Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)

35|| Final Countdown

Nerves were feelings so they were more than welcomed. Negative, infuriating, stomach - dropping... It didn't matter. The only thing that counted was that there was something tugging at him, and he was not a block of stone.

Jimmy watched his friends and family, standing on the start of the ramp that would lead them to the spaceship. Spaceship. He was going to board a spaceship and take off into outer space. It almost sounded like gibberish.

He'd already hugged and said goodbye to everyone, but his other crew mates were not done. Plus, Jerry could use a few more moments with Sarah. A sea of people filled the small room tightly and everyone had to be careful not to bump shoulders, especially because the Agency had decided the occasion warranted the presence of a special committee. Jimmy lived for their validation, so it was great news. 

Not really. It was so hard not to scoff and roll his eyes, grit his teeth at their presumptuousness and incompetence. The faster he got away from them the better. Especially since they'd decided to name Lee Hannigan as the leader of the space mission while Jimmy headed the technical department. At least it was him and Roberta Sanchez, so he wasn't leading himself.

A sinking feeling caught hold of him as he took in his brothers. Sam and Tom both smiled at him. Sarah was too busy showering Jerry with affection, and the two of them had the attention of Kyle, Kay and Angie. Kyle and Kay were still stiff, but at least they didn't seem downright hostile towards each other which meant they were still holding on.

One thing at a time. First space, then fixing relationship issues. Because whatever Kyle and Kay had going on had to end one way or another.

Roberta made her way towards him, wiping a tear from her cheek. She stopped and bumped her fist against his shoulder. "Ready, Grant?"

"I was born ready, Sanchez."

She grinned at him and glanced over her shoulder. "Your family is huge."

"And awesome." Because they totally were. Just the fact that they'd flown over to say goodbye personally meant a lot to him. Also that they'd had the sense to leave his mother at home.

"That also appears to be true." Roberta gave him another playful punch. "Whenever you're ready, I'll be waiting inside with the less fortunate ones."

Cynthia made her way past them, tall, skinny and blonde, but didn't start a conversation. She looked paler than usual and Jimmy wondered if she was having a bad reaction to Jerry's drug or it was just nerves. They'd find out soon enough. Roberta gave his shoulder a squeeze and headed inside, too.

Jerry finally detached himself from Sarah and joined Jimmy at the beginning of the ramp. He looked a little shaky.

"Ready?" he whispered.

Jimmy huffed. "Do we even have a choice not to be?"

The question brought a smile to Jerry's face. "Not really, but this time it's something different and exciting."

Jimmy couldn't deny that. Jerry waved one last time at their family and started up the ramp. Jimmy gave them one more lingering look to commit them to memory. As much as he'd buried himself in work and as cold as he'd been about all this, he wanted to remember every little detail about them because he was going to miss them.

Or never see them again. Huh, apparently he was full of over-dramatic bullshit today. Still feelings. 

"Go already!" Tom yelled at him.

Typical. Jimmy gave one last dramatic royal wave and turned around.

"Hey, get out of my way!"

The sound of a new voice froze him on the spot. It wasn't really a new voice, just one he hadn't heard in too long. It was his weird imagination, because he'd hoped so much. He whipped back around, his eyes scanning the crowd. The room was so full it was hard to see anything, and the Agency people were pushing together as if to form a wall.