K. Weiland - Storming

She lowered her gaze from his eyes, to his mouth. Her lips parted.

Dear Lord in heaven, why did this have to be so hard?

The corner of her mouth curved up, half-smiling. “I would not slap you. Maybe.”

And why did it have to be this easy? He lowered his face to hers. He touched her cheek and pulled her to him. Kiss her and have done with it. Get at least that much to carry with him, even if she did decide to slap him after he told her all of it.

But he couldn’t. Before his mouth could reach hers, he made himself say it.

“Jael, I already decided. I’m still leaving.”

For a second, she remained as she was. Then she flicked her eyes back up to his and drew her eyebrows together. She leaned away. “Why?”

“Because I should never have come home, and that’s the truth.” He shook his head. “Campbell says we’re even, but we both know he can still chuck me in jail anytime I don’t do what he wants. I had to give him your pendant.”

“You found it? Under Schturming ?”

“If I don’t do what he tells me, then people get hurt. People I care about. Including you.”

Her features remained still, like she was waiting to hear it all before judging.

“I’ve done nothing but cause more trouble since I came back here. I’ve raked up all of Nan’s hurt over Celia’s death and Griff’s hurt over my leaving the first time. I upset Walter when he needed somebody to be on his side more than ever.” He looked away. “Got my dog killed.”

She nodded, slowly, realization dawning. “You are flying away.”

He turned back to her. “I am sorry.”

She shook her head. “I forgive you—about pendant. I understand why you did what you did. You were protecting people, and you did not have choice. I do not blame you for that.”

From the sounds of it, she blamed him for something .

She sighed. “But… you are leaving.”

His heart flipped. If that was all, then maybe this thing could still end happily.

He touched her arm. “Come with me. Fly around the world on my wings. You were born for that life as much as I was.”

“You would be leaving more than just me.”

“They’re better off without me.”

“That is not true.”

“They can’t wait for me to leave. You can read it on their faces.”

She pulled her arm free. “That is excuse. They are your family! It is not for them you are leaving. It is for you that you are running away .”

His guts twisted. He took a step back. “If I knew how to do it any different, I would.”

She looked him in the eye. “You do know. I heard you tell Walter.”

He waited.

“You said… to be brave, you only have to pretend.”

He had said that to a scared little kid who didn’t yet know what he was capable of. Hitch wasn’t a kid any more. He’d been to the limits of himself and back again more times than he could count. Pretending didn’t work anymore. Or at the least, it was a fool’s game. He was what he was, and he only knew how to do what he knew how to do.

He started to shake his head. “I’m sorry—”

From beyond the party, deep in the field, a woman screamed—and then the scream was cut off.

Jael turned. “That was Aurelia.”

The band kept playing. A moment ticked by.

And then another scream jagged through the night—on and on, higher and higher. It sounded strange, reedy, unused.

Hitch’s neck burned cold. It sounded like Walter.

HITCH AND JAEL started running at the same time. They headed for the back end of the field, toward Schturming . He overtook her, in her party shoes, almost immediately. Already the deep thrum of _Schturming_’s engines rumbled in his chest.

He shoved through the party. “Move! Get out of the way!”

His brain scrambled to catch up with his legs. Campbell had launched the thing? Why? Campbell had nothing to prove to these people. And he wouldn’t hurt Aurelia or Walter. Hitch had done what Campbell’d wanted. Campbell didn’t have a single reason to hurt them. His heart exploded energy through his body with every stride.

Ahead, the white cloud of _Schturming_’s envelope floated up from the ground. She was aloft, the bright moon showing every detail. The tethers had been cut, the propellers already repaired thanks to Campbell. She powered right over the top of the party.

People started looking up. They pointed. Some of them laughed and waved. But then uncertainty swept over them. Conversations ceased. The dancing stopped. A second later, even the band petered into silence.

Above, the engines cut out.

Hitch stopped, panting. Behind him, Jael skidded to a stop.

From above, a voice shouted down: “You are enjoying your party, yes?”

Zlo.

Rumbles of astonishment and confusion washed through the crowd.

How had this happened? Campbell knew Zlo had some gambit up his sleeve. He had men on guard. Surely, Zlo couldn’t have hidden away enough people to overpower them all. Hitch balled his fists. Or maybe he could. Maybe in allowing Schturming to be captured, what he had really done was cleverly get rid of all his deadweight—all the people from Schturming who’d disagreed with him. That would leave him with just those men who were loyal to him and his notions of what he wanted to do with the dawsedometer .

Hitch looked skyward—up and up, until there . Zlo and half a dozen other shadowy figures stood on the railed walkway atop the envelope.

Zlo laughed. “You tried your best, and you have lost. And now again, we are going to play this game by the rules I give you. Except this time, you need motivation maybe. I have two of your people as my passengers.”

“ Gospodi pomiluy ,” Jael breathed.

“Say your names,” Zlo said. “So your people know who they will lose.” He shook one of the shadows flanking him. “Say it.”

A whimper floated down. Then: “Aurelia Honoria Smith—and Walter.”

The party erupted. People started shouting and screaming. Mothers started running for their children, husbands for their wives. Standing near the food tables, J.W. shook his fist.

“Two of your people,” Zlo’s voice deepened. “One each for two days—tomorrow and the next day. You have until then to give my ransom. Wave red flag on top of your bluff when you are ready.” He turned to the shadows of his men. “ Otpustite nas !”

The engines throttled up. The propellers started pummeling the air.

This whole thing was another setup. Zlo wouldn’t give Aurelia and Walter back, no matter what the town did from now on. He’d chuck them overboard at his own good pleasure and in his own good time, just to show who was boss.

Walter and Aurelia’s only chance was a rescue right here, right now.

Hitch turned and ran to the Jenny. He stopped at the rear cockpit long enough to stick his hand inside and feel for the fuel switch.

He turned back, and Jael practically smashed into him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded. But he already knew.

“I am coming with you.”

Protesting would be a fat lot of useless at this point. So he just plain didn’t. Besides, a little help would be more valuable than not about now.

“Get in! You know what the magneto switch is on the panel? As soon as I tell you, flip it.”

She kicked off her heeled pumps and jumped from the wing into the front cockpit. “All right!”

He raised his leg, like a pitcher ready for the game of his life, and cycled the propeller. “Contact!”

“Contact!” she hollered.

He hand-propped it again. The engine roared to life, and he ran back to swing himself into the rear cockpit. Feet on the rudder pedals and the stick in his hand, he opened the throttle and taxied the plane around to take off into the darkness. The wings caught air, and he pitched for a maximum rate of climb.