𝟐.𝟓

─── 「HIDDEN REAPER」 ───

     We had been back at the camp for a couple of days. Bellamy had asked me to sit with him to explain everything that had been going on at Mount Weather to Sam; saying that she didn't take it too well was an understatement. Since Monty disappeared she had maintained that he was still alive and now, knowing where he and Jasper were, it was easy to see she felt guilty for not being there with them. The second night we were back, the three of us had made already a habit to seat together during meal times to discuss what we were going to do after Sam was cleared from interrogation about what had happened at the village.

- "So," -I looked at Sam as she came out of the ship, sitting down next to Bellamy- "how was it?"

- "I've been cleared. I don't know about Murphy since I wasn't allowed to talk with him while the interrogation was taking place."

- "What did they want to know?" –Bellamy turned to face her.

- "Everything that happened at the village and what I did since I got here and until they found me walking around the next morning."

- "And what did you say?"

- "The truth." –Sam shrugged her shoulders- "I explained what happened at the village and that once I came here I went to see how my best girl was doing, then I had dinner and then went straight to bed because I was tired of dealing with other people's messes." -Bellamy gave Sam a questioning look but she ignored him and faced me- "Alright, enough about me, tell us again."

- "It's a labyrinth." –I started explaining with the map I had made from the inside and outside of Mount Weather, putting it in front of them- "We got to the dam through this tunnel, it's all connected to the mine system. That's our way in."

- "Sure, if we can get past the Reapers and the Mountain Men." –Bellamy argued, letting out a frustrated sigh- "I swear to God, if your mom doesn't sanction a mission soon I'm going by myself."

- "If you think we would let you go alone into that torture chamber, you honestly haven't learned much from either of us since we've been down here."

- "Sam's right. You wouldn't be by yourself."

Bellamy looked at us both and nodded. Behind him, a familiar figure appeared in the distance. Sam and Bellamy turned to see who I was watching: Finn.

- "I guess the inquisition's over." –Bellamy pointed out as they turned to face me again.

- "Have you talked with him since you found us?"

- "I haven't." –I admitted- "I don't know what to say. He just kept shooting."

- "We're at war, Clarke." –Bellamy tried to make me feel better about it but I could tell neither of them felt good about Finn- "We've all done things."

Finn had been walking towards us and was now right behind Sam, something she wasn't comfortable with and had no problems making clear.

- "And I'm gonna go now."

Sam stood up and squeezed my shoulder as she walked past me. Finn looked at her but didn't say anything, simply turning his attention towards us.

- "Hey."

- "Hey."

Finn kept his eyes fixed on me as Bellamy looked between us before realizing it was probably best to leave.

- "Next round is on me."

     I moved towards the bar to get another drink, not wanting to be part of whatever happened next between them. I understood how Finn felt about Clarke and I could have understood all he did if it weren't because I had seen the look in his eyes as he rested his rifle to Sam's chest. I didn't want to think what could have happened if we had taken another second to get there. I could have landed eyes on a dying Sam instead of a broken one. I hated the image that kept replaying in my head. 

As I walked to the bar, I saw that Sam was there with Octavia. Sam was sat on a stool with her back to me, Octavia standing in front of her, seeing me as her eyes wandered around and making me a sign to join them, Sam turning her face to see who my sister was talking to, a smile on her lips before she faced Octavia again.

- "What are you up to, big brother?"

- "Another drink." -I stood beside them- "You both?"

- "O was telling me what happened back with Lincoln and with the other Grounders. How she came to know Nyko and everything."

- "And what are you thinking?"

- "Nothing. I just think it's rather curious how some things work." –I gave her a questioning look and she continued- "I mean, what were the chances of we being sent to the village where Nyko, who previously saved O, was? It looks like a big joke to me; I'm just sorry we practically destroyed Lincoln's village."

- "He wouldn't hold it to you." –Octavia moved her hand to Sam's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as Sam nodded- "You know that, right?"

- "I'll stop talking about anything Lincoln-related in a second O because I can't even begin to imagine how hard this is and I'm sorry–"

- "It's fine. I'll be fine."

- "I know you will." –Sam squeezed her shoulder this time- "But where is the bow he gave me? I know I can't really use it but I liked Lincoln and I'd like to have it back." -she jumped from her stool- "I'm gonna talk to Abby"

- "Wait, we'll come with you." –I spoke as Octavia nodded- "It's not like we have anything to do anyway."

- "And here I was thinking you enjoyed my company." –Sam smiled eyeing me up and down- "What a fool I am."

Octavia took two seconds to burst out laughing, shoving me to the side and mocking me as I shook my head, simply following them inside the ship. I was glad they were back together because when my sister and Sam were together, it was like their moods improved; it was like being around each other centered them. As centered as their recklessness could get.

As we walked through the corridors, I ended up walking beside Octavia with Sam walking backward in front of us, turning from time to time to check where she was going as we kept the conversation going. And it was during the times Sam turned around that my sister decided to start a conversation of her own with me, waggling her eyebrows at me as she pointed at Sam with her head. I thought she'd have dropped it by then. But I wasn't so lucky.

- "You're not going to stop, are you?"

As we were about to take a turn, Abby's voice took us all by surprise, the three of us moving to peak at the corridor, seeing her with Clarke, Raven, and Major Byrne. As their conversation kept going, we realized they were talking about going to Mount Weather for our friends, Abby saying she'd go with Clarke, probably afraid of losing her daughter again. Major Byrne had opposed, saying the Grounders could be getting ready to come after us, even if Kane had left two days ago to reach a truce with them. She wasn't wrong.

- "More guards?" –Sam whispered as we remained unnoticed after Abby agreed with Major Byrne on the fact that we needed more of them- "Yeah, that's exactly what's going to solve all of our problems and especially to get our friends back."

- "Maybe they thought of another way in and they need more manpower."

- "Well, no offense but if the Grounders were coming for us, the guards wouldn't stand a chance." -Sam quietly answered my sister- "We've all seen them. Besides, Mount Weather should be our priority."

- "If the Grounders attack us there's no way we'll get to Mount Weather."

My comment made Sam turn around to face me, looking at me with furrowed eyebrows before she shook her head.

- "So little faith, my friend."

We remained in our spot for just a couple more minutes, finally agreeing it'd be best to go for it, stepping out first and walking towards the four women in the corridor who turned in our direction as soon as they heard us coming. Almost like they were wary of newcomers.

- "Bellamy," -Clarke was the first to speak- "just who I wanted to talk with."

- "What was that about looking for more guards?"

- "Mount Weather is jamming our signal."

- "You're gonna have to be more specific," -Sam moved from beside me and toward Raven- "because all I understood from that sentence is that those at Mount Weather are major assholes, and what I want to know is how to get them down."

- "Well, you aren't wrong." –Raven smiled at Sam– "By jamming all long-range communication not only they screw our walkies but they also–"

- "They crashed the Exodus ship." -Raven focused on me as I spoke and nodded- "I assume you have a plan."

- "Yeah, my mom finally agreed to let us go to Mount Weather to find the tower that broadcasts the signal."

- "So that I can make it go boom."

- "That's my girl." –Sam smirked at Raven, shoving her playfully to the side before Raven interlaced her arm with hers, an almost imperceptible elbow to my side from Octavia- "What do you need me to do?"

     Being back with my brother and Sam made me feel the best I had felt in a couple of days. Seeing them interact with each other did nothing to lessen my suspicions of my brother's feelings for Sam so I didn't waste any opportunity I had to remind him he should just go for it. I knew Sam and I knew all she had shared with my brother; there was no way she didn't feel something for him. I wasn't sure if it was the same thing he was starting to feel for her but it didn't hurt to try. I knew she had been with Raven but I also knew neither was going to make a relationship out of it, at least not for the time being.

After Raven and Clarke explained the plan to us, we all parted ways to gear up, meeting back at the camp's entrance, waiting for the rest of the team Major Byrne had decided to put together to show up. Eventually, Abby appeared with Clarke and a couple of other guards with Byrne. And Finn. Sam immediately tensed beside me, Bellamy's eyes moving to her as he noticed it too. IF Finn ever landed a hand on my sister, he'd regret it. Before Finn could reach us, Sam was out of the gate, Bellamy and I following her and walking in silence for a while.

- "I can't believe they let Finn come."

- "He's the best tracker we've got." –Bellamy answered me as I saw Sam rolling her eyes; Sam was just as good tracking, even if the people around us had no clue about it- "Don't forget to look up." -he turned to the guards following us- "The Grounders use the trees."

The truth was, Sam, Bellamy, and I were not on the same mission Abby and Major Byrne were, not that they knew about it. As we reached the point in which we needed to part ways with them without being noticed, Sam pretended to pause to tie her boot, Bellamy and me staying back with her, watching as the rest walked past us, Sam raising her head from her boot and smiling as the trick worked, the three of us moving in another direction without being noticed. We had to find a way into Mount Weather.

- "According to Clarke, before the bombs, there were buildings everywhere here. I'm guessing some of them had access to the bunker."

- "So basically we are looking for ruins?" –Sam asked my brother, who nodded- "I feel like that archeologist from those movies who was always in trouble but somehow always managed to find what he was looking for and not die."

- "Indiana Jones?"

- "Yeah." –Sam laughed- "I'm not great with names."

- "Did you actually like those movies?"

- "Well excuse me for wanting to be something else rather than a boring Ark teacher, a guard, or a cook." –Sam rolled her eyes at my brother- "Not that there's anything wrong with those jobs, you know? I just never thought I was made for them."

- "I can't really see why." –I chuckled, pushing her casually to the side- "It's not like you have trouble following orders or that you like to put your life in danger 24/7 or that you are extremely stubborn and reckless or that–"

- "I'm not even offended." –Sam smiled as she cut me off- "I know I'm great but we don't have time for all this praising, sis, we got a mission."

- "Alright, sis." –I grinned empathizing the second word- "Lead the way, Indiana Jones."

- "Just because I like the movies doesn't mean I like the name; besides, we are three so we should be the Jones."

- "That sounds horrible." –Bellamy argued shaking his head.

- "The Blakes."

I exclaimed seeing my chance; Bellamy looked at me with confused eyes but with a glint of something I couldn't read before my eyes found Sam's, seeing the grin on her lips as she tilted her head.

- "It's not as if I weren't at least half a Blake already anyway."

- "Hey, Blake!" –the guard named Scott appeared behind us, Sam murmuring that our team name had caught on- "The three of you, let's go right now."

- "In case you've forgotten," -Bellamy took the lead- "we're not under your command."

- "Don't make us do this the hard way."

- "Come on, Scott. Forty-seven of our people are prisoners in that mountain."

Bellamy kept talking with Scott as I stood beside Sam, waiting for my chance to sneak out when Sam took my hand in hers, squeezing it to gain my attention. I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at her, seeing she was pointing at our feet: hundreds of little insects were running in the same direction past us I looked at her and then at Bellamy, calling for him and motioning him to the insects. Scott seemed taken aback, questioning what this meant.

- "Acid fog." –Bellamy informed him, taking off his backpack and motioning Scott to do the same as they both were carrying tents- "We need cover, now!"

I looked at Sam who was following the insects, screaming at her to come back to us as Bellamy started taking out his tent, the other two guards reaching us and helping Scott.

- "They must know of a safe place, right?"

I yielded, moving after her until we got to a wall of rock which they crossed by going under it. Bellamy yelled for us to come back as I lowered to the ground and started to dig only to find something that looked like a door.

- "Yes." –Sam exclaimed pleased with my discovery- "Awesome."

- "What are you both doing? We need to cover–"

- "It's the ruins and that's the door to our salvation."

Sam pointed out, cutting Bellamy off who eyed us for a second before he turned to yell for the guards to come help until he and Scott managed to get the door open. Sam and I were the first to enter, followed by Scott and Bellamy who stood at the door yelling at the other two guards to join us, but only one made it.

     Luck seemed to be on our side. We had managed to find the ruins by complete accident but I would not complain about it, walking deeper inside them with Octavia, taking out my flashlight to illuminate the way in front of us until we got to the first door, waiting for Bellamy and the three guards, but only two of them made it. I opened the door and walked into the next room, finding it wasn't a hallway anymore but a massive space.

- "Where are we?"

- "Looks like a garage."

- "More like a tomb." –Octavia argued to Bellamy's words. I couldn't say she was wrong.

- "You think any of these cars could still work?" -I started moving toward the first one- "Because that'd be hella useful."

- "Sam..."

- "What?" -I turned to look at Octavia- "It's not like trying would harm us."

She nodded, coming with me to the first car that looked suitable for the first while Bellamy kept talking with the guard. The doors were closed but I was sure we could break one of the windows to get inside if there was anything in it that could be of use to us.

- "You two." -Scott calling for us made me turn around- "We'll split up. Meet me back in 15." –I nodded as he handed Bellamy a gun- "Be safe."

I turned to the car, going back to my initial intention of seeing if there was anything in there I could find, hearing as Bellamy reached Octavia, for she had moved close to them when Scott called us, and then, they reached me. I turned around to see Octavia with her sword in hand as Bellamy held his gun. The worried look on Octavia's face didn't go unnoticed.

- "O, I may not have my bow or a gun but I have my knives and..." –I paused reaching into my backpack- "...I got this."

"Where did you get that?" -Bellamy tried to pretend he was scowling me, but the grin on his lips didn't go unnoticed- "Sam?"

"I said I wanted a baton, so I borrowed one."

"Borrowed or stole?"

"Took."

Bellamy shook his head; I knew it was because my ways amused him, not because he was angry. Octavia chuckled as motioned me to walk beside her. I wasn't sure what exactly we were looking for because, after almost a century, the door we needed could have been covered by rocks during a caving of the ceiling from the many we saw around. We walked around for a couple of minutes surrounded by complete silence until some cockroaches moved as the light hit them.

- "How about you two look for our entrance ticket while I check the cars; maybe there's something in them we could use."

- "We should stick together, we don't know what could be hiding in here."

- "Apart from disgusting insects, wasted food, and cars?" –I paused my walk as I answered Bellamy- "I highly doubt any Grounder would choose to live down here nor the Mountain Men."

- "Fine but be careful."

- "I'll scream for you if I'm in danger, don't you worry."

I winked at him and started walking through the cars. Man, these cars are nasty. I cleaned the windows from dust to see if there was anything inside. Wasted food is not something I want to smell right now. How about some clothes? Weapons? Batteries? I'm sure those would be helpful for Raven, anything mechanical really. Music interrupted my thoughts. A music box? I assumed it had been Scott and the other guard for I knew the Blakes and neither of them was like that. Really? How old are they? Two? I rolled my eyes and kept looking around until a scream from Scott stopped me. Well, shit. I climbed to the roof of one of the cars to check if I could see what was going on.

- "Bellamy! O!"

- "Sam!" –I heard the Blake siblings scream together before Bellamy's voice took over- "Are you okay? Where are you?"

- "I'm fine. I'm over here." –I guided them moving my flashlight as I heard footsteps approaching me- "Can you see what happened? From here everything seems fine but I can't see them."

- "Hold on." –I heard Bellamy and the footsteps stopped- "There's something here."

- "Blood."

Well, guess I was wrong. There's something else in here. Fantastic. I looked around me, knowing anything could jump at me from the shadows but wanting to find comfort in my higher position.

- "Sam, come to us."

Bellamy kept guiding me towards them, seeing their light in the distance and finally able to distinguish their figures, seeing Bellamy was holding her arm for me as Octavia looked around.

- "You know what is really not helping with the creepiness of the situation?"

- "The music." –Octavia eyed me- "I know."

- "Stay sharp you both."

We kept moving until we found a rifle lying on the floor. Must be Scott's. A weird noise could be heard not far away from us, continuous, but I couldn't tell what it was.

- "What's that?"

Bellamy took the rifle, that had a light attached to it, and moved it around us until it hit the place where the noise was coming from: Scott was lying on the floor and two big men were kneeled beside him. Are they... eating him?

- "Reapers."

Bellamy started shooting and pushing Octavia and me back as the two men started running towards us until both fell dead on the ground.

- "Take this." –he handed us the gun.

- "Octavia, take it."

- "Sam..."

- "Just do it."

She looked at me but ended up taking it. I had both my knives in my hands as we started to move again, finding the other guard dead next to another Reaper. Bellamy got ready to shoot but Octavia stopped him, her voice nothing more than a weak murmur.

- "It's Lincoln."

I didn't know what to say. I had heard Octavia's story about Lincoln and what Clarke had told us about the Reapers and Mount Weather; the pieces were starting to connect and I wasn't liking the outcome. Octavia looked like a heavyweight had been taken away from her shoulders and, as Lincoln looked at us, she spoke his name. He didn't seem to recognize her, any of us really. He got up and started to move towards us threateningly.

- "O..."

- "Don't kill him."

We moved backward. I doubted any of us knew what to do. We didn't want to kill Lincoln but I was sure he wouldn't mind hurting us. Or worse. As much as we moved, Lincoln was fast and ended up grabbing ahold of Octavia, pushing her to the ground.

- "Octavia!"

- "Lincoln, I like you but you're being a dick right now."

I forced him away from Octavia and helped her back up. Lincoln started to move towards Bellamy and when he was a few centimeters away from him, a gunshot was heard. I looked at Octavia who had a worrying expression on her face as she held the gun. Bellamy took advantage of Lincoln's confusion and kicked him in the head with the back of his rifle, leaving him unconscious.

- "Come on." –Bellamy walked back to us, taking Octavia from one side as I took her by the other, making her stand up from the floor- "We need to get somewhere safe."

- "There's an unlocked truck where you found me."

Bellamy nodded at my words and there we went. Once we were inside, Octavia started panicking, sat in between Bellamy and me.

- "He's a Reaper." –she whispered in between short breaths- "How's that even possible."

- "Mount Weather."

- "He just looked right through me–"

A noise from outside the car startled us. Lincoln was walking right beside us, looking at the car we were in.

- "Can he see us?"

- "I don't know."

- "God, I hope not."

I pushed Octavia lightly towards Bellamy, and therefore the other side of the car as I couldn't take my eyes from Lincoln. He was looking at the car, at our window, but he didn't seem to see us. He finally placed his bloody hand on the window and moved away. I had been holding my breath and I gasped for air, relieved. I turned to face Octavia and Bellamy as she panicked again.

- "Shh... Listen to me." –Bellamy tried to comfort her, taking her hand in his- "I'll get him back, I promise."

He then looked at me and I nodded.

- "I got an idea."

Once I had explained to them the idea and Bellamy had managed to make a coherent plan out of it, we got out of the car. Octavia looked at us as I asked her if she was certain she was up for what we were going to do. I knew how much she loved him and how awful it felt to hurt the ones you loved.

- "I have to do it."

- "Alright, draw him in, we'll do the rest."

Octavia moved away from us, gun in one hand and flashlight in the other. God, I hope this works out. Bellamy moved behind a column as I retreated to the wall. Octavia started to call for Lincoln and, as he appeared, she moved towards me. Bellamy moved from behind the column and stroke Lincoln with the gun. As Lincoln turned around to get Bellamy, I moved from beside Octavia and hit Lincoln with the baton in the base of his neck until he collapsed on the ground. Octavia came beside me, panting heavily as so did Bellamy.

- "Now what?"

- "Now we take him home."

- "I so wish those cars worked." –I started moving away- "We'll need to make a stretcher or something to carry him."

Octavia and Bellamy nodded; she approached me and squeezed my shoulder before she moved away with a flashlight. Bellamy stood beside me as we saw her go.

- "She's strong, she'll be fine, you'll see."

- "What if we can't bring him back?"

- "If they can change them into Reapers that means there's a process, we just need to reverse it." –I glanced at him- "Tragically, I lack medical experience so you will have to talk with Clarke."

- "Why me?"

- "Cause she listens to you more than she listens to me, obviously." –I smiled and took the baton- "Now take this, I told you this would come in handy." –I handed it to him- "I'll try to see what I can find, I'm pretty sure I saw something in one of these cars we could use."

Bellamy took the baton and nodded at me. I left in the opposite direction Octavia had; soon enough and between the three of us, we managed to build something similar to a stretcher and we started to move away.

- "Where to, boss?"

- "To the dropship."