(COMPLETED) The Lunar Chronicles - Winter's Summer

Part 25

Thorne sat next to Cress while she worked, Wolf leaning in between the cockpits seats and watching Cress's fingers sweep across the keyboard at a lightning fast pace. This had been going on for a few minutes.

No one spoke for fear of distracting Cress and prolonging finding Scarlet. If Thorne even opened his mouth, Wolf fixed him with such an intense glare that it made Thorne want to leave the room.

"And..." Cress said, giving a few final taps on the board before leaning back in her seat and proclaiming, "She's in Manitoba."

"Manitoba? What in all the stars is she doing in Manitoba? I don't even know where Manitoba is." Wolf was furious, whipping his hands through the air and pulling them through his hair.

"I don't know, but don't worry. We'll get her," Cress said, completely serene. Her voice was gentle and soothing. Wolf dropped his hands and crossed them over his chest, still looking very concerned, but no longer dangerous. Cress had some sort of power that none of the other crew members had. She was somehow able to calm Wolf down in a way no one else could.

"So, what's the plan? Are we going to get her?"

Wolf cut Thorne a glare. "Of course we're going to get her. She's my alpha." His voice was low and gravely, his fists clenching and unclenching as he spoke.

"Ok. Then we'll leave as soon as you're taken care of."

"Excuse me?" There was venom in Wolf's tone, and Thorne held up his hands in surrender before explaining his statement.

"I mean, look at your hand. You really think you'll be of any use whatsoever with your broken hand just hanging limply at your side? Jacin needs to wrap it. And maybe add a splint? Maybe? I don't really know what to do with-" he looked to Cress for confirmation, but Wolf cleared his throat imposingly, drawing back Thorne's attention.

"And how long will that take?"

"I don't know. Ask Jacin. Hey Jacin!" Thorne called into the hallway before turning back to Wolf, who was studying his hand with disdain.

"And if I get it wrapped I can fight?"

"Uhh... I'm gonna have to go with a no on that one, Wolf. It will still be broken, just... dressed."

Cress gave him a look, her head tilted in confusion. Thorne just shook his head. When he again turned to Wolf, he noticed something new in his eyes, a madness that wasn't there before. He started breathing heavily, rolling his shoulders and glaring at his broken hand with fire in his eyes.

He was mad he couldn't be involved in the fight to save his mate, Thorne guessed. He understood. If he had to stand by and watch while Cress was in danger... He'd be a basketcase.

With a sudden jerk, Wolf slammed his fist into the wall next to the door at the same moment that Jacin appeared from around the corner. He leapt back in surprise, his eyes wide. His hand flew to his holster, an uncharacteristically jumpy move for him to make.

With a roar of pain, Wolf pulled his hand back from the wall, where there was now a large dent, staggering backwards like he had been stabbed. Thorne realized that he had punched the wall with his already broken hand. Oh. That must hurt.

"Stars spades aces stars stars aces spades shit shit shit," Wolf muttered, holding his hand against his body tightly, snarling at his pain. Thorne rushed to his side, resting a bracing hand on his back.

"Jacin," he nodded his head towards the medbay, "Come on. You gotta help fix him."

Jacin seemed as though he shook off a daze before he registered what Thorne said. But it was only a brief moment before he nodded and led the way to the medbay.

Thorne led Wolf to the small examination table in the corner of the room, then stepped back awkwardly. He knew that this wasn't his place, but he still didn't want to leave while his friend was in pain. It would probably be best if he left, though.

"Eh... is there anything I can do to help?" He asked sheepishly.

"You can go," Wolf said through gritted teeth, "And you can make sure the ship is ready. We need to leave NOW! Stars, that hurts." He winced away from Jacin's touch. Jacin had gotten out some wrapping and a small bottle of pills, along with little sticks and duct tape. For the splint, Thorne figured.

"Right away, of course, I'm going now," Thorne blurted in a rush, even giving Wolf a small salute before exiting the room. There were very few times that Thorne had heard Wolf with that much ferocity in his tone, and he was very anxious to get out of Wolf's company at the moment.

He ran through the halls of the Rampion, skidding and slamming into the walls that he didn't turn fast enough to avoid. He entered the hall between the engine room and podship docks, where Cinder was lying on the floor, her legs the only part of her visible. She was doing something in the engine room.

"Cinder! What are you doing? Get out from there. We need to leave. Now!" He was practically shrieking his words at her. He heard a clang of metal hitting metal and a string of fun curse words from the back, but Cinder made no move to exit the engine room.

Why was she back there? What was she doing that she thought she could do in the ten minutes Cress said she needed to find Scarlet? Why did he keep letting her on his ship?

"Cinder? Can you hear me? We need to go."

"Thorne, I'm doing real work. Your thing can wait. I'm trying to make sure we don't die suddenly by falling out of the air at 4000 kilometers. When was the last time you even checked to make sure this thing wasn't falling apart? Have you looked at it at all since I'd been here during the revolution?"

"No, never, and no. Now come on!"

She remained where she was. Thorne swore. They couldn't start the ship if Cinder was back there poking at things with her tools. He needed to get her out.

"Cinder! Don't make me come back there!"

"Oh, I'm so scared."

"That's it!"

And that is the story of how Captain Carswell Thorne died, dragging an ex-Lunar queen/mechanic by her ankles out of the engine room of his stolen military cargo ship.

Or that was how he pictured it. The look on Cinder's face was pure bloodlust, and she swung the wrench she was holding at him three times before huffing and scrambling to her feet, glaring at him.

"Sorry, but you were the one ignoring the captain's orders. Now go and relax. We're flying to Manitoba."

"Manitoba?" She asked, eyebrows raising in surprise. "What is Scarlet doing in Manitoba?"

"We'll find out soon enough. Now go and keep your grubby little fingers out of my ship!"

Cinder gave Thorne a pointed glare over her shoulder as she left the room, wrench still firmly in her grasp. Thorne left behind her, making his way back to the cockpit. He slid into the seat, rolling out a kink in his neck before starting the engine. He spared a warm smile at Cress before turning back to the controls, entirely focused.

"Manitoba, here we come."