Ruins

Chapter 9

"What the heck are we going to do?" Chloe whines, panicking. 

"Calm down Chlo, we'll figure this out." Stephanie tells her reassuringly. 

"She's right Chloe, we will figure this out." I promise. 

"I'm scared Cee." Alex say quietly. 

"I know Lex, but it will be okay." 

"What will the President do if we don't all go to New York?"

"Face my wrath if he tries to pull anything. I have a bad feeling that if we leave the city unprotected, they are going to take advantage of our absence. We picked to settle here for a reason, for the same reason, we can't leave it unprotected."

"I have to stay." Derek says firmly. 

"No, you have to do what I tell you and I haven't told you what to do yet." I say firmly and Derek grumble. I've had enough of being defied and told what I will or will not do, but he's right. God damn it, he's right. 

"Cynth, what should we do?" Cassandra asks worriedly. 

"Well, we should have a vote. All in favour of splitting in half, raise your hand." Six hands go up. All of the Partials. "All in favour of all of us staying?" Five hands went up. All of the humans. "Which means no one wants to listen to the President." No one looks at me. "God damn it." 

"You're the deciding vote Cynthia. Do we stay or do half of us go?" Mason asks. How can I leave New York to be taken over? I can't give them that much territory, or a city that populated.

"The most logical way to go is for half of us to go deal with New York. We can't leave them undefended so some of us have to go take care of that problem."

"Who's going to go?" Stephanie asks, sounding shaky but strong.

"Well, is there anyone who absolutely does not want to go? It's fine if you don't want to." No one puts their hand up. "Great. Well I'll go. I was thinking Alex, Damon, Mason, Hunter, and Cass would come with me. Any objections?" Again, no one moves. "Derek, you're in charge of the group here. Cool?" Everyone nods. "Alright, well if that's all..."

"Actually," Cassandra says before I can dismiss them. "I'd like my brother to be involved in this." Everyone except Seth and Damon stare at her.

"Why are you all staring at her?" Damon whispers towards Seth and I who are standing at the head of the table. 

"Cassandra's brother is Cynthia's ex." Seth whispers back, and even with how close they are, in the dead silence, it echoes through the room.

"Well?" Cass looks at me expectantly. Crap. I don't wanna. 

"Vote? All in favour of Carter coming back, should he want to, raise your hand." Everyone's hand goes up except Derek's, Seth's, Damon's, and mine. Crap. Now I have to let him back.

"That's the majority Cynth. Looks like Carter's in on this." Hunter says, not unsympathetically, but slightly smugly. "Are you going to call him?"

"I think that should be Cass's job. He's her brother." I respond quickly.

"No way Cynthia. You kicked him out, you bring him back in." 

"But..." I start. There is nothing I want to do before preparing for a major pivoting point in this war less than having to call Carter and telling him that everyone (else) wants him to come back. 

"Lets have a vote. All in favour of Cynthia calling, raise your hand." All of the hands Go up except Seth, Damon, and of course Derek's. I glare at Cassandra.