Fanning the Flames of Rebellion [A Lunar Chronicles Fanfic]

Chapter 3

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Cress was indeed confused. The man they were talking to was... Cinder's dead step-father? Throughout the conversation, she snuck glances over at her to see any emotion. It was mostly a mix of disbelief and... Love. Cress had no idea that Cinder had such a deep connection to the man she hadn't even known for more than three weeks. She looked at Cinder once more. But this time her expression changed from worry, to guilt.

"Cinder, is everything okay?" Cress asked.

"Peony." She replied, her face now grim. Soon Kai, Thorne, and Iko's face fell. But who is Peony? Cress thought. Cinder looked as if she would be sobbing at that very moment, if she could.

"Are you going to tell him?" Iko asked.

"I--I have to. I mean it's his daughter, he should know." The cyborg replied. Cress noticed Iko locking hands with her, feeling the same pain.

"Don't worry, Cinder. It'll be okay." The android pulled her into an embrace.

"But how was he able to contact us?" Wolf asked, perplexed, "Wouldn't he need a D-COMM chip?" He would. Unless...

"Oh no!" Cress shrieked, running to her room. She searched for the D-COMM chip she had used to contact the Rampion with when she was in the satellite. It was nowhere.

"Cress, is everything okay?" Emperor Kaito asked. Walking into the room, along with Iko and Captain.

"The chip. The one I used to contact you guys--it's gone." She managed to get out. "That's how Garan was able to call us. He has it." Stars, what if it got in the wrong hands? What if Levana had gotten a hold of it?

"Well that explains it." Captain muttered.

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Cinder didn't move when Cress ran out of the room. Or when Thorne and Iko left to go get her. She just stood there, gaping, at what was on her net-screen. It was a news anchor.
... Approximately 2/5 of the entire Earthen race has been killed off by the Lunar Special Operatives, But Queen Levana's attacks don't stop there. Nine hours ago, Emperor Kaito, of the Eastern Commonwealth was kidnapped, since then, her Lunar Majesty has declared war on Earth. She believes the infamous criminal, Lihn Cinder and her group was responsible for his Imperial Highness's disappearance. Until he is returned safely and Lihn Cinder is in custody, will she seize fire.
Cinder couldn't believe what she has reading. 2/5 of the entire population on Earth, gone. Millions dead. And it was all her fault.
She collapsed to the ground, closed her eyes and muted her audio interface. She wished she could just disappear, die even. It was too much for a sixteen year old girl to handle.
She snapped he head up and opened her eyes when she felt a strong arm shaking her. It was Wolf, worried. It looked like he was saying something, so Cinder quickly turned on her audio.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Just... Trying to shut out the world for a little while." Wolf looked sympathetic. Huh, she thought, never got that from him before.

"I have an idea," he continued, "for the plan." She knew what that meant. So, she gathered the group up again, and began planning.