"Woohoo," the J1N cried as he zipped toward the treetops.
Kira's eyebrow twitched as she watched him go. Was it too late to leave him behind?
Odin patted Kira's shoulder in sympathy as she started after the rest. "Just a little longer."
Graydon stopped beside Kira. "Everything good?"
"Just dandy." Kira slapped the back of her hand against Graydon's abs. "Let's get moving before they leave us behind."
His chuckle followed her. "As if that's possible."
Kira bit back her smile, not wanting to feed his ego.
The group set a punishing pace that didn't allow for much talking as they traversed the last mile or so of terrain. They stayed on alert. Tense and expectant, knowing an attack could come at any moment.
To everyone's relief, there were no further confrontations with the Tsavitee. Their passage unobstructed. All the way until they spotted the break in the tree line where a clearing and their destination awaited.
"There it is," Sykes called over her shoulder.
Nearly blending in with the boulders and snow around it, the ship sat quietly. Its engine silent. Its lights off.
Kira slowed. "Something is wrong."
Apparently not listening, Sykes stepped out of the timberline.
"Sykes, wait," Alvarez called. "We have to clear the area."
The human was too eager, already crossing the open area to the ship.
Graydon frowned, scanning the area suspiciously.
Odin stopped as well, sending Kira a questioning look. "What is it?"
Kira shook her head, still trying to figure out what about this scene felt wrong. A second later, she had it. The ice under the ship. It shouldn't be frozen over like that. With an extraction under these conditions, the pilot would have kept the ship running to enable them to take off immediately in case their passengers came in hot.
More importantly—
"Where's the pilot?" Kira asked.
Sykes reached the ship, banging on the side. "Come on! Open up!"
"Get away from it!" Kira screamed as danger shrieked across her senses.
Graydon leapt at Kira, hitting her a split second before a loud boom rocked the area. They crashed to the ground as a percussive force exploded outward, sweeping the branches of the trees backwards.
Graydon pushed onto his elbows from where he'd shielded Kira's body. "You okay?"
She nodded, taking inventory. "Nothing broken."
There was a groan from the side. Odin struggled out of the mound of snow that had fallen as a result of being shaken loose from the tree tops.
She ruffled her short hair, getting rid of the snow clumped on it. "What just happened?"
Kira pushed Graydon off her, freezing at the sight of the charred clearing. There was nothing left of the ship or Sykes. Just a smoking ruin of twisted metal. The blast had even evaporated all of the snow in a fifteen foot radius.
"Oh my god," Kira said.
"Sykes!" Alvarez screamed.
