As MJ sat in the corner of the meeting room feeling more and more bored, James sat at the table discussing various details of a trade deal with an older man. Ignoring the conversation MJ played on his phone, firing off messages, until eventually his attention was brought back to the present by his uncle calling him.
"What?" MJ asked looking up from his phone.
"Mr Cornet was wanting to hear your opinion."
"Why? I'm a teenager, my opinions don't matter." MJ pointed out.
"That's refreshing self-realisation." Cornet laughed. "But not entirely accurate. The teenage opinion matters, but isn't weighted as highly as a more experienced opinion. Or at least one that isn't based on social media manipulation."
"So you are saying I am a sheep?"
"I am saying teenagers follow patterns of behaviour, much more than adults do. Plus I doubt you care about steel tariffs, because you don't know how important they are."
"So you are saying I'm stupid?" MJ asked.
"I'm saying you have a lot to learn."
"Unlike people like you who wrecked the economy, despite experience?" MJ countered.
"MJ." James said.
"What?" The teen asked. "He wanted my opinion so he could tell me how stupid it was and go on about how great he is. But his actions up until this point have ruined this country."
"See." Cornet said before James could react. "This is what I was talking about when I said teenagers were followers. I bet you read that online."
"Everything in online." MJ pointed out.
"So what does your online opinion think we should do to protect jobs? Tax more? Only that will just drive investors and jobs overseas. You are right I have made mistakes. But I also avoided plenty by learning from the past."
"So you are going to give me a history lecture?" MJ asked.
"MJ-" James warned only for the teen to cut in.
"What?" He asked standing. "I don't want to be here any more than you want me here. This is a complete waste of time, just accept the bribe he is offering and move on." He said storming out of the meeting room.
"I'm sorry." James said standing.
"We were all outspoken teenagers once." The man smiled. "Call me when you have an answer, but maybe leave the child at home next time." Cornet said leaving.
00
"What was that?" James asked walking into his office where MJ was playing on his phone.
"What?" The teen asked, not looking up.
"You are here as my guest, you have to be polite."
"You want to get rid of me too?" MJ asked finally looking up.
"No one wants to get rid of you." James said.
"Yet here I am."
"You wanted to come here." James reminded him.
"No, mom conspired with you to send me here. This is the last place I want to be. Why don't you all just admit it?"
"Admit what?" James asked.
"So now you play dumb?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about." James said lost.
"Sure." MJ said storming from the office.
00
"Ma'am, Pete has finished the translation. Or the first round." Rose said entering the office.
"And?" Alex asked looking up.
"We think there is enough that we can use."
"You think?"
"Well there is a lot of scientific jargon in there that doesn't translate easily, but we think if we combine what Pete gave us with what Lena found we can get to the bottom of it."
"Good. Make sure that your top priority."
"Yes ma'am." Rose said turning.
"And Rose, I want everything to do with this locked down."
"Yes ma'am." Rose said leaving just as Alex's phone rang.
"Hey James, everything okay?" Alex asked as she answered the call.
"I don't know. I'm worried about MJ."
"What's happened?"
"He snapped in a meeting."
"What do you mean snapped?"
"Went off on one at a pretty important attendee."
"I'm so sorry." Alex apologised.
"I know you told me he was angry, but I wasn't expecting him to be this angry."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dump this on you. I'd hoped being away from here, he'd lose the anger."
"I'm happy to help, I just don't know how. Plus MJ really doesn't want to be here. Maybe it is better if he goes home."
00
When Kara flew her nephew into her sister's house she deposited him in the lounge where the older Alex was waiting.
"Well I'll leave you to it." Kara said.
"Wait, can you take his phone."
"What?" MJ asked enraged.
"Give your phone to your aunt." Alex ordered.
"Bu-" MJ started to protest.
"Now." Alex said causing the teen to reluctantly hand the device to Kara.
"What do you want me to do – you know I'll just figure it out." Kara said leaving. Once she was gone Alex looked at her son and said.
"You were there as a guest. Yet you caused trouble."
"You aren't even going to listen to my side?" MJ asked.
"You have a reason for your behaviour?" Alex asked.
"He was jerk."
"James?" Alex asked confused.
"No the old guy."
"That doesn't really matter. You were there on work experience, learning how the world works. Part of that is not reacting when people wind you up and part of that is playing the game."
"Well I didn't want to be there anyway."
"That's no excuse for you behaviour. And why take your anger out on James? He wants to help you."
"By taking me prisoner?"
"You weren't a prisoner. You were given an opportunity very few get and you spurned it." Alex said. "Alex managed two placements and you didn't even manage one." Alex went on, the reference to his cousin causing MJ to tense.. "At this rate you won't be going to college." Alex went on.
"Never said I wanted to go to college." He pointed out. "You done?" He asked, not giving Alex time to answer he stormed from the room.
In response Alex calmly waited until she heard several slams and MJ sprinting back down stairs.
"Where is it?" He demanded.
"What?"
"My stuff."
"You don't deserve any of it. So all your consoles and computers are locked away at the DEO. When you start acting like a seventeen year old rather than a three year old I will consider letting you have them back. Besides its not like you'll have time to use them."
"What does that mean?"
"Starting tomorrow you are working for Lena. You are joining her janitorial team. Jeff, who runs it always wanted to be a marine, apparently he is looking for to the opportunity of training you. And when he isn't training you, you'll be attending therapy."
00
As Kara worked on a story for CatCo late the next afternoon, Beth, Cat's latest assistant, approached her desk.
"Hi Kara, you have a visitor." She greeted.
"Thanks." Kara said looking up and seeing a teenager waiting by the reception desk. Confused he was there Kara walked over.
"Hi Martin." Kara said surprised to see him. "Aren't you meant to be in chess practice?"
"No. I mean yes. But this is more important." He said looking nervous, even by his standards.
"Everything okay?"
"Yes. No. Can we talk?"
"Sure. Let's go through here." She said leading him to a conference room. When they were inside she asked. "Is every thing okay with Steve?"
"Yes. It's fine." He said sitting down, while avoiding eye contact.
"Okay, so what do you want to talk about?" Kara asked.
"If I tell you, I'll be breaking a promise." He said.
"But you want to break it?"
"No. But I think I have to." He said.
"I can try keeping the fact you told me secret." Kara said.
"She'd know."
"She?" Kara asked before guessing. "Alex?"
"Yeah." He said looking at his hands.
Trying not to panic Kara asked. "Is she in trouble?"
"No." He replied, the lack of speed the information was coming at, frustrating Kara. But despite her desperation to know she sat quietly until Martin said.
"All year MJ has been a jerk. He bullies Alex and she just covers for him. And I told her I wouldn't say anything, but she is getting hurt, I mean not physically, but still. And it's not fair. And today he was so my worse."
"What do you mean bullies?" Kara asked. Half of her not able to believe what she was hearing. But as Marting talked Kara mentally replayed the last few months and realised the hints were there.
"To start with it was just ignoring her. Then he'd talk about stuff he knew she had no idea about. Then his new friends started hassling her and he did nothing. And now he's joining in. She says she is okay with it, but I've been there and I know she isn't. And maybe you can't doing anything, but maybe just having you to talk to will help."
"I need to go, are you okay getting home?" Kara asked standing.
"Sure." He said still looking worried.
"I know this wasn't easy for you. So thank you." Kara said.