Chapter 22
“How do we get to them?” Clarke asks. Bellamy sets Madi down, and steps closer to Monty.
“Emori, Echo, and Harper are getting a rover ready. They told me to come get you guys.” Monty explains. Clarke looks at Bellamy and then to Madi. If Harper and Monty are going, she doesn’t have another babysitting option.
“When do we leave?” Clarke asks, hoping to gauge how much time she has to find someone.
“Like now. Once I return with you two, we’re going to go scout.” Monty answers.
“And Lexa?” Clarke asks. Hostage negotiations, or any communication with the prisoners, can’t be done without her.
“I went to her first. She’s in war council meetings with Octavia, who we didn’t want to tell about this, because of the whole, you know, wanting to lead us into a massacre thing.” Monty responds. Without Lexa, Clarke didn’t know how this would go down. “She said that at least if we have you, it should be fine.” Clarke warms at the sentiment. It’s not often Lexa gives compliments, so when she does you know it’s true and you’ve earned it. Lexa believes in Clarke’s ability.
“Ok,” Bellamy says. “Do we have any kind of plan?”
“This is just a scouting mission. The plan is not to get caught.” Monty says. “Oh and not to die. That’s an important part of the plan.” Bellamy throws his hands up. This is exactly why he likes making the plans, no one else knows how to do it right.
“Let me say bye to Madi.” Clarke says, kneeling down to get on Madi’s level.
“You have to go again?” Madi asks, holding back tears. Clarke nods and grabs Madi’s face and kisses both of her cheeks.
“I love you and I’ll see you in the morning.” Clarke tells her, standing back up.
“I’ll see you in the morning, too,” Bellamy says, kneeling to kiss Madi’s forehead. Clarke’s eyebrows furrow in confusion.
“What are you talking about?” Clarke asks as he stands back up. “You’re not coming.”
“Of course I’m coming, Clarke. Where else would I be?” Bellamy asks.
“With your daughter.” Clarke answers, emphasizing each syllable like she’s explaining a new concept to a child.
“No, I’m going.” Bellamy argues, holding strong to his position. These are his friends, family really. Not to mention they spent every day of the last six years together. He needs to go.
“Who is going to stay with her?” Clarke asks with raised eyebrows, waiting for him to understand. “Harper is going and I can’t ask her to stay.”
“Why not?”
“Because Madi’s not her responsibility, she’s not her child.” Clarke argues. What part of this is hard to grasp? Clarke wonders.
“Then you stay with her.” Bellamy fires back.
“Oof,” Monty groans before he can stop himself. This was not going to end well for Bellamy.
Clarke ignores it. “I did stay with her. For almost six years.”
“That’s not fair. I didn’t even know she existed then. And there was no way for me to be here. I didn’t just abandon the two of you. You know I would have been there everyday if I could.” Bellamy argues.
“Then be here now. We really don’t have time for this. Lexa left me in charge-”
“No, she didn’t say that.” Monty interrupts to correct her.
Again, Clarke ignores him. “We need to go. Stay with your daughter, okay?”
“Why do you get to decide? She belongs to both of us.” Bellamy reminds her.
“And if Octavia comes looking for you? Then what? You can’t explain an absence for too long in a bunker.”
“She won’t. She’s busy.” Bellamy argues.
“She might and we can’t take that chance. We don’t have time for this, I have to go. In case you forgot, our friends are in trouble.”
“Murphy and Raven are just as important to me. I’m every bit as capable and clever as you are contrary to what you believe, princess.” Clarke stares Bellamy down, thinking of her next move. She suddenly leans down to kiss the top of Madi’s head.
“Why don’t you tell your daddy about your new boyfriend?” Clarke adds.
Bellamy looks down at Madi in shock. “Boyfriend?” By the time he looks up, Clarke has already rounded the corner and is out of sight. He sighs. Maybe she is more clever than he. “Let’s go Madi,” he says as they walk back into his room. “I want to hear about this boyfriend of yours. You know when I was kid, daddy’s had to give their approval of any potential suitors for their daughters.”
Clarke and Monty run as fast as they can up and out of the bunker without looking suspicious. If they wanted to leave without Octavia’s knowledge, then they would have to be sneaky. Whenever they pass someone, they slow and pretend to have a conversation. As soon as they’re out of view, they start running again.
They finally make it to the rover outside of the bunker where Echo, Emori, and Harper are anxiously waiting.
“Where’s Bellamy?” Echo asks and looks inside, trying to see if he is coming up next.
“With Madi.” Clarke explains shortly. Echo and Emori share a glance in confusion. Clarke slides into the driver seat without further explanation. The rest of the group hop in behind her.
They make it to the valley in just under an hour. Clarke drove as fast as the rover would allow. By the time they arrive, it’s already dark. They hide the rover in a cave not too far from their position. As far as they know, the prisoners ship could still be circling them, ready to fire another missile. They split up throughout the woods.
Seeing movement and hearing noises deeper in the woods, Echo stealthily jumps down from her hiding position in a tree. She lands almost silently. Her moves are graceful like a ballerina. Her years of teachings and training from the late Queen Nia are obvious; she can move without being heard or seen.
The culprit of the noise appears suddenly. Echo jumps on his back, a hand quick to cover his mouth.
“Could you be any louder?” She hisses in his ear. Echo looks around, making sure he is the only one, before hopping off his back.
Murphy turns around. “Oh thank God.” He hugs her quickly without thinking. Echo stands still and awkward, not used to this closeness and intimacy with Murphy or any of her friends for that matter. He lets go of her and mutters his apologies. Echo clears her throat, otherwise ignoring the entire situation.
Echo makes a series of whistle sounds. The rest of the group appears from all different directions. Relief of Murphy’s presence is evident on their faces. Clarke is the first one to lean in to hug him. She notices the shock collar and grabs his hand instead. She gives a tight squeeze and let’s go.
“Are you okay?” Clarke asks.
“Is that a shock collar?” Monty asks, reaching in to touch it. Murphy smacks his hand away.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
“Where’s Raven?” Echo asks.
“She’s still with the prisoners,” Murphy explains.
“You left her, of course you did.” Emori responds, frustration and anger clear in her voice and on her face. His selfishness never ceases to surprise, Emori thinks.
“She made a deal to get me released.” Murphy explains. “We should get going. They’re still up there waiting for Octavia to march her army again.”
“Lexa’s doing her best to stop Octavia from doing that.” Clarke tells him. “We’re doing our best to keep Octavia from dooming us all to a war we can’t win.” Murphy nods.
“We should probably get out of here. Where’s the rover?” He asks.
“Over there in a bear cave.” Clarke says. They head in that direction.
Murphy halts when he hears that. “And the bears?” He asks, wondering why no one else is freaked out. He did not just survive torture to be mauled to death by bears.