Ash and Cinder

7| A Small Tree

My eyes fly open, and I scan the cave. It's dark in here, but it's also small enough that it doesn't take long to confirm that Dieter is not with us. Piper lets loose a stream of colorful swear words, including a handful I've never heard before. I can only agree with him. I catch Maverick's gaze. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he chews on his bottom lip. I know that look. His guilt look. He turns away and stares out at the wailing storm. Probably thinking of ways he could go out on his own to find Dieter. He can't, end of. He can't see through the rain or command the wind to stop any more than a regular human could.

I would leave Dieter. It's not worth risking more people to look for him. Besides, I'm not all that fond of the guy, I don't think anyone in this cave is. I grimace as it dawns on me that that statement could be just as easily said about me. In the end, Dieter and I are both outsiders to the group, and the only reason either of us are here is because of Maverick. All of these people—including me, trust Mav, and with good reason too. Because Maverick is far nicer than me. He's too altruistic to leave someone out in the storm of the century.

When he looks back to me, I already know what his decision is, and I know that I'm involved in whatever plan he's cooked up.

"You would do it for Elle," he says.

"That's different."

"How?" a woman's voice interrupts. We both glance over at Delilah. "How is it different?" Her accent is wan, but I can picture how at one time maybe the only language she spoke was Russian. A vision of Chastin falling, red flowers blooming from his wounded chest, enters my mind. If anyone has the right to be royally ticked off at me, it's Delilah. I don't know what Chastin was to her, but he was clearly important to her and he's dead because of me.

"It's..." Elle is small, and fragile, and helpless, and I can't lose her. Dieter is none of those things. One glance at Delilah's narrowed eyes, and I bite my tongue. "Not. It's not different. Never mind."

Dieter is a person, albeit an obnoxious one, but still a person. Who am I to decide who to help and who to ignore? Besides, there are far too few Experiments in the world for us to leave each other's backs wide open.

"I hate to bear bad news, but may I remind you all that the bloke is out there." Sky jabs a finger at the monstrous storm outside. Thunder rumbles as if to accentuate his point, deafening us all momentarily. "And none of us can bloody stand straight in that mess."

Maverick grunts in the back of his throat, acknowledging Sky's point.

"Most of us," he corrects, turning to face Delilah, "I know you're tired, we all are, but I need your help finding Dieter."

Delilah waves off whatever Maverick is about to say next, already rising to her feet.

"Don't you think it would be hypocritical of me to refuse after badgering Trick about the same thing?"

"Thank you."

He claps his hands, as if we weren't all paying attention to begin with. "Alright, Trick, you're with me and Delilah. King, you're in charge while we're gone. This should be a quick recon, he can't have gone far." Maverick backs towards the cave mouth as he speaks. Delilah and I flank him. Lightning sparks and thunder quakes a half-second after. I'm not liking our odds against that rager. Delilah had better be damned amazing with her kinesis, otherwise we are as screwed as Dieter.

"In the unlikely event that we don't make it back before morning, you are to continue the original mission," he instructs, then makes a point of turning and fixing Sky with a firm look. "You will not come looking for us," he orders.

"Your wish is the very air I breathe." Sky mock bows.

"See you soon." Maverick bids them goodbye, then it's out into the storm for us. I brace for the buffeting wind and piercing rain. None of those things strike us.