Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) - Marissa Meyer Page 0,116
for this.”
Hot and uncomfortable, with rough pebbles pressing into her stomach, Cress set her palms on top of her head.
The officer waited until they were on the ground before speaking again. “Linh Cinder. We have you surrounded. Come to the front exit immediately with your hands on top of your head and no one will be hurt.”
* * *
Cinder released a string of the most creative curses she could think of as the man’s voice died away. She left Wolf in the hallway, where he’d been unresponsive to her reminders that having a mental breakdown now wouldn’t do anything to help Scarlet. He had only sat curled in on himself with his head tucked against his knees, saying nothing.
Ducking into the doctor’s hotel room, Cinder inched her way to the window and peeled open the blinds.
The rooftop directly opposite the alley had two armed military officers with guns pointed right at her.
She dropped the blinds and cursed again, plastering herself to the wall.
A comm from Iko appeared in her vision. She pulled it up, already fearing what it would say.
RADAR IS PICKING UP MILITARY SHIPS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH. I THINK WE’VE BEEN SPOTTED.
“Do you think?” she muttered. Shutting her eyes, she jotted back a fast message, words scrolling across her eyelids as she thought them.
AT THE HOTEL, SURROUNDED BY EC MILITARY. PREPARE FOR IMMEDIATE TAKEOFF. WE WON’T BE LONG—I HOPE.
Letting out a slow breath, she pried open her eyes again. How was she supposed to get a mid-crisis wolf operative, a blind man, and an elderly doctor past all those soldiers without getting anyone killed?
She doubted the girl would be much help. Cress didn’t strike Cinder as the bold, risk-taking type, and Cinder doubted she’d had much experience fighting her way out of situations like this.
She could abandon her friends and make a run for it herself. She could try to control Wolf and use him as a weapon, but even he couldn’t take on that many soldiers at once, and they wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. She could try to brainwash the soldiers so they would let them pass, but she’d have to abandon Wolf if he didn’t come willingly.
Outside, the officer repeated his commands again and again, like a robot.
Squaring her shoulders, she returned to Wolf in the hallway. “Wolf,” she said, stooping beside him, “I need you to help me out here.”
He shifted enough to peer at her over his arm. His green eyes looked dull and faded.
“Wolf, please. We need to get to the ship, and there are a lot of people with guns out there. Come on—what would Scarlet want you to do?”
His fingers curled, nails digging into his thighs. Still, he said nothing, made no move to get up.
The officer’s voice boomed again. You are under arrest. Come out with your hands on your head. We have you surrounded.
“Fine. You leave me no choice.” Standing, she forced her shoulders to relax. The world shifted around her as she flipped off the panic and desperation and reached out instead for the energy crackling around Wolf.
Except this time it wasn’t crackling. Not like usual.
This time, it was like controlling a corpse.
* * *
They stepped into the doorway together.
At least sixty guns pointed at them that she could see—no doubt more hidden behind buildings and vehicles.
Jacin, Thorne, Dr. Erland, and Cress were all lying on the ground.
Two streets separated them from the ship.
She kept feeding lies to Wolf like medicine from a drip. Scarlet will be fine. We will find her. We will save her. But, first, we have to get out of this mess. We have to get to the ship.
From the corner of her eye, she saw his fingers twitch, but she didn’t know whether he was acknowledging that there was still hope out there, or whether he was just ticked at her for using him like this. Turning him into a puppet, just like the thaumaturge that had turned him into a monster.
Standing on the hotel step, with sixty guns trained on her, Cinder realized she was no better than that thaumaturge. This really was war, and she really was in the middle of it.
If she had to make sacrifices, she would.
What did that make her, anyway? A real criminal? A real threat?
A real Lunar?
“Put your hands on your head and walk away from the building. Do not make any sudden movements. We are authorized to kill if necessary.”
Cinder coerced Wolf to stay beside her. They walked in unison. The dusty air clouded around