Chapter 59
The night is unusually quiet. I think it's never been this quiet before. The sound of my own breathing and some distant owl is odd after so much noise. But the army is gone; you can't even hear them in the distance anymore. It's just my breathing and that damn owl, and if it wasn't for that I'd think this is probably what death sounds like.
It's almost hard to breathe, but I push myself - I'm tempted to literally just slap myself into focus. I fumble with the leather and fabric to check on my wound, only to find the stitches thankfully intact. That's good. I'm gonna need it now that I'm about to try something stupid.
Not that I know what exactly I'm going to try, but I have to do something. I know damn well pulling at the main door isn't going to do shit, but I try it anyway, just in passing, just to scream and kick at it once, if nothing else. My own shrieks echo in the night, and my wound pulsates when I pull too hard. So I stop.
The mines.
Octavia.
There is no way Octavia would have walked away, no matter the orders. This is her brother, and she's a Blake before she's anything else. And if she's stayed, that means she's most probably alone in the tunnels, which sends another bolt of fear straight into my heart, and I take off running.
I don't see very well when I enter the trees, so I have to slow down. I also have to be alert in case there's some Mountain Men dispatched in the area. I don't want to trip up and break myself just as much as I don't want to get shot - or worse, taken. I seem to forget it's my blood too they'd likely want to suck out.
It proves to be good thinking, because I can soon see someone's silhouette in the distance, seemingly making their way ahead just as I am. I rush a bit closer and pull out the bow and notch an arrow and before they can put more distance between us, I send a warning shot. The arrow lands right next to the person's foot. It makes them jump, and I could swear I heard a gasp. ''Don't move!'' I growl because I can see they're ready to flee. But instead of flight or counter-attack, the person turns around, and it's only now that I see light, long hair. And a familiar voice greets me.
''Tasha?''
''Clarke?''
''You stayed.''
''Of course I stayed,'' I sling the bow back and rush toward her, ''I hope that's not surprise 'cause I'd be insulted.''
She keeps up with me now, but I'm so angry I do my best to walk at least a foot in front of her.
''Bellamy doesn't know about the treason, and he no longer has an army on the inside to help him, but you can bet your ass he's still going to try and get our friends to the intake door,'' I stride on, ''It's our best bet.''
''I'm sorry,'' she only says - earnestly * but I don't stop a second to care.
''Doesn't matter, Clarke. Now let's hurry the hell up.''
She doesn't say anything else, and neither do I, as we make our way through the woods and to the tunnel where I last saw Bellamy. And I know it has been the easy part so far, and as much as there's animosity between me and Clarke at the moment, right now that we've stepped into these tunnels we have to be as close and trusting a team as there ever was.
Clarke takes the lead, knowing the route, and I take the rear, arrow ready. Indra's team must have dealt with the Reapers because none come - there seems to be no one but us in these oppressively silent tunnels. The darkness is even worse, but once our eyes adjust, it's doable. I silently hope I'm not wrong about the Reapers though, because I certainly don't have a tone generator, and I don't think Clarke does either with the amount that Raven made, and so I don't even ask.
We seem to walk forever, but when Clarke recognizes the last of the tunnels, she starts running eagerly, and I follow behind, and we soon see light coming from where the intake door should be. When we take the last turn, we're met by a sword, but Octavia sheathes it the moment she sees it's us.
"Octavia. You stayed."
"Screw you. Of course I stayed,'' O echoes my words, ''I know where my loyalties lie."
"We have to get in there,'' Clarke moves to the disposal tunnel, but Octavia stops her.
"If that was possible, do you think I'd still be out here? Why did Lexa sound the retreat?"
''Oh, my God,'' I clasp my mouth. I don't know if I want to cry or puke or both. Fox's body lies in the metal container, disposed of like she's nothing but trash. Her pretty face still somehow looks horrified, even in death, and she looks even skinnier than when I last saw her. She's as pale as death can make you, but I know it's the way they bled her that's made her body look like this. I want to cry. I should cry, I need to make myself. The thought runs through my head, but all I can do is stand horrified.
"She made a deal with Mount Weather, freed the Grounders, and now we're on our own,'' I can hear Clarke reply to Octavia, neither paying any attention to me. I can't tear my eyes away from poor Fox. This girl was the most innocent human being I've ever met.
But then a booming sound makes me look away.
"Stop!'' Octavia grabs Clarke as she bangs on the intake door, ''They'll know we're here!''
Clarke steps back, defeated.
''What about Lincoln?'' Octavia asks, ''There's no way he would have gone along with a plan like this."
"He didn't,'' I say, ''They made him, took him away.''
Clarke takes out the gun, aims at the door, but Octavia stops her before she can shoot, and before I can move.
"What's wrong with you?!"
''Want them to speed up the process?!'' I shriek, ''Want them to take you so you can keep Fox company?!?''
"I am getting through that door!"
"And that's your plan?'' Octavia asks her, ''Bellamy's counting on you. Everyone's always counting on you!"
"Well, what do you want from me?!" Clarke cries.
"You trusted Lexa! You let a bomb drop on Tondc! You let all those people-"
"I am doing the best I can!"
"Yeah? Well, it's not good enough!!"
''Guys,'' I only say, but it's enough to make them stop. The door keypad beeps, and I notch an arrow just in case, just as Clarke aims the gun at the door again. The door opens slowly. And Bellamy emerges, almost shrouded by the lights coming from inside the mountain, looking like an angel, like a dream, and I can't believe I'm seeing him again.
Octavia's hugging him, but I can't move.
When Bellamy lets go of her and gives a nod to Clarke, I realize I've dropped my bow to the ground as we rush toward each other in a couple of quick, long strides and I literally crash into him, my arms around his neck, his arms around me, his face in my neck, and I can't believe it's real, and I realize I'm crying. There are tears in my eyes and a couple have escaped me, and I can't get enough of his closeness, the feel of his arms, the scent of him. When I pull back I literally have to just grab his face and look at him, like I have to make sure it's really him. But when his eyes meet mine in a split of a second we can yet spare, he slams his mouth against mine.
''Thank God, you asshole!'' I let out a laugh when I pull back, wiping my face with the back of my hand before punching him lightly. Octavia grins at the exchange, and it's only then that I realize Monty and Jasper are standing right there.
''Oh my God,'' I say before I throw myself at them both - it feels like I literaly haven't seen them in years, especially Monty. Jasper gives a smile as I ruffle his hair, before he introduces his new friend.
Maya steps out in a hazmat suit, looking positively scared of Octavia and me. I find it odd before I realize why, though I don't have as much warpaint on.
''It's all right,'' Jasper tells her, ''They're with us.''
"Where's your army?" Bellamy asks Clarke.
"Gone just like yours. Say you have a plan."
"Not really. We need to talk to Dante. Maya says he's in quarantine."
Monty and Jasper both give Clarke a hug, and for a moment it feels like the good old days back at the Drop-Ship camp. But we've come a long way from that, too long, and nothing will ever be the same after this.
Maya's suit starts beeping, which throws everyone in panic mode, especially Jasper. Something's wrong with the damn tank, and it's her last too.
"Hey, we'll find you another one,'' Clarke assures her.
"All the supplemental oxygen is on level five,'' Maya replies in defeat.
"Then we have to get you to level five,'' says Jasper.
"Five isn't safe for any of us,'' Maya shakes her head.
"We'll take the trash chute again,'' he insists, ''It will work."
"To get in, maybe,'' says Bellamy, ''Maya's right. Every soldier in this mountain is there. We'll never make it out."
"We can do this,'' insists Jasper, eyes wide, ''We'll split up!"
''I'm in,'' I say, giving Jasper a smile. I feel like it's the least I owe to this girl. Jasper smiles back at me nervously, terrified and appreciative.
"Okay,'' Octavia says, ''You guys go for Dante. We'll help Maya."
I kiss Bellamy one more time before we split up, somehow knowing he'll be fine - he's survived days and days in this mountain.
And as for me, I won't let anything stop me.
*
We manage to make it to Level 5 just as Maya runs out of all her oxygen. When the door closes she disposes of the hazmat suit, and takes one big hungry breath.
"She's safe. Could we go now?" Octavia asks.
"I'll be okay,'' nods Maya.
"Look, I'm not leaving you,'' Jasper tells her.
"Jasper-,'' Octavia calls, but he won't hear it.
"She's alive, but she's not safe."
"Cage knows I helped you guys,'' Maya says, ''He's on level five."
"So what do we do?" asks O.
"We kill Cage,'' replies Jasper.
''Fuck that son of a bitch,'' I say, "I'm in."
*
"This is taking too long. I mean, what if she got caught?"
"We'd have heard something."
"Then what if she couldn't find Sergeant Lee or- I don't know- The protocol changed? What if he got caught?"
"Jasper, a warrior doesn't worry about what he can't control,'' Octavia tells him, but she's the only warrior among us, because I can't exactly sit calm either. But then the door opens and I stop pacing - Maya emerges with Sgt. Lee in tow.
"Come on, in here. "
"Oh, thank god,'' Jasper throws his arms around her. "Anyone see you?"
But when Sgt. Lee steps up to see us, he raises his gun at Octavia before I can blink, and in another moment I draw back an arrow without thinking consequences. Yet no one moves. We're at a stand-off.
"Lee, put down the gun,'' Maya demands.
"You didn't say there were outsiders with you,'' Lee counters.
"They're not outsiders,'' Jasper argues.
''Yes, they are."
"They're with us,'' says Maya, ''Cage is in the dorms. They brought another group in from the Ark, more marrow. They're not even trying to fix the dam."
''More prisoners?!'' I ask, suddenly panicked, because I can't not worry about dad, can't not think he might be among them, and every alarm in my being goes off, blaring.
''Yeah,'' Maya confirms, her voice meek and apologetic, like the guilt is hers.
Lee lowers his gun and I follow with my bow. He does it very reluctantly though, so I keep my hands nimble and ready, just in case.
"How many soldiers are with Cage?" Jasper asks him.
"Uh, six. Why?"
"Just get me close. They'll be happy you found another eight doses. I need a-''
Octavia hands him a knife before he can ask for it. "Aim for the throat. Slash, don't stab. Make it deep."
"I hope you know what you're doing,'' Lee tells him once he puts handcuffs around his wrists.
"Me too,'' says Jasper.
"You got this,'' Maya tells him.
"Yeah,'' Jasper says, and before they kiss, we step away to give them some privacy. My heart hurts at the thought of what might happen next. And I suddenly get this very, very bad idea that I know I can no longer walk away from. So when Lee's about to walk Jasper away, I stop him.
''Wait!''
They both turn around. I take off my weapons and give them to Octavia, telling her not to lose my bow. ''Sentimental value,'' I say. She looks at me in half wonder half fear, before she nods.
I'm left with nothing but the knives in my boots.
I extend my wrists to Lee.
''You'll have to take me too.''