every part of the world they visited and his flirty behavior got under her skin more than she liked to let show. Wheeler was too damn friendly with strange girls, his smile a little too charming, and the girls too eager to take the bait, as a consequence.

"Don't you worry, I know firsthand how chill they can be. Cute, fun and sweet, as a matter of fact." His tone of voice colored Linka's emotions red. She pushed past him and let out a string of Russian words that were neither cute or sweet, before Gi took her arm to stop her movements.

The Asian girl was frowning at them both openly, and did not seem amused by their antics. "Is fighting all you two are capable of? Jeez!"

"He started it!" Linka replied in her defense, hearing the immature tone to her voice and not caring. She crossed her arms over her chest and willed her heart to calm down its beatings. The Yankee was surely going to bring about some serious cardiovascular problems for her!

"You do fight a lot," Ma-Ti nodded along after closing the baggage compartment on the side of the Cruiser.

Instinctively, all eyes turned to Kwame, who was folding some papers before placing them on the inside pocket of his vest. The African leader's warm chocolate eyes were sparkling with mischief as he examined the other group members before him.

"If I did not know any better, I would say there is something hiding behind your constant arguing."

Gi laughed and clapped her hands, immediately catching on. "Totally! I'd say you're both frustrated, and this is how those feelings manifest themselves."

"That is no surprise!" Linka half nodded innocently, waving her arms about helplessly.

Wheeler neared her in a moment, placing one arm around her shoulders. She looked up at him as if he had suddenly morphed into a giant alien before her very eyes.

"Uhm, babe, I think she means sexually," The Yankee whispered close to her ear with a smile in his voice. Linka shivered warmly at his nearness before blushing and readily pushing him away.

"Gi, you are completely cuckoo in the head," she could only think to retort, piercing the other three members with venomous glances when she noticed their snickering.

"Linka, there are no set rules against liking another team member," Kwame was saying to her horror, and Linka's face lit up like a red light in traffic.

"And we think you two like each other," Ma-Ti grinned widely in that usual sweet way he had, as if he knew something the others did not. Linka could only pray that the young Indigenous boy had not been able to read all the thoughts that passed through her brain when it came to Wheeler. They would not have been as innocent as she would have liked.

"You know, if you gave it a chance, you'd make a very cute couple," Gi nodded along, her eyes running from the Russian to the American amusedly. Easy for her to say, she was always playing matchmaker with everyone!

Linka wanted to disappear between the Earth's layers but Wheeler was grinning from ear to ear. "It wouldn't be an easy job, but I guess… yeah, I could take it on!"

His arm newly found its way around her and Linka swiftly pushed it away automatically. He was trying to be funny. They all knew he had a major soft spot for her since they'd met. Wheeler was always trying to get closer to the serious blonde girl, attempting to kiss or hug her whenever her guard was down, or getting her to go on dates with him.

Linka had to reluctantly admit that she found the Yankee attractive. He wasn't movie-star-handsome, but he had a desirable, toned body, a dazzling smile and dreamy, sincere eyes. His sense of humor was both a gift a curse, depending on the context in which it was used, and his hugs were a safe haven for the troubled heart. Wheeler could be very alluring when he tried being mature. Too bad he liked being overly relaxed about everything, like punctuality, responsibilities, relationships. She, on the other hand, had always liked to be one step ahead in life, always preparing carefully for all events. Therefore, Wheeler and his extreme carefree ways did not compute too well with her personality.

All this aside, Linka could not hide from herself that she did harvest a small crush in him. Maybe it was a direct consequence of his many attempts to win over her attention. Perhaps her solid shell was slightly getting cracked in some places, letting possibilities in…

"I am going to check the first aid kit before we take off," Linka suggested, holding out her chin proudly and unwavering. She liked the power that came from it. "It looks like we are going to be needing something for severe head trauma."

The less-than-amused tone of her voice let them all know she was done playing games, although she could sense Wheeler's disappointment and the others' amusement in the air. She chose not to dwell on either reaction for the time being.