“Lemon,” he begins, his Russian accent slipping through as he points to you. His gaze then shifts to the man in front of you. “And Tangerine?” he asks, gesturing at your partner. “Like the fruits? Why?” His brows knit together as he leans back in his seat, skepticism etched across his face.

“I didn’t pick the names!” you huff, crossing your arms in frustration. “They’re making us sound ridiculous—”

“They’re code names!” Tangerine interrupts, his voice sharp as his fists thud onto the table. He fixes his gaze on the son, irritation evident. “You got anything better?”

Currently, you and Tangerine—your partner-in-crime and best friend—are deep in the middle of a mission. The task? Retrieve the son, the man seated across from you, from his kidnappers. Oh, and deliver a briefcase containing $10 million to Kyoto. All to appease the White Death, the world’s most feared and ruthless crime leader. No pressure.

“Where the hell is the briefcase?” you demand, your voice rising as you glare at Tangerine.

He sighs dramatically, standing with his hands raised in mock surrender. “Relax, alright? I put it in the luggage racks. I’ll go grab it.” Without waiting for a response, he strides out of the coach.

You turn back to the son, who’s watching you with a mix of curiosity and mild exasperation. His eyes flick to your lap. “What’s with the stickers?” he asks, gesturing toward the sheet of Thomas the Tank Engine stickers you’ve been idly flipping through.

“I’ve learned everything I know about people through Thomas,” you reply, picking up a green tank engine sticker. “Some people are Henrys—hardworking and strong. Others are Gordons—powerful but stubborn. But you,” you say, pausing to press the sticker onto his forehead, “are a Percy. Young, sweet, cute. Not all there.”

The son groans, rolling his eyes as he peels the sticker off. “Are you always this annoying?” he mutters, his tone dripping with disbelief, “Just another idiot working for my father.”