Reaching down, he slid his hands under her arms and lifted her easily through the hatch to sit on the edge. “Quick, we need to shut the hatch.” He helped her lift her legs clear and banged the hatch shut, pushing the locking latch into place.
Her eyes were red and watery in a face streaked with dirt and black smudges. Her blond hair was plastered to her head with sweat, her flight suit torn at the knees and elbows.
It had only been minutes since he’d last seen her, but she looked like she’d weathered years. He pulled her into his arms and clasped her against his chest as he smoothed a hand over her hair.
She was alive.
He pulled back slightly to look at her. “What happened?” He grasped her by the shoulders, unable to prevent himself from touching her. He needed to make sure she was real. That she was alive.
“The pod… it wouldn’t go.”
Domik pressed his lips together. She must have been terrified.
“So I came up here…” she trailed off, biting her lip as her eyes filled with tears. “Are we going to die, Dom?”
He couldn’t answer her. There was only one pod left. If he could get the door open. And there were two of them.
The decision was simple.
Domik let her go and made his way back to the pod. The panel with the dangling wires greeted him as if to mock his earlier attempts at escape.
There was only one thing for it.
Why be this big if it isn’t of any use?
With grim determination, he jammed the doors open with his multi-tool, just enough to get his fingers into the gap. Then, muscles straining, he pulled them apart with all his might.
“Domik! What are you doing?” CJ cried, unable to see past him in the small space.
“Opening…. the... doors!” He grunted with exertion, teeth gritted, arms bulging as he pulled the doors open. With one final yell of exertion, they pulled apart, and by some miracle, stayed open.
Domik flopped to the floor, exhausted. A small hand landed on his forehead, smoothing back his hair, concerned hazel eyes peering down into his.
“How many pods are working, Dom?” she asked, one eyebrow lifted as if she knew the answer already but needed him to confirm it.
He turned his head to one side, refusing to answer. Her fingers were like steel as she turned his chin, so he was looking at her.
“Dom?” She lifted the other eyebrow. He knew that expression. His chest clenched as he tilted his head toward the pod he had just opened. She glanced at where he showed, glancing back at him. “Just one?”
He nodded, closing his eyes and letting his head flop back against the metal grille of the floor.
“Fuck.” She flopped back onto the floor next to him.
He grunted in agreement.
The shuttle shook once more, and he grabbed the woman who plagued his every waking, and often sleeping, thought, pulling her to his side as if to protect her from anything that would hurt her.
“You’ll have to take it,” she said, half sitting up.
He rocked bolt upright, hitting his head on the low ceiling. He huffed in annoyance, rubbing his head with one hand while he glared at her. “No. I’ll stay.”
The infuriating woman shook her head. “No. You’re needed more, Dom. You take the pod.”
Domik scowled at her. “I have nobody. You go.”
“And I have someone?” She scoffed. “You have a brother. A family who I’m sure loves you. I don’t have a family. I don’t have anyone. Go.” She gave him a gentle push as if she could move his giant form into the pod.
“You have me.” His confession surprised them both, and they stared at each other for a long moment before she shook her head slowly. Her eyebrows drew down and, if he could see her mouth behind the mask, he was certain she would purse her lips at him in frustration.
