Crossfire

Chapter 7

A/N Hey, friends. It's at this point in the story that I really like to talk to the readers! So, hi! I hope you're enjoying this story so far. I mean, if you're on Chapter 7, I imagine so. Anyway, enjoy!

Another plane, another trip to a place where Shaw was more than likely hiding, if we were lucky. I was praying for a little more luck on our side. I tried my best to forget what had happened at the tavern. Erik had behaved the way that he saw fit. It just wasn't what should have happened, no matter the circumstances. I wasn't sure, after seeing how easily he had done that, if he'd ever be able to change. I sighed. I couldn't keep on thinking like that, not where he was concerned. I had to believe that he was a good person. He just had bad experiences. If I didn't believe that, then I would just have to leave now. There would be no point in staying here with him. And I didn't want to leave him.

We landed in the afternoon. Erik and I didn't speak much and I had too much on my mind to worry about the flight and being trapped in a plane. We reached yet another hotel. This time, there was no dramatic unpacking or setting up our wall of Shaw's locations. The Caspartina was here. We both knew that. There would be no point in setting it up. I sat on the bed as I always did and looked out the window. Florida was a nice place, I supposed. A year of searching had gotten us here. I closed my eyes. I could still see Erik using his powers to kill those men. I hadn't been able to stop him. I sighed. I would have to do better next time. I would have to hope and pray that there would be a next time, but I knew that there would be. It didn't take a superpower to know that.

"You should stay here." Erik said. "I know how you feel about me killing people and I'm going to kill Schmidt."

"You can't take him on your own." I responded, standing.

"You underestimate me."

"No, I see you in a realistic light, Erik, and I know what Shaw and his associates are capable of. They're mutants, like us. We're outnumbered 2-to-1. 4-to-1, if you go alone."

"He'll kill you."

"He'll kill you."

"Then at least only one of us will die."

"Don't say that, Erik. You don't mean that."

"Don't I? To die for you would be worth it."

"Erik-"

He chuckled. "Don't worry, Sky. Nothing bad will happen to me."

"To us."

"Right. To us."

I wasn't confident that he really meant that, but it wasn't exactly like he could stop me from going. I had wings, after all. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the bed. We had to find out just where the Caspartina was. We had decided to go searching through the dock records. If he was here, he was docked, there was no doubt about it. It was just a matter of finding out which one. I had A-M and he had N-Z. Not that there were that many in either letters, but it was the thought that really mattered. About an hour in, I wanted to throw all my papers into the air and scream. But I somehow had the willpower to not do that. It really was a miracle.

"I found it." Erik said. "Caspartina. It's been docked for a week."

"And it's still there?"

"It's not scheduled to leave until the morning."

"Then we have no time to lose."

"I'm sorry, Sky, but I can't let you come with me."

"Excuse me?"

"I can't risk losing you too."

"What are you-"

The metal in the room started to shake. Two rings attached to my wrists and stuck to the wall. I couldn't get free! What the hell was he thinking?! Why was he doing this?