Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1)(83)

But for once Theo wasn’t weighing in. He was silently contemplating the car. “I can do it,” he said slowly. “But I’m going to need to use my phone.”

“Out of the question,” said Jason.

“I told you it’s untraceable,” said Theo.

“Even so—”

“You know, I can actually be helpful if you’ll let me.” Theo’s tone was light, but Diana heard the edge in his voice and felt a surge of sympathy for the skinny boy. She knew what it was to be underestimated. But was he trustworthy? If he’d wanted to harm them or alert their captors to their whereabouts, he’d certainly had plenty of opportunities.

She met Jason’s gaze and gave a short nod. “Let him try.”

Jason blew out a long breath. “Okay.”

“Okay?” said Theo.

“Yeah,” said Jason more firmly. “Do it.”

Theo’s smile was small and pleased, far shyer than Diana would have expected.

“All right, then.” He pulled the phone from his pocket, his thumbs moving rapidly over the screen, and said, “If this were an older car, we’d be screwed. No Bluetooth. No wireless. But everything’s digital now, right? Cars are basically just tricked-out computers on wheels.”

Jason folded his arms, unconvinced. “And you have a magic phone?”

“This phone can’t be sold in some countries because the computer inside it is powerful enough to operate a missile-guidance system, and I can use it to access my desktop through a spoof IP I set up on the dark net.”

“Okay, okay,” said Jason. “All hail the mighty phone.”

“Thank you,” said Theo. “The phone accepts cash gifts by way of apology. Now, all we have to do is mimic the signals the key sends to tell the car to unlock the door. It’s not like the car cares if the key is there.”

“Same with the human brain,” said Alia. “We see something, we react based on the stimulus, real or artificial. It’s all just a collection of electrical impulses.”

“Divine lightning,” said Diana.

Alia frowned. “Huh?”

“I second that huh,” Theo said, not looking up from the little screen, thumbs moving so fast they blurred.

Diana shrugged. “It’s just what you were saying reminded me of Zeus. He’s the god of thunder and lightning, but what you’re describing in our minds, those electrical impulses…It’s another way of thinking about that power.”

“Divine lightning,” repeated Alia. “You know, it’s kind of fundamental to the way we think about thinking. Like a big idea at the right time is catching lightning in a bottle.”

“Or when you’re dumbfounded, you say you’re thunderstruck,” said Nim.

The corner of Jason’s lips tugged upward in a small smile. “And when you connect with someone, you call it a spark.”

Despite the morning’s long silences and her lingering anger, Diana was glad to see that smile again. She couldn’t help returning it. “Exactly.”

Theo held up his phone. “Who’s ready for a little divine lightning?”

“Just do the thing,” said Nim impatiently.

He jabbed his finger down on the screen. “Shapow!”

Nothing happened.

“Oh, wait a second.” His thumbs flew over the screen again. He cleared his throat. “What I meant to say was, shablammy!” He gave the screen a firm poke. The car doors released a satisfying clunk. “I’ll ask you to hold your applause. And now the engine—”

“Wait,” said Jason. “Let’s roll it out to the road before we start it.”

Diana raised a brow. He was so dedicated to this falsehood. “Do we really need to roll it? Wouldn’t it be faster and quieter just to…”

A moment later, they had hefted the car above their heads, Diana gripping the front bumper, Jason at the rear.

“Maybe Nim doesn’t need to drive,” Theo said, panting as the others hurried to keep up. “Jason and Diana can just carry us.”

“Don’t make me strap you to the roof,” grunted Jason.

They jogged the car across the field and down the road from the farmhouse, then deposited it on the dirt road.

They waited beside the little vehicle as Nim slid behind the wheel. She wedged the seat up as far as it could go to accommodate her short legs. “Okay, let’s do this.”

“When was the last time you actually drove?” asked Alia.

Nim flexed her fingers. “It’s not the kind of thing you forget.”

“Ready?” said Theo.

“Wait,” said Diana. She placed her hand on his shoulder. She didn’t know what he could accomplish with that little computer, but just in case he was feeling hostile toward Nim, she wanted him as calm as possible. From the sheepish look he cast her, the gesture was warranted.

His thumbs sped over the screen, and a moment later the car roared to life.

Theo broke out in a dance that looked like it might cause lasting damage to his spine and did a victory lap around the car. “Who’s the king?”

Nim cast Alia a meaningful glance and whispered, “You have terrible taste.”

“Whatever,” said Alia. “Shotgun!”