Gale's POV
I awake to the tell-tale sounds of a hovercraft.
I jump up instinctively, ready to defend myself, despite the pain in my head.
It takes me a minute to realize that I an actually inside the hovercraft.
This makes my heart sink.
If I'm inside it, it means they must have still sent us to Engle.
I look around, trying to get my bearings.
I was laying just inside the ship, right next to the door.
Almost like I was slid in by it's closing.. Weird.
Why would they do that?
Something about this doesn't seem right.
Why would they keep me here and not in a secured location?
And why aren't there any guards?
Then I remember Johanna.
Where is she?
I promised to keep her alive, I promised.
I am not too late, I tell myself.
She isn't dead.
I think the only thing to do now it to find out who is flying this craft.
I slowly make my way to the latter that leads above.
I peer up it first, to make sure it's clear.
After this latter, there's a room, then the cockpit; standard hovercraft layout.
I carefully start to climb up it, my sweaty hands slipping a little on its slick, gray rungs.
I pause once to wipe them on my pant leg.
As I reach the top, I begin to look for a weapon. These rooms sometimes are used to store then. This room is empty.
I quietly cross the room, though my footsteps are concealed by the hovercraft's sounds.
There is not a window on the last door.
The only way to see into the room is to open it.
There will only be one man inside, maybe two.
It's the only way.
I slam my hand on to the button and bring my fists up, preparing to fight.
When the door fully slides open, I am only greeted by the sight of Johanna, her eyes wide and her own fists up.
"Johanna.."
I breath, so grateful that she's alive.
"Are you ok?" I ask her, bringing her close to my chest.
"Yes, yes I'm fine. What about you?"
She replies, her voice even higher than normal.
"I'm ok. How-how did you get us out?"
She blushes the teensiest bit.
"I fought then off, grabbed a gun, shot them."
She tells me.
"And then you stole a hovercraft."
I finish for her.
"She's still got it..."
I say quietly.
"Of course I do. It never left."
She smirks, bumping me with her hip.
I lean in to kiss her, a celebratory gesture.
Her lips meet mine and I get lost in the softness of them.
We break away and smile at each other.
"Where are we headed, captain?"
I ask, playfully.
"Actually, we are going to Engle."
She tells me.
"I figured if we went where they told us to, at least in the general direction, they would be less likely to find us."
Smart. Very smart.
"Genius." I mutter.
"Where do you suggest we land, as opposed to the capital?"
I ask her.
"I was thinking somewhere rural, obviously. At least 100 miles away from the capital."
"Agreed."
"We'll be there in 2 hours."
She tells me.
I scoot my chair a little closer to hers and put my arm around her.
She sighs slightly, and leans her head on my shoulder.
"Thanks for getting me out of there." I mumble into her hair.
"You know I wouldn't leave you."
She answers me.
I decide to try and flirt a little, though my skills are a bit rusty.
"Your hair smells nice."
I say, leaning back some.
"No, it smells like sweat."
She retorts.
Fail. I try again:
"No, really, it does. Maybe I like the smell of sweat."
"Sure you do. Quit tryin to flirt and kiss me."
She says, her normal self coming back.
So I do.
I cup her jaw in my left hand and press my lips to the fullness of hers.
They are moist and so soft.
Our lips move slowly, smoothly.
Her hands start to touch my biceps, feeling the hard muscle of them.
They slip up the sleeves of my shirt, gliding over my shoulders.
I shudder a little under her touch.
It hasn't been long, yet she has such power over me.
I start to kiss along her jaw, planting little kisses down it.
A gasp comes from her lips, and I move to kiss them again.
She moves closer as I do, pressing her body fully to mine.
I start to get lost, staring into her eyes as I kiss her.
All I know is her lips and her hands.
All I know is Johanna.
BAM. Suddenly, the whole ship jolts. Our chairs are flung backward, and we go with them. I scramble up and look at the screen, my lips tingling still.
On it, I see green. I see grass.
It appears, according to the screen, that we have landed.
Now, the real struggle begins.
