Caged
100 faces glare back at the Chancellor and his council. Faces forever frozen in defiant scowls on screen. "These one hundred minors have broken the law, capital punishment is the fee for any crime." Dark eyes flicker to his council members, their face smooth and stonic or pinched in worry. "Since they are minors they fall under the law of Capital Punishment." His hands clasp behind his back. "We cannot keep them here, they take up valuable resources and more space than they are worth."
Marcus Kane leans forward, moving his hand through his hair before he clasps his hands together across the table top. "What do you suggest Chancellor Jaha?"
A sharp gaze flickers to Kane and Jaha flares his nostrils before calming. "I have been speaking with the mountain, they have more than enough room to sustain them."
Kane runs his tongue across his teeth. "And when they come of age?"
Jaha keeps his gaze impassive as he walks around the room. "They can be retried for their crimes or remain in the mountain."
Kane looks up with narrowed eyes, tilting his chin cautiously up. "Any crime is punishable by death, that does not change because of retrial."
Jaha sighs low in his chest. "Then they will remain in the mountain."
Another council member leans forward precariously. "Why would the mountain take them?"
"They need more workers, skilled workers." He brings up one of the prisoners dossier. "Each minor has something to offer, some of them our smartest civilians."
The same man shakes his head, motioning to the hundred faces behind their Chancellor. "Then why send the smartest ones away?"
"They all broke the law, I will not bend it for them." He pulls down something from the scene onto his personal tablet. "They will find use at the mountain."
A woman furrows her brow in suspicion. "So we are rid of the prisoners and the mountain gains workers, what else is there to this deal?"
"We work a trade route." He throws the electronic map onto the screen, five different trails marked in varying color. "They will send us more guns to keep the grounders at bay and we will give them necessities. The first being a group of doctors, they are in need of assistance sometime soon."
A thin man straightens his scarf in the back of the room as he speaks. "And the grounders?"
"Have not been forth coming with peace." Jaha tilts his chin high as he stands tall in front of them, the screen behind him still full of 100 children he will send away. "We will defend ourselves when needed, but we will not declare war. Lines will be drawn but we will not hide like cowards."
Kane narrows his eyes, crossing his ankles below the table. "Are the families allowed to say goodbye?"
"It is not advised, families will be informed that the children will remain alive but that is it. It would cause too much chaos." His dark eyes search the room. "Is that all the questions?" He receives no words. "Good, dismissed, the guards will gather the prisoners at 0600 tomorrow. Abby I need your assistance, stay behind."
She doesn't look at the other members as she falls behind, nodding her head. "Of course."
Everyone leaves, Kane throwing a cautious expression to the two remaining members. "Do you still have the wrist band from a few years ago?"
Abby pauses before nodding her head, searching her memory of the inventory after the crash into earth. "Yes, in storage."
"Get them, we're to equip the prisoners with them until they arrive at the mountain." He marks notes on his pad, not bothering to look at his most trusted adviser.
"Why?"
"Monitor vital signs as well as how many make it to the mountain."
She stiffens, voice dropping in worry. "Why?"
"I fear the grounders may interfere." He tweaks a few of the trade routes with his back turned to her. "There will be tracking devices installed in them."
Abby nods, eyes focusing on her daughter's face across from her. "I'll get Sinclair to add those, shouldn't take but four hours."
"Good, get to work."
"Of course." Abby leaves, her steps calculated.
"Abby." Thelonius voice is low and the woman cocks her head to the side, hand on the door. "Since you are a council member you can help send off the prisoners tomorrow, equip them with their wrist bands."
"Of course." Her eyes water. "Thank you."
The woman makes her way to the medical ward, ducking through metallic hallways that flow with cold air. She sits against the corner, counting supplies and pressing a small button on the wall. Minutes later, done with part of the inventory Abby locks the door and sits down as the grate above her head opens. Down it drop two people, the man is dressed in a janitors uniform, dark hair slicked back and eyes too hard on a twenty-three year old face. The girl, no more than eighteen raises her brow. "You called?"
Abby's face hardens. "They're moving them to the mountain."
The girl grips a metal raven that hangs from her neck. "Shit, when?"
Abby swallows, throat too tight. "0600 tomorrow."
The man clenches his jaw. "How do we stop it?"
"You don't." he shakes her head. "Both of you would be floated before the cuffs were even on them."
Dark eyes find Abby's searching for answers. "What's the plan then Doc?"
Abby pulls out the one of the wrist bands. "They're putting the bands on them, tracking devises."
The girl steps forward, pulling at the gloves on her hands. "I'll disable them."
"Not in here you won't." There is a hint of desperation in her words. "He has Sinclair on it Raven."
The man steps closer, voice gruff with anger. "What is your plan?"
"I'll help you two get out, underground exits. You'll follow behind the group, help them escape and get the bands off." She pauses. "You'll both be traitors after that, fugitives and sentenced to death if you come back."
"We won't come back then." The dark skinned girl steps closer, oil smudged across her brow. "They'll kill you too."
"They won't find me." Abby fingers the ring hanging around her neck. "Thelonius has gone crazed with power. Sentencing them to the outside could tip the scales in our favor, we just need to bide our time."
Running a hand through slick hair the mans hakes his head. "Who's with you on this?"
"I can't tell you that Bellamy." She meets his eyes head on, notices the same pain that clouds her own eyes. "But this sets things into motion much sooner than expected."
He nods, jaw tight. "Well get them out and safe."
"How exactly do we survive the grounders?" Raven steps close, eyes flickering from Bellamy to Abby. "They won't take kindly to us being in their territory. We won't be armed either."
"I haven't figured that out yet. Once Thelonious believes you all to be dead, once the wrist bands are disabled he won't hunt you guys." She sighs, rubbing at her forehead. "Though he will try to find you as will the mountain for skewing their plans if he figures out what you did."
Raven shakes her head. "You don't know that."
"It's a possibility." Abby rubs at tired eyes, dropping the wrist band back into its box. "Get some sleep, meet me at fifteen after 0600, i'll send you guys out to catch up to them. Jaha will be too distracted to notice a missing mechanic and janitor that early."
Bellamy jerks his chin. "Just us?"
Abby nods, eyes broken with grief. "Miller will be supplying you with guns."
Bellamy clenches his fist, shaking his head. "They'll kill him."
"They won't find out."
Bellamy scoffs. "They do inventory."
Abby shakes her head, meeting Raven's gaze before she turns back to Bellamy. "There are black markets hidden throughout this place, he'll be fine."
"Thank you." Bellamy's voice cracks.
Abby smiles slightly, lips trembling. "Tell my daughter I love her, and i'm sorry."
"Will do Doc." Raven grips Abby's shoulder. "We gotta go. Too long and they'll be suspicious."
"Remember the time, behind the herb station."
Fifty-one doors beep as they open and all the prisoners wake in confusion, backing into the wall or trying to run past the guards. Clarke Griffin shoves against one guard and slips under another's arm, running out into the hall to see her prison-mates, people she had no contact with in three years in lock up. They scramble and some scream only to be silenced by guns to their head. Clarke stops as her mother comes into view. "Mom? They're killing us? Making room for everyone else."
"No, they're taking you outside the walls." She cradles her face. "To the mountain. You'll be safe there."
Clarke shakes her head desperately. "No, mom we'll die. They'll kill us."
Abby's hand tighten to set the wrist band across her daughters too thin wrist. "This bracelet will let me know your alive, if anyone kills you i'll raise hell." She presses a kiss to her daughters cheek whispering in her ear. "Trust Raven." The words are barely heard and Clarke swallows and hisses as the thing cuts into her wrist with a twist of her mothers fingers.
Clarke searches her mothers face before ducking her head down. "I love you mom."
"I love you sweetie." She presses another kiss to her face. "Be safe."
They lead the blonde away and Abby closes her eyes before opening them slowly. She catches Jaha's across the room, watching as they place his son by her daughter. The man offers her a nod and she watches as they lead the hundred kids to the gates. Most are bound together in a two line formation. Twenty guards surround them, guns drawn and chest still as the first gate opens. None of the prisoners struggle, eyes too nervous as the first gate closes behind them and the second opens in front of them. "They'll be fine. I must get to the command center."
"I'll be there in a second." She wipes at her face and Thelonious' face softens.
His hand tightens on her shoulder. "We did what was right. Take all the time you need."
Abby waits until she is alone before heading to the herb station, eyes sparking dangerously. The windows are dark and she slips behind it. Three figures wait for her there. "Sargent Miller."
"Councilor Griffin."
She eyes the other two, dressed in dark colors, Bellamy Blake is tucked into a dark jacket, the elbows rubbed thin. The only color on the mechanic is the dark red bomber jacket she wears, covered by a thin black cloak and a thick back pack. "You packed?"
The girl smirks. "Course I did, we ready?"
Abby nods, turning her head to her companion. "Yes, you have the guns?" Miller thrusts two automatics at the soon to be fugitives.
"I got two autos and four pistols."
Raven raises her eyes at the man. "Compensating much?"
The guard grunts. "You'll need them out there, Miller's trained with a pistol and auto. Give him one if you can. Trust his judgment on who to give the rest too."
"Got it." Bellamy tucks the two pistols away as does Raven. "Any ammo?"
The man hands a heavy side pack to the former guard turned janitor. "All I could get."
"More than enough." Bellamy stares down at the weapons that would save them out there. "What you'd trade at the black market?"
"Nothing that concerns you. They won't tell."
Bellamy grips the man's forearm before stepping back and speaking lowly. "Good. We ready now?"
"Go, be safe." She presses a map into their hands, squeezing Raven's shoulder and nodding to Bellamy. "The trail they take is on there, one pit-stop along the way. Your best bet it to get them there, halfway between the mountain and Arcadia, too far for help to get there soon."
Bellamy's eyes are shining with tears, voice thick. "Thank you."
"No, thank you guys." Abby shoves at their shoulders, watching the sun peak slowly as Sargent Miller helps them through the hidden exit. "Go now, I've got to get back."
They come upon them easily and follow them for six hours before they stop. The prisoners complain but remain tied together. The guards offer them no water or food and both the newly turned fugitives clench their jaws. The guards slacken after thirty minute break, joking around as they shove the prisoners forward to get them moving again, radioing in that they're moving out again. That is their first mistake. An arrow embeds itself in the leader's head and Bellamy reacts, pulling his gun out and shooting two of the guards that are turning to the forest. He steps out of the bushes, voice loud. "GET DOWN OCTAVIA!" His sister looks up and nods, rolling to the side and forcing a few of the others to stumble. The rest follow her, ducking their heads as Raven shakes her head and grabs her gun, aiming at the other guards before she rolls her eyes and runs forward, breaking once man's nose as she jams the gun in his face. "Raven!"
"Can't shoot worth shit Blake." The mechanic rolls, ducking down beside the prisoners and pulling out a knife, she pulls out three more knives from her pockets. "Cut loose but don't run, they have trackers on you and they'll kill you first chance they get. Take down as many as you can."
That said the mechanic tackles a guard as another arrow slams into a guard aiming at Bellamy's head. Easily the remaining guards fall and Bellamy gathers their weapons, stuffing them into his bag and eyeing the forest. He pulls Octavia to her feet. "O." His eyes are bright with tears as he stares at her.
She pulls him in for a tight hug, squeezing him as hard as she can as his hand comes to cradle the back of her head. "Bell, what are you doing here?"
He pulls back with a watery grin. "Couldn't let them take you anywhere without me."
Her eyes search the ground, there's blood on her face from where she sliced open a guards throat and her brows furrows as she steps back from him. "What do we do now?"
There is the thump of an arrow embedding in a guard that had stood with his gun raised at Bellamy. Everyone jumps and Bellamy grits his teeth. "COME OUT!"
A noise sounds form the tree. "Why did you kill your own people?"
Bellamy snarls, swinging his gun around, eyes searching the forest as everyone cuts free of the ropes. "They aren't my people."
Another voice sounds behind the man and the hundred stiffen, continue to cut their bonds away. The voice is feminine and low. "So they took your people then?"
Bellamy's hands clench across the gun. "Show yourself."
"Bell, calm down." Octavia grabs his arm as Miller, pulling his beanie on his head, grabs a gun and slings it on his shoulder. "Half the guards have arrows in their heads, they helped us."
He clenches his jaw, crowding closer to her like he can shield her from any attacks. "Why?"
She shrugs, looking to the trees. "I don't know."
"Clam down." Clarke steps close, standing near Raven. "Any wrong moves and an arrow could be in your head." Wells stands beside her, head bleeding from where he headbutted a guard.
Raven scoffs, pulling things out of her bag. "If you guys are done talking I need to get the wrist bands off before they track you guys."
Clarke meets her gaze. "How long?"
Raven holds a screw driver in her mouth as she continues to rummage through the bag. "I just need to short circuit a few to set them all off."
"Use mine." Octavia holds out her arm and the mechanic takes it, a young Asian boy stepping closer.
"I can help." His eyes are earnest, shoulders thin.
Bellamy nods, face twisted in anger. "Good, disconnect them."
Monty bends down to look at Raven's tools, eyeing the wristbands as he looks over Octavia's wrist, touching the metal gently. "A good enough current should fry them."
Clarke steps close, moving her bracelet around as she speaks, eyeing the dead guards. "Wait, they'll look in this spot, expect dead bodies. They'll know we're alive."
Raven shakes her head, waving one of her pliers around. "Where the hell do we end them then?"
"There's a cliff no to far, a river below it." The voice is quiet from the trees and the hundred teens stiffen like they had forgot they were up there. "They could think you died there."
Bellamy clenches his jaw. "Why should we trust you?"
Raven grunts low in her throat, throwing something at Bellamy. "It's on the map Shooter. Shut up and lets go."
Bellamy scowls, jaw too tight, hands clenched around his fingers as Miller hands out guns. One to a girl with a bandanna around her forehead and braids and another girl with three long thick braids. "We can't trust them."
Clarke tilts her chin to the guards. "No, but they're the least of our problems now."
Miller toes one of the guards legs. "Leave the bodies here?"
"The paktraka will get them soon enough." A large man drops from the trees, the only hair is a thin strip down his head. Tattoos climb up his neck and arms, he nods to Octavia, eyes taking in the fire in her own. "Follow me."
Bellamy stiffens, hand tight on his gun. "Where's the other one?"
"The trees, she does not trust easily."
Wells steps close, tilting his head to the side as he takes a cloth from Clarke to press into his bleeding head. "You trust us already?"
"No." His dark eyes, even darker under the black paint, flicker to the bodies around them. "But the people who chained you are heartless."
Octavia snorts. "Don't have to tell us twice." She pulls in a deep breath, rotating her shoulders. "I never knew how good air could smell."
The hundred former prisoners follow after the grounder, taking in the sun and the lack of walls. A boy with goggles shoves the Asian boy. "Listen Monty."
He grins widely and presses his shoulder into the boy with goggles. "No hum, no radio buzz."
"Weird huh?"
Octavia grins throws her arms wide as she jumps down from a tree stump. "We're free bitches!"
They get loud shouts and whoops of joy. "Not yet." Clarke speaks from beside Bellamy. "Not until we get these wrist bands off and as far away from Mount Weather and Arcadia as we can."
A boy drops from the trees, hair fluttering past his ears. "Have a little fun Princess, first time I've been free in seven months." He grins at her. "Enjoy the sunshine."
Before she can retort the boy is shoved from the side. "I don't get a hello?" Raven's eyebrow is raised and the boy pulls her into a tight hug, causing her to laugh.
He tugs at her ponytail with a wide grin. "Was waiting for you to find me, figured you'd do your thing."
She grins, shoving his shoulder so they can walk side by side. "My thing?"
He throws an arm over her shoulder. "The one where you spot me and run to me like in the movies."
"Please lover boy, we all know that would be you." She leans heavily into his side. "I missed you Finn."
"Missed you too." He sets his head down on hers. "Seven months is too long without you."
Octavia runs ahead of them all, swinging around trees and jumping over logs. Her grin is wide and happy. Bellamy watching her with relief, worry and happiness as his hands hold the gun loosely. The grounder watches Octavia as well, head tilted to the side as her hair stick to the guard's blood on her throat.
Wells walks beside Clarke and the blonde eyes him. "What the hell are you doing here with us?"
He shrugs, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "Heard my father was sending you to the mountain." He shrugs. "I couldn't let you go alone."
She scoffs. "I'm not alone."
"You know what I mean." His eyes find hers. "I'm sorry." She stiffens, swallowing at the pain and guilt in his eyes. "I should have told you sooner."
She clenches her jaw. "You let me hate you for two years."
"What are best friends for?" He shrugs, face too soft and caring. "Have you forgiven your mom yet?"
Clarke stiffens. "No." He steps slightly closer to her and offers a small smile, one reminiscent of their childhood. "I'll never see her again." Clarke huffs, clenching her jaw.
Wells smiles, knocking his shoulder into Clarke's. "There's more to this than just an escape. Your mom, Bellamy and Raven aren't the only ones rebelling. Give it time."
Clarke shakes her head, eyeing the hundred teenagers around them. "And while my mom's fighting a civil war from the inside what do I do?"
"What you do best." He pulls in a deep breath, watching the sun dance across Clarke's hair. "Break laws and cause chaos. Do what's best for our people." He bumps her shoulder again. "You always have, we'll figure out a plan once the wrist bands are off."
Clarke stares down at the wristbands before looking at the map in Bellamy's hand. "They were sending us to the mountain for a reason Wells."
"All of you were taking up space and resources that they needed." He turns his head away, lips trembling with rage. "My father made the decision to send you away, to make a deal with the mountain."
Clarke stops, turning to face him as the others ran around past Clarke, some bumping into her. "What was that deal Wells?"
"They send them a hundred workers and some doctors and Arcadia gets weapons and some more food." He licks his lips. "The grounders mess with the harvest and so does the weather. We were running low on everything."
"We're all fugitives now." Clarke stares at the youngest of them all, a small girl that sends malicious glares Wells way. "The Arc will kill us or drop us in Mount Weather if they find us."
The grounder walks close to her, eyes sweeping the forest as he falls back, Bellamy's eyes on him. "We're going to Polis after you trackers are off. The Commander will want to meet you."
Bellamy falls back as well, glaring at the large man. "Why?"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Finn speaks up from behind them, hand twisting Raven's hair playfully. "We're prisoners of Arcadia, enemies to the city. Grounders hate Mount Weather and Arcadia."
The man nods, cloth thick on his shoulders as he rotates one. "You will have valuable information."
"We will not help you wipe out our people." Clare steps close to him, hands clenching.
Wells sides up next to her and the hundred teens look around nervously, shifting at the tension in the air as everyone stops. "You said there will be a rebellion." He tilts his chin high, eyes dark even under the paint across his eyes. "Our needs align. The Commander is smart, she will see it as well. There doesn't need to be more death."
A shadow drops from the tree. "Anya will not share your views, nor Indra." There is a scar across the woman's left eye and tattoos etched into her shoulder.
Lincoln doesn't show any surprise but many of the former prisoners jump. "No, but the Commander will Echo."
The woman snorts, eyeing the hundred prisoners and their two fugitives. "Pray that she does, if not you're bringing a hundred goufa to their slaughter."
Some of them shift nervously and Bellamy steps close. "We're leaving once the wrist bands are off."
The woman snorts again. "No, you're not. You'll die within three nights." She steps close to him. "You are all weak, living inside walls for too long."
The other grounder grunts at her, shaking his head before continuing to lead them to the edge. He nods his chin at Raven and the mechanic steps forward, Monty beside her. "Okay, this may hurt so don't cry too loud." She grabs a small battery, grinning at Octavia. "Still volunteering Pocahontas?"
Bellamy grabs his sister's shoulder but the girl shrugs it off. "Yeah." She grins at Raven, thrusting her wrist out. "Get it off."
Raven connects some things to it. "It should fry them periodically based on circuits, from the specs there should be three different currents. Fry one of each." She looks up, tossing something at Monty. "Grab current B, Griffin had it."
Monty nods and Clarke holds her wrist out and the two girls hiss as there is a sharp spark and sting of pain. Sixty others jerk in surprise as the wristbands spark into their flesh. Raven grabs Finn's wrist. "Ready tree walker?"
He grins. "Always Space walker."
She shakes her head and sends a current into his wrist band. The remaining bands spark before their power dies. "Pry the off now, Sinclair might have placed a back up tracker in some of them." She grips Finn's wrist band and it falls away easily under her grip, she frowns as she chucks it over the edge.
Finn laughs, pulling her to her feet. "Don't cry too much, it's just tech."
"Just tech." Ravens scowls, shaking her head and shoving Finn's shoulder. "There's so much I could do with those things."
"Do I need to give you a moment?" His eyes are bright and Raven rolls her own.
"Float you Finn."
He laughs and they watch as the others throw their wrist bands over the edge. He leans into her side. "What now?"
Raven snorts again, shoving her tools into her bag. "Now we follow mister dark and mysterious I suppose."
"No, we'll find our own way." Bellamy stands tall, eyes dangerous.
Echo shakes her head at him, sneering at the man. "You'll die sooner or later sky boy."
His fingers tighten on his gun and he steps closer. "We'll be fine."
Wells steps forward, hands held up in a calming manner. "We should go with them."
Bellamy scowls and Murphy clambers forward, shoving Wells back. "You and your precious princess can go with them."
Bellamy glares at Wells, pulling Murphy back. "My sister and I are leaving."
"No." Octavia tilts her chin high. "I'm going with them."
"O."
"No Bell, I have been caged most of my life." She takes a step away from him into the open, all eyes on her. "All of us have. I am done with this. I'm not running to hide away in some forest. I'm going with them to Polis." Her green eyes spark.
Bellamy clenches his jaw letting out a rough sigh. "O, please, I did this to protect you."
"I don't need your protection." She grips one of the batons from the guards they had taken. "I am going with them."
He throws his hand wide. "They could kill you!"
"The Arc could kill me! The mountain could kill me!" Her chest heaves. "i'd rather die out here than in a cage somewhere." Her eyes find the others, searching a hundred faces. "Haven't we been imprisoned long enough? Don't let your fear cage you too."
Wells nods his head to the grounder. "They could help with the rebellion. They have numbers."
One of the boys shifts in the back of the crowd, speaking lowly. "They could kill our people."
Murphy laughs high and angry, hair falling in his face. "They aren't our people anymore."
Wells ignores him, plowing forward. "They could do it now without our help. If we go with them we can at least know of the dangerous plan, prevent them. Help them come up with different plans that don't involve killing the innocent."
Clarke grabs Well's wrist, squeezing it as she steps close. "Our best chance at survival is to follow the grounders, none of us has been outside the walls in too long. I haven't step foot on the ground except for now." Clarke looks around. "I know most of you have been stuck in lock up since we landed, just like me. Do you really think we can make it on our own?" Eyes drop to the ground and fists clench but they listen. "Our best chance and the best chance at the survival of our people is to go with them."