(COMPLETED) The Lunar Chronicles - Winter's Summer

Part 30

"Jacin! You bringing down the ship?"

"Who has my gun?"

"Go for the throat. That's their weakest point."

"I still think you should stay here."

A swirl of conversations surrounded Cinder, leaving her feeling nervous and with a strange rush of adrenaline. She slid her gun into the holster on her right hip, rolling her eyes at Kai.

"I told you, I'm not staying!"

"Cinder, please, I just don't want you to get hurt." It was tearing at Cinder's heart a little to hear the desperation leaking into Kai's voice, but she wasn't going to stay behind just because he thought she would be hurt. She would be fine. She knew that. She just didn't know how to convince Kai.

"Kai. Please. Stop. I'm going. You can't stop me. You're starting to really irritate me. We already talked about this," she said, rifling through one of the boxes on the Rampion where assorted weapons were kept. Cinder grabbed a six inch long blade and put it in one of her belt loops.

"Cinder-"

"No! You're not stopping me. I will be fine," she said, turning around to see Kai's head and shoulders droop. Cinder immediately regretted being so harsh with Kai, but she didn't forget the words.

"Kai," she said, trying to be more gentle, "you don't need to coddle me. I want to go. Okay?"

Kai nodded without moving his gaze from the floor. Cinder walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he responded by moving his arms to around her waist. They held each other for a few moments, Kai rubbing his hand up and down Cinder's back. She liked the feeling.

But Cinder broke up the hug at hearing Thorne call "Three minutes, people. Three minutes" from the cockpit. She gave Kai a small smile and a peck on the cheek before leading him to the cockpit by the hand.

She didn't enjoy fighting with Kai, but sometimes he was just so determined that he knew what was best for Cinder she had to put her foot down. She knew he didn't want her to get hurt. She knew he did it because he loved her, but she also knew that she couldn't sit on the side lines. It just wasn't her.

They reached the cockpit, tension in the air, although everyone in the room seemed to have a different energy that contributed to the overall feeling in the room.

Wolf was furious. Jacin was determined. Thorne and Cress were having a hurried conversation in the corner. They both looked stressed.

Winter was oblivious and happy, singing to herself and dancing around in the center of the room. Iko looked upset. She was going to stay behind, not because she wanted to, but because the crew made her. She had been fine when Thorne first suggested the idea, but now she was acting like a child.

Everyone except Iko was able to acknowledge that she wasn't in any sort of shape to fight.

Kai was worried. He worried about her being hurt, despite everything. Her reassurances, her past victory.

And Cinder was irritated because of that.

She tried not to be bothered by Kai, and in turn that meant ignoring him right now for the more pressing issue.

The large, old house in the middle of nowhere, hopefully containing Cinder's friend.

"All right, so do we need to go through positions again?" Cinder asked, taking control of the semi chaos in the cockpit. All eyes turned to her, focus away from their own problems. There was a series of nods, but still, Cinder took the time to point to each of her companions one by one.

"Jacin?"

"You and I go first, clearing the first floor of the house."

"Good. Wolf?"

"Kai and I are going straight for Scarlet. I'll find her, and then fight our way out. Kai will pretend to help. I'll signal that we can leave and Thorne starts the Rampion."

"Cress?"

"I'm here with Iko, Winter and Thorne. I'll watch through my port, which I set up to Cinder's retina scanner, so I'll have your view."

Cinder gritted her teeth. She still hated this part of the plan. It made her feel violated to have Cress's portscreen synced with her view, but it was better than having oblivious backup.

"Thorne will have the ship on standby, and if you need help, just say the word and we'll be in there in a flash, and Iko will take Thorne's place as pilot."

Iko nodded from her spot in the gurney, the only movement she could manage, saying "I read a book about it online."

Well, that was reassuring.

Cinder pretended not to be bothered by the fact that their pilot has about as much training as a dog, but made a mental note to be very careful so as not to need backup from Cress and Thorne.

"Are we ready?" A round of nods greeted Cinder again, and she turned to Wolf, passing off her role as leader of the operation. He nodded in acknowledgement, then gestured for Jacin to lower the ramp.

The crew stepped out, advancing on the house with determination set on every one of their faces.

They reached the front porch, and Cinder cast a glance to Kai, who was looking at her with worried eyes. She gave him a small wink before Wolf broke down the front door.