The Wilted Planet

Chapter 15: Parting Ways

Caleb caught up to his friends a few minutes after the skirmish with the buggers. Dean was still fighting to control a struggling Rose who screamed at him to take her back. Meanwhile Flint seemed to be staring at the ground silently. Once they noticed him standing there they all fell silent for a moment. Rose broke free from Dean who let her go. She ran over to Caleb who expected one of her hugs or something. But when the angry shove came he wasn't ready and stumbled back in surprise. "Woah woah. Hey what was that for?" He asked.

Rose glared at him. "You promised you'd protect me. That you wouldn't let anything happen to me." She said accusingly. Caleb frowned and glanced at his two fellow marines who seemed mildly interested in what she was saying. "I just did both those things." He replied, slightly confused at her actions. Rose shook her head quickly. "No. You let these two drag me away and leave you to die. How is that protecting me?" She asked with mixed emotions of pain and anger on her face. Caleb frowned really confused now. "But I'm not dead.." He said letting his confusion freely enter his voice.

Rose's glare at him softened a tad bit. "That's not the point.." She murmured dropping her gaze. Caleb looked to his marine friends again who shrugged. Dean in particular, raised a finger to his helmet and spun it around a few times as he did. Showing him his own personal guess at the matter. "So what is the point then?" Caleb asked, eager to move on. Rose shook her head again and pointed a finger at him. "You just.." She paused trying to think of the right words to say. "Don't you ever think it's okay for you to leave me." Rose paused again and looked at him. "Promise me you won't do that again." She said almost as a command. Caleb was at a loss for words and tried to think of this logically."

"Promise me." She repeated, staring at him with desperation in her eyes. Caleb sighed knowing full well her wish couldn't be fulfilled. But wanting to calm her down so they could move on he nodded. "I won't leave you." He replied. Rose looked into his visor, and through it into his eyes. "Promise?" She whispered. Caleb gave a weak smile and nodded. "Yeah I promise." He said softly in return. Rose relaxed visibly and backed up a step. A small time of silence passed over the group until Dean raised up a hand. "We all good now?" He asked. Caleb nodded in reply and with that, the group moved on down the hall as they had before. The halls around them seemed to close in on them as they walked.

Minutes later they approached a series of doors that led to different sectors of the building. Flint seemed to study some of the names and turned to Caleb. "Where do you think Serge would be at?" He asked. Caleb moved up to the doors and frowned at the unfamiliar names of the sections. "Serge wouldn't go anywhere to make a last stand unless it had lots of cover.." He mumbled to himself and traced the numbered rooms on the sign with his gloved finger. When his finger came to rest on a particular name he smiled. "Gotcha Serge." He said to himself and stepped back. "I know where he is." Caleb announced to Flint who grinned. "That's my boi" He replied smiling cheekily.

Caleb led the others down the hall, eyeing the doors as they passed, searching only for the one he was looking for. Once he spotted it, he ran up to it despite knowing the risks. "Wait Cal!" Dean called. But Caleb opened the door without hesitating, revealing a ramp upward. "Caleb slow down." Flint said wheezing behind him. Caleb realized he had rushed much quicker than he had meant to and apologized. "Sorry Flin." He murmured. Flint waved his apology away. "Just don't freak out. I know how much Serge means to you. But if you rush in. You could get us all killed." Caleb mentally kicked himself knowing Flint was right. The two of them waited a moment to let Rose and Dean catch up.

"Okay Flint you take point again." Caleb commanded, resisting the temptation to just take off without everyone. Flint nodded and moved forward up the ramp. Caleb followed close behind with Rose and Dean on his tail. At the top of the ramp Flint stopped and raised a hand urgently. Caleb copied him making the two behind him come to a stop. Flint peeked around the corner and cursed pulling his head back quickly. "Covies are at the controls." He whispered. Caleb's heart skipped a beat at the news. "How many?" Caleb asked. Flint peeked around the corner again and pulled back after a second. "Ten maybe fifteen. Mostly grunts but there seems to be a few jackals." He answered.