Rayne was worried about Xelan’s stiff responses and rigid posture, which indicated something was bothering him. But that would have to wait until after the jet barreled into oblivion.

Gripping the soft leather armrest of the chair Rayne had strapped into, holding back her lunch took precedence over listening to whatever her favorite Icarus was explaining about emergency landings.

They were really crashing. This was happening.

Beside Rayne, Kyle yelled a stream of swear words as the jet set into another spiral. The belt strained her lap as they went upside-down and rightside-up again. The sling’s harness was the only thing preventing Rayne’s arm from smacking her in the face. The whole while the wind howled, and the remaining jet engine shrieked with its wayward burden.

Xelan held onto Tameka, still unconscious and blissfully unaware of the bullshit this adventure had gotten up to. He shouted, “We were five minutes away from landing. How did they find us?!”

“Scouts,” Tumu repeated from their conversation not even thirty-six hours ago.

It took one massive Icarus with a momentary lapse into a Kamikaze mindset and boom. There was only one wing left on the plane as it plummeted through the dark sky.

“We’re jumping,” Xelan instructed.

“Actually, we’re falling,” Kyle shouted.

Sagan called, “What about Tameka?”

Xelan pulled Tameka tighter to him. “Don’t worry. I’ve got her. We’re going first.”

“First?” Rayne shouted and hoped that edge of panic didn’t ruin her cool leader vibe.

Xelan grinned at her, and she knew. She would be all right. No matter what. They were crashing into the Tunguska river, and they would survive because of that grin. Unable to help herself, Rayne returned his smile.

Absolute lunacy.

Kyle screamed, “You two are fucking crazy. What about the rest of us?”

Xelan approached the exit with Tameka bundled up and strapped to his front for a tandem parachute jump. “Tumu?”

“Got it.” The Tritan fiddled with his suit, keeping his back to them.

Xelan finished, “Don’t let them fall into the water. It’s cold enough to kill them.”

That’s fucking nice to hear. Rayne glanced at Sagan, who blanched at something in the window behind Rayne.

Turning, Rayne saw nothing but vanishing clouds and smoke from the lost wing. That qualified as blanchable. She reached out and gripped her best friend’s hand for reassurance.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Tumu turned to face them with the compression orb on his suit exposed. “I said I got this.”

“What the hell are you gonna do with that?” Kyle scoffed. In a panic, he blindly groped for Sagan’s free hand. She grabbed him. They clutched together in a chain.

“Save your life.” Tumu peered at Xelan, who nodded. He kicked the emergency door open, and gusts blasted into the plane with a terrible eruption of noise. Without opening his wings, Xelan jumped. No hesitation.

The three Progeny exchanged wild glances. “Look!” Sagan cried and pointed behind Rayne. The other two followed her gaze. Rayne grinned at the sight of Xelan flying alongside the decimated wing. He gave a thumbs up. What did a thumbs up—Oh.

Tumu decompressed. All the way.

The force sent out a shock wave which splintered the plane into panels of plastic, carpet, and metal. Rayne, Sagan, and Kyle held on at the eye of the Tritan storm, less affected but still falling through the sky. Seats were still attached by their belts as they screamed into the clouds. Meanwhile Tumu grew four, no five times the size of when he’d first met the Progeny in Phoenix. Titanosaur came to mind as he reached out and collected them in his hands. Already close to the ground, he pulled them tight into a ball, bracing for impact.

The crash hurt, rattling Rayne’s bones. The crack and creak of trees falling around them echoed throughout the forest. She groaned as they rolled into the firm snow. The seat fell out from under her along the way.

When Tumu recompressed with the last jolting thud, the Progeny scattered out of his hands. Rayne ground her teeth as her back met a tree some distance away. It was still not as bad as crashing in the plane, but she planned to send a certain Icarus a note about storing parachutes for his non-nacre possessing friends.

“Ugh. God, that sucked.” Rayne braced her good arm against the tree and stood.

“Rayne?” Kyle called from some distance away.

“I’m here!” Her voice cracked, choking on snow and hair. “I’m okay.” She hobbled over in his direction. Her left ankle wanted to fall off. So much for dressing up. Rayne asked, “Is Sagan with you?”

A few seconds later, closer now, Kyle called, “No! Just me.”

Rayne rounded a tree at the same time Kyle’s head popped up from a slope. She asked, “Are you hurt?”

He said, “I landed on a log. I’ll be fine. You? You’re limping.” Blood oozed from a scalp wound in his brunette curls. He didn’t rush over. It must be serious.

Rayne said, “I landed on a tree.”

They met in the middle of a snowy clearing. Rayne checked Kyle over for injuries, finding only the head wound. They both shivered. Him in a long wool coat. Her in a cropped sweater and slacks. She was the last one to dress when the alien dove into their plane. Regretting opting for midriff, she turned and called into the woods, “Sagan! Tumu!” Her breath left her in puffs.

Nothing.

Rayne shielded her bare stomach and opened her mouth to call again when something heavy draped over her shoulders. The warm coat swallowed her. Peering around at Kyle, she mustered up a protest, but he stopped her with an outstretched hand.

“I won’t even listen, so don’t bother. I’m still more dressed than you without it.” Kyle bundled his arms around the layers he wore as if to demonstrate. His overworked biceps and shoulders bunched and stretched the green sweater which brought out his eyes.

When Rayne met his gaze, Kyle regarded her with such force she had to look away. She snuggled into the coat as best she could with one arm, smelling boy deodorant and snow. He came closer and held it open for her. She slipped into it without glancing at his face. Even in his silence, Kyle asked too much from Rayne.

And with that, she muttered, “We need to find Sagan and the others. We have to keep to the plan.”

Kyle nodded. “Always stick to the plan.”

A knife flew right between them and thunked into a nearby tree. Finally, a problem Rayne knew how to deal with. Within the same heartbeat, a terrifying keening shrill resonated throughout the pines, leaving her hair standing on end.

Mostly knew how to deal with.