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Wolf vaulted over the crate Gunshots blared, bullets pinged, the walls shook

Iko roared and launched herself past Cinder, tackling a guard who appeared in the corner of Cinder’s vision His gun fired; the bullet struck the ceiling Iko punched hiainst the , unconscious

Cinder juun, and spotted the second guard creeping around to their other side His face was blank--unafraid Then, as she watched, it cleared His eyes focused on Cinder, bewildered

The thau The guard snarled and aiun at Cinder, but he was too late Already she had a grip on his bioelectricity With a thought, she sent hi into unconsciousness He dropped to his knees and collapsed face-first to the floor with a crunch Blood spurted froh the bay

Cinder could no longer see Wolf, and terror struck her In taking control of the guard, she’d forgotten about protecting Wolf’sstopped, followed by a thud

A second later, Wolf appeared fro out his right fist

Pulse thru, Cinder turned to see Iko with her arm wrapped around an extra-pale Cress

They ran for the rarateful that it was lowered to face away from the palace entrance As they crept doard, she scanned their surroundings, with both her eyes and her Lunar gift In this wide-open space, she could sense a cluster of people in the distance and she could tell there were both Earthens and Lunars in the lev doors, at least, was unblocked If they were careful, they could stay hidden behind this row of ships

At least, until one of those Lunars picked up on Wolf’s sizzling energy and questioned what ahere

She waved her arm and they skimmed around the side of the ran they’d been noticed When none came, they darted to the next ship, and the next Every thump of their feet pounded in her ears Every breath sounded like a windstorether they ducked behind the landing gear of an elaborately painted ship from the African Union Cinder held her hand at the ready, the bullet still loaded in her finger

"Over there!" sos of the spacecraft and spotted a figure bolting between ships Thorne, running away from them at full speed

Not yet controlled by a Lunar

Heart leaping, Cinder reached out for his et to him before one of the Lunars on the other side of the dock …

Success

Like with Wolf, she thrust an idea into his head

Get back here

Startled, Thorne tripped and fell, rolled a couple tiuilt, but was relieved when Thorne changed directions He skirted around a couple podships, dodging a volley of bullets froed froot hi half her focus on Thorne, the rest on her own careful movements, Cinder stayed close to Wolf as they ducked in and out of the safety of the spacecraft, weaving their way to the wide platforht around the perimeter of the docks Their exit loomed before them Enorn above thelev platform

They reached the last ship They’d run out of shelter Once they were on the platforlanced back Thorne was on his stomach beneath the tail of a solo-pilot pod He waved at theo first," said Cinder If they were seen, they at least couldn’t be manipulated "We’ll cover you"