xxxv. explosive retreat
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TENSION FILLED the Ark camp following the release of Carl Emerson, and not just between Sawyer, Clarke, and Abby. Everyone within the electrified space seemed on edge, waiting around for the retaliation that would undoubtably come from Mount Weather. After all, public declarations of war didn't really go without consequences.

But Sawyer couldn't bring herself to feel bad about causing it. They needed to keep the Mountain Men's attention on them. Bellamy was supposed to take out the acid fog and free the Grounders from their cages, meaning their eyes should be anywhere but inside their fortified walls.

Despite the inevitable threat from the mountain, Lexa decided to convene a council meeting with the leaders of the twelve Grounder clans, the separate groups of Grounders that coexisted together on Earth. They were to talk and come up with a plan of action against the Mountain Men. Something that never happened among their people, or so Sawyer heard, especially when it included their most untrustworthy and war-torn clans.

Hard to believe Sawyer and her people were the ones to cause such a monumental event. She just hoped that it helped save her friends and didn't come back to bite her in the ass.

Due to the new threat, and the outright assassination attempt on her life, Lexa thought it would be best if Sawyer were equipped night and day with her guard. She hated it, being followed everywhere because of the mere prospect someone might try to kill her. It made sense outside of the Ark camp, but within it's walls, the protection made her standout more than ever before. Nothing like a nearly seven foot tall Grounder as a shadow to turn some heads.

Sawyer tried to ignore said stares as she headed in the direction of Engineering. When Bellamy's first contacted them, he and Raven set up a schedule. Every three hours the Blake man would reach out to either give information or just check-in to let them know he was still alive. So far, he stuck to it. And with him, so did Sawyer and Clarke. No matter where they were, they would drop everything and seek out the radio to hear from Bellamy. They needed the reassurance, along with a break from declaring themselves in charge.

At least, Sawyer did. Although, Clarke didn't appear much better in the leadership department. The Griffin girl seemed just as frazzled and overwhelmed as she did. They were both responsible for saving their friends, taking down Mount Weather, and keeping the rest of their people in check. Safe to say they had a lot on their shoulders.

Sawyer strode into Engineering with her Grounder guard, Ryder, on her heels. She ignored him, for the most part, but he did give her insight into what to inspect with the council meeting later that day when she asked. He was nice enough, as much as a Grounder could be, and gave her space when she requested it. So far, she didn't despite being in his presence all the time.

Clarke met her at the room's entrance as they entered. Raven stood inside, staring at a hand-drawn depiction of Mount Weather's internal structure. Other diagrams were drawn on the others, as well as spread across the worktops cluttered with various items. Sawyer hoped they were for the tone generators needed to control the Reapers when they eventually marched on the bunker.

"Has he checked in yet?" Clarke questioned, causing the mechanic to turn away from the board.

Raven looked to them, before her gaze narrowed and lifted to the Grounder at Sawyer's back. "No." Her brow twitched to the brunette. "Worried someone's gonna take a shot at you inside the Ark?"

Sawyer sighed, trying not to take the Reyes girl's attitude personally, but it grew harder and harder when she gave snippy remarks to her and Clarke every chance she got. Instead of voicing her thoughts, she turned to her guard and said, "wait outside, Ryder."

Ryder simply nodded and stepped out of the room without a word.

Sawyer returned her attention to Raven and stated, "not my idea. Lexa's being cautious since we're both targets, now."

"Whatever, Sawyer."

Sawyer's jaw clenched, but she forced herself not to react. She couldn't start an argument. Not right then. There were more important matters at hand.

Clarke met her gaze, drawing her lips into a tight line. With a shake off her head, telling her not to retort, she glanced to where the radio sat on one of the tables. Silent, not even a crackle of life in the speakers. "He's late. What if something's happened to him?"

"He'll be fine," Raven said without a look away from the Mount Weather board.

Sawyer rolled her eyes. Good to know Raven wasn't worry about Bellamy. Anything could wrong in that mountain at any given time. She didn't know because she was never in that place, but Sawyer and Clarke knew the atrocities that went on inside those walls.

"You've been busy," Clarke voiced, taking in the diagrams around the room. She paused when her stare fell to one on the nearest worktop. "Why are you focusing on the dam?"

Sawyer followed her gaze to where a paper with HYDRO ELECTRIC DAM stood out on the white surface. Her brows furrowed. That wasn't what they agreed on. She turned to the mechanic when she looked her way. "Forget the dam. The acid fog is supposed to be our priority. If that's not down, we don't even have a shot at getting close to that mountain."

Raven moved toward them, still favoring her brace-covered leg. "Until Bellamy gets eyes on their dispersal system, there's only so much I can do."

Sawyer bit onto the inside of her bottom lip, exchanging a look with Clarke. They couldn't exactly disagree on that one. Sawyer blew out a breath and said, "alright. What about the dam?"

Clarke moved over to where Raven jotted down a rough diagram of the dam's internal structure, or as close as she could get. "Can we cut off their power?"

"Maybe," Raven informed them. "I'm still playing a few things."

Sawyer's attention wondered to where Carl Emerson's tone generator sat on a worktop. She picked it up, flipping on the switch to hear the high pitched squeal it emitted. With another click, silencing the noise, she looked back to Raven and asked, "how many of these have you gotten made?"

"Only two, so far, but..."

Sawyer snapped to her in disbelief. Two. Only two? They needed so many more than that if they stood a chance against the Reapers. Where the hell were the other mechanics and engineers? They should have all hands on deck.

So, Sawyer said just that. "Two? Where's Wick and Sinclair? We can't possibly win with two tone generators. There'll be Reapers everywhere! We need more!"

Raven's expression hardened. "High frequency, tone generators don't grow on trees, Sawyer. Wick is scrounging for parts, and Sinclair is busy making sure we still have power to even make them."

Sawyer groaned, raising a hand to run across her braid-bound hair. "Raven, I can't leave for TonDC and tell Lexa and all the leaders of the twelve Grounder clans that we're ready to take out the Mountain Men, because we're not. They still have acid fog, and we have only two damn tone generators!" she exclaimed, before she exhaled leaned against the closest table's edge.

Sawyer would not only have to stall with Lexa, but with an entire council of Grounder leaders. She'd be lucky to make it out of that meeting with all of her limbs intact. The Grounders were already antsy when it came to taking out their revenge on the Mountain Men, not to mention they were sick of relying on the word of a Sky Girl.

With a deep breath, Sawyer tried to calm her worry and found Clarke with an expression that mirrored her own. The sight certainly didn't help lessen her growing anxiety.

Raven sighed, stepping closer to her as she said, "hey, we'll be ready." Sawyer met her stare, and her tone turned stern. "We will."

Right then, the radio crackled and Bellamy's voice came through the speakers. "Ark Station, do you read me? Anybody there?"

Clarke strode over to the radio and snatched the receiver off its hook. "Bellamy, you're late," she exclaimed as she pressed the button down to speak. "Every three hours means every three hours."

"Are you through?" Bellamy replied.

Sawyer huffed. Same old Bellamy. Good to know his time in the mountain didn't change him.

Clarke pursed her lips, reframing from making a remark, and questioned, "have you found the source of the acid fog?"

"No, that's gonna have to wait."

Sawyer's eyes widened. She reached out and pulled Clarke's hand that held the receiver to her mouth. "Uh, no, it can't. Nothing is more important than getting that acid fog down."

"Our friends are," Bellamy stated, bringing the three girls to freeze. "They've started taking them from the dorm – one at a time, every few hours."

Raven's hand replaced Sawyer's, pulling the receiver up for her to ask, "taking them where?"

"I don't know. We tried to follow them, but they went to a classified level." Raven glanced toward the diagram of Mount Weather as Bellamy continued. "Maya borrowed the schematics of the vent system from her boss, and we're trying to find a way in. Anything?"

Sawyer's heart hammered in her chest as she waited for Maya to answer.

The girl's voice followed moment's later. "I think I found a path, but it's gonna be tight. Here's the walkie Raven asked for, and the earbud."

"We're going to make him mobile, so he can talk to us from anywhere," Raven stated, but Sawyer couldn't force herself to care much about it. Not when she just heard her friends were probably dying at that very moment.

Sawyer held her hand out to Clarke, silently asking for the receiver. She handed it over, despite the paleness that enveloped her cheeks. Sawyer pressed the button and said, "find them, Bellamy."

"That's the plan," Bellamy told her in return.

Before more could be said, Clarke took the receiver from Sawyer and handed it to Raven. The Wesley girl went to speak, but the blonde grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward the exit. "We'll be right back."

"I thought you were going to TonDC?" Raven called after them, but Clarke didn't slow her pace.

Sawyer slipped out of her hold when Ryder caught sight of the harsh action. She immediately had to make sure the man didn't try to slice Clarke in half, before they proceeded through the Ark and to wherever the Griffin girl intended to take her. "Where are we going? Raven's right. I have to leave for TonDC, and you're supposed to be going with me."

"You really want to leave when our friends are in danger?" Clarke questioned as they hurried through the halls of the crowded station.

Sawyer knew that Clarke had a point, but what was she supposed to do? Lexa expected her in TonDC. And in recent times, the Commander didn't really make it a habit of negotiating terms of leadership with anyone except for her. Well, her and Clarke.

But then again, Sawyer wasn't about to leave knowing that her friends were being taken inside Mount Weather. She needed to know they were safe before she went anywhere.

With a heavy sigh, Sawyer shook her head. "Fine. We need to talk to Kane."

"One step ahead of you," Clarke said and headed toward the room now dedicated to council meetings. Inside, Marcus Kane stood inside with a rolled up piece of paper in his hands. "Plans have changed. Sawyer and I are staying here."

Kane turned to them, his brows furrowed. "Command is expecting you."

Sawyer met his confused stare and said, "we can't. Something's happened. Our people in Mount Weather are in trouble. Neither of us are leaving until we know they're safe."

"What can you do from them here?" Kane questioned.

Sawyer didn't answer. Of course, she and Clarke couldn't do anything from there, but they needed to know that their friends were alright and not dying at the hands of the Mountain Men. Lexa and the clan leaders could wait, at least for a little while.

"Go to TonDC in my place," Sawyer told the man. "Lexa respects you. When I know our people are out of harm's way, I'll join you." She turned to leave with Clarke.

"Sawyer, wait." Kane reached out to stop her, grabbing ahold of her arm.

The action forced Ryder to move forward, pulling his sword from his sheath.

Sawyer nearly rolled her eyes when she noticed. She looked to the Grounder and commanded, "Ryder, put it away."

Ryder eyed Kane, but he did as he was told and slid his sword back into its leather holding.

Kane released his hold on the Wesley girl and said, "Sawyer, being a good leader means knowing which battles to fight..."

"And which to delegate, I'm fully aware," Sawyer finished the phrase for him. She heard it enough times from Lexa to have it engrained into her head for the rest of her life. "That's why I'm delegating this one." She sighed, meeting the man's gaze. "Please, Kane. Go to TonDC for me."

Kane appraised her pleading expression for a short moment, before he nodded. "Fine. I'll go."

Sawyer pressed her lips together and nodded in return. "Thank you."

A second later, the airlock to the room slid open and in walked Abby Griffin. Sawyer turned to Clarke as the woman moved further into the room. Neither one of them were ready to interact with the Chancellor, especially after the public spectacle of them declaring themselves in charge.

Without a word, both girls headed for the exit, but not before Abby tried to stop her daughter.

"What is it?"

Clarke glanced from her mother back to the councilman. "Kane will explain."

"Perhaps your mother should go, Clarke," Kane called out, before the girls could flee. "She is still the Chancellor, after all."

Sawyer looked to Clarke with a quirked brow. She was curious what her co-leader had to say to that. Although, she already knew her thoughts on the matter. They were on the same page when it came to icing Abby out in regards to anything Grounder or Mount Weather related. After the hell she put them through the last week, they were not about to let her screw up all the progress they made to get their friends back.

Clarke shifted her stare from Kane to Abby and replied, "which is why she's needed here." And then, she and Sawyer left without another word.

__________

When Sawyer and Clarke made it back to Engineering, Bellamy had already began his search for their missing friends inside Mount Weather. Raven informed them that he took to the air-ducts throughout the bunker, searching every nook and cranny for even a remote sign of them. So far, he found nothing.

"Okay, so tell us where you're at, now," Raven spoke into the radio's receiver.

"I'm at an intersection. Which way?" Bellamy questioned through the speaker.

Raven turned away from the board that depicted the internal structure of Mount Weather and explained to Sawyer and Clarke, "he just passed the air filtration system on this floor," she pointed to one of the levels, "which puts him about here."

Clarke took the receiver. "Bellamy, we think you're close. The lab should be up ahead."

"Any chance you can be more specific?" Bellamy retorted. A brief silence encased the radio, before he said, "never mind."

Sawyer pursed her lips from where she leaned against the table beside Raven. "I'm hoping that a good 'never mind' and not a bad 'never mind.'"

"I got this," Bellamy breathed out. "And you'll know when I know."

Sawyer would've made a remark, but she paused when a whizzing sound erupted through the radio. She looked to Clarke and Raven, who wore equally apprehension stares. The whizzing grew louder and louder, Sawyer assumed with Bellamy's proximity in the air-ducts. She pushed off the table to stand beside Clarke. "What the hell is that?"

Raven did the same. "Is that a drill?"

Sawyer froze. A drill? Why would they be using a drill? And more importantly, why would they be us using a drill on her friends?

Clarke's eyes flicked across the ground as her mind racked for an explanation. When she found one, her face drained of color. "Bone marrow extraction."

Sawyer felt her own cheeks follow after. Bone marrow extraction? The Mountain Men weren't just simply draining her friends of their blood. They were taking it from the source, tearing and drilling it from the center of their bones. Sawyer had to force herself not to vomit right then and there.

"You ready for the last treatment you'll ever need, Lieutenant?" a female voice questioned. Dr. Tsing.

"You have no idea," a familiar man responded. "I've waited my whole life to breath fresh air."

Sawyer's jaw clenched, and she met Clarke's gaze. "Emerson."

"Let's get back to this secret army that the girls claim to have," another man joined the conversation. "They tell you anything that might help us find it?" The whirling of a drill started back up, and the man shouted, "stop drilling, please."

"The window for extraction after death is incredibly short," Dr. Tsing told him.

Sawyer's heart sank as she exchanged a look with Clarke and Raven. They were took late. Their friends were already dying, and a number of them were already dead. Her stomach churned harder.

"I only need a minute," the other man said.

"No, sir, nothing about the army," Emerson stated. "The dark haired one, Sawyer, did say she was coming for you. And that if we let her people go, she'll let our people live."

Sawyer's brows creased. The mystery man didn't sound like President Wallace, and she remembered explicitly saying his name in her ultimatum to Emerson. So who was the new stranger? He had to be related to the man in some way. A son, maybe. Probably.

"Well, it's a little late for that," the new President Wallace voiced.

"I'm sorry I failed, sir."

"No, it's okay. We'll finish the job tonight. Whitman just radioed in. Apparently, there's a War Council meeting happening tonight in one of their villages. The leaders are gonna be there."

Sawyer met Clarke's stare. That didn't sound good.

"Sir, I feel good. Let me take a team out, support Whitman."

"No, he has less chance of being spotted if he's alone."

"Sir, Whitman's good, but he can't take out that many targets alone."

"Which is why we're gonna use a missile. This time, we're not gonna miss."

If it could, Sawyer's heart surely would've exploded inside her chest. A missile. The Mountain Men wanted to fire an actual missile at TonDC. Sawyer thought those things were all gone back when the world ended almost a hundred years earlier. How did Mount Weather even have one, let alone one operational enough to fire on a Grounder village?

"Please, tell me you heard all that," Bellamy breathed, mostly likely shuffling away from the lab to a quieter place to talk.

"We heard it," Clarke replied into the receiver.

Raven whirled to Clarke and Sawyer and exclaimed, "we have to warn them."

"Did Kane take a radio?"

Raven shook her head. "No, this is the only unjammed frequency. We have to keep it open for Bellamy."

Sawyer's foot tapped against the floor as she came to terms with the only option left available. She glanced between Clarke and Raven and said, "if I leave now, I can make it before they launch the missile."

"Before you get blown up, you mean," Raven hissed back at her.

Sawyer looked to the Reyes girl with a shrug. "We don't have much of a choice." She continued after a breath, "just make sure our friends are safe and that the acid fog is down. Can you do that?"

Raven didn't appear at all convinced with her plan of action, but she gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah, we can handle it. Go."

Sawyer started to leave, coming to a stop when Clarke voiced, "I'm coming with you."

Sawyer huffed. "Alright, let's go."

"Sawyer, Clarke, wait," Bellamy called out through the radio, bringing both girls to a halt. "Octavia was in TonDC when I left. Is she...?"

Clarke didn't hesitate to say, "she's here. She's safe."

Sawyer gave her a look, but Clarke sent her one back that basically said to not say a word with Bellamy on the radio.

"Okay, good. You guys be safe, too."

Clarke lifted the receiver one last time and said, "we will."

Sawyer's eyes narrowed when Bellamy could no longer hear them. "Way to go, Clarke."

"Octavia's in TonDC for the meeting," Raven voiced to the blonde. "Why'd you lie?"

"Bellamy can't be distracted. It helps no one," Clarke stated and headed for the exit. "Come on, Sawyer."

"Hey." Raven stopped them. When they turned back, she reached out and pulled both girls into a quick hug. Once they stepped away from one another, she told them, "don't get blown up."

Clarke nodded, while Sawyer remarked, "we'll try not to." And then they both ran out of the room with the hope that they could make it to TonDC in time.

__________

Sawyer, Clarke, and Ryder raced their horses through the forest in the direction of TonDC in record time. With no reason to stop, they pushed their steads as fast as they could go, weaving along the worn trails as the sun drifted toward the horizon. The girls didn't know when the Mountain Men intended to fire the missile on the village, but they knew that it was soon. And as it grew darker, Sawyer worried if they would get there only to be blown to shreds.

As they approached the entrance of the village, two armed Grounders waited for expected arrivals. Sawyer barely gave her horse time to slow down, before she leapt off and left it in the care of the men. Clarke was right behind her, rushing forward at her side. Neither of them cared to see if Ryder followed.

Before they could get more than two feet inside, Octavia greeted them. She looked more like a Grounder than a Sky Person with her various braids and weapons strapped to her hip. Sawyer wasn't surprised, especially when she heard that the girl practically begged to be Indra's Second for the upcoming war against the Mountain Men. It certainly suited her.

"Guys, you made it," Octavia voiced as they proceeded with a quick pace into the heart of the village.

Sawyer's eyes flicked across the multitude of people gathered within the space. There were a lot more than the last time she stepped foot inside their walls. It made her stomach flip.

"We need you to take us to Lexa," Clarke spoke for them to the Blake girl. After all, she would know where to find the Commander in the pre-council meeting chaos.

Octavia noticed the girls' tense expressions and stopped them. "What's wrong?"

Sawyer swallowed, trying to force her usually calm demeanor to replace her nervous one. "Nothing. We just need to see Lexa." They proceeded on.

Octavia let it go and asked, "is Bellamy ready? Did he get the acid fog down?"

"He's working on it," Clarke told her as they walked.

A group gathered outside of the building that once held what would have been a peaceful feast between Grounders and the Sky People. Lexa stood out in her Commander garb, but she lacked the black warpaint that graced her eyes many times. Kane waited next to her, along with always indifferent and annoyed Indra.

"Sawyer of the Sky People has honored us with her presence," Lexa spoke when she spotted the Wesley girl headed her way.

Sawyer kept her face natural as she addressed her. "I'm sorry for being late, Commander."

"You made good time," Kane voiced in an attempt to ease the tension he obviously sensed wafted off her in waves. "I assume the kids at Mount Weather are okay."

Clarke nodded and answered, "for now."

Sawyer's attention shifted to Lexa, whose gaze never left hers since she arrived. "Can we talk?" she questioned, glancing from the Commander to Clarke and back again. "In private?"

Lexa's expression never changed as she looked between both girls. "Yes. This way." She turned and lead them toward the building at her back. The same building where the peace treaty feast was supposed to take place in almost a week earlier.

__________

It didn't take Sawyer and Clarke long to explain to Lexa what they learned. That Mount Weather wanted to kill them all by firing a missile upon TonDC. And surprisingly, Lexa understood it well for someone not well versed in modern technology.

"A missile? You're sure?" Lexa confirmed as they finished the recount.

Sawyer nodded in a hurried manner. "Yes. He clearly said missile."

"We have to start evacuating, now," Clarke exclaimed to the Commander.

Lexa pursed her lips and replied, "no."

Sawyer blinked at her response. "What do you mean, no? Lexa, if we don't evacuate, hundreds of people are going to die."

Lexa met her gaze and said, "if we evacuate, they'll know we have a spy inside their walls."

Clarke shook her head. "Not necessarily."

Sawyer wanted to agree, but she knew that Lexa was right. How else would they have learned that TonDC was about to be hit by a missile? A mass exodus would draw a lot of attention from Mount Weather and turn their eyes toward Bellamy.

"We can't risk it," Lexa stated.

"What's the point of having an inside man if we can't act on what he tells us?"

"Is the acid fog disabled? Is our sleeping army uncaged?" Neither girl answered Lexa. "Then Bellamy's job is not done. Without him, we can't win this war."

"So, what are you saying? We just do nothing? Let the bomb us?" Clarke shot back.

Lexa turned her stare to the table ahead of her and said, "it'll be a blow – but our army will be safe inside the woods. And it will inspire them."

Sawyer blew out a breath, drawing Lexa's stare to her. "I hate that this is even an option. But, if we do this, what're we supposed to do? We can't exactly shield ourselves from a missile."

"We slip away. Right now." Lexa turned from them and grabbed a bundle of fabrics from a nearby chair. "Put this on." She handed one to Sawyer and Clarke.

Sawyer eyed the dark grey, almost black, fabric and then looked to the Commander, who started for what she guessed was a backdoor to the building. "What? You want us to run?" She hurried after her.

Lexa turned back. "Sawyer, sometimes you have to concede a battle to win a war."

Clarke shook her head as she met up with them across the room. "No. We can inform the leaders of the clans. Pick a rendezvous point in the woods. Each of them can slip out separately."

Lexa exhaled, seeming as though she was resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "And how many more people will they tell? Where do we draw the line?"

Clarke pressed her lips together, before she exclaimed, "well, then cancel the meeting! Start a fire, something!"

Lexa turned away from the blonde. "Clarke, we don't have time for this."

"No, no." Clarke raced forward to stop the Commander, but Sawyer intercepted her path. "Sawyer, stop! You know this is wrong."

Sawyer nodded, gripping the fabric in her hand so tight her knuckles faded to white. "Yes, I know, but we don't have any other choice. If we evacuate or tell the other clan leaders, we tip off Mount Weather that Bellamy's in there. We can't risk him getting hurt, or them retaliating by killing our friends faster. Clarke, please tell me you understand that."

It was not that Sawyer wanted to leave and let the people of TonDC die, but they were out of options. Either they evacuated and let Mount Weather know they had a spy within their walls, or they let the missile come. It was a lose, lose situation. They were screwed either way.

"This is war, Clarke," Lexa voiced from where she stood at the metal grate poised in front of the back exit of the building. "People die. You and Sawyer showed true strength today. Don't let emotions stop you, now. It's time to go." She turned, opening the grate and climbing the stairs without looking back.

Sawyer kept her eyes on Clarke as she reached out a set an a hand on her arm. "I hate this as much as you do, but we can't let them know about Bellamy."

Clarke stared at her for a long moment until she let out a sharp breath and left the building with Sawyer, leaving hundreds of people to face their inevitable, fiery deaths.

__________

Darkness fell across TonDC by the time Sawyer, Clarke, and Lexa decided to flee. A light drizzle of rain began to blanket the trees and other foliage, but it didn't matter to the girls. Not when they wore dark hoods to hide their features from anyone who might look their way.

Sawyer tried to ignore the large pit that formed in her stomach as she trudged through the forest behind Lexa. She hated the idea of leaving an entire village behind to face the wrath of an incoming missile, absolutely despised it. But, what else could they do? One wrong move and they revealed Bellamy's position inside Mount Weather. If that happened, they could guarantee that their friends would die and the rest of them would likely be next. Because if they had one missile, the odds were that they probably had more.

They continued along in silence until Clarke stopped short just beyond the outer walls of the village. It took most of their time sneaking out without anyone seeing, which ate away at their time for evading the missile launch.

Lexa spun around and hissed lowly, "Clarke, we have to keep moving. We're not far enough away." She moved closer to the two girls to not be heard by someone nearby. "The last time they used a missile was before I was born. According to legend, it left a hold in the woods you could not see across. Now, let's go."

Sawyer pressed her lips together at that. Of course Mount Weather had more missiles. Why wouldn't they?

"What if we made them miss?" Clarke questioned as Lexa turned to continue away from the village.

Lexa stopped and looked to her with a huff. "You're not listening. With a weapon like that, you can't miss."

Sawyer blinked. "Uh, yes, you can," she voiced, drawing both sets of eyes to her. "They have a spotter. He has to aim the missile."

Clarke nodded. "We heard them talking about one. If we could just find him..." she trailed off when her gaze drifted across the trees and landed back into TonDC. "No. What's she doing here?"

Sawyer followed her gaze to where someone entered the village. Her heart sank when Abby entered her blurry eye-line. "Damnit, Abby."

Lexa must have noticed, because she said, "Clarke, you can't go back."

Clarke, never being one to listen, pivoted on her heel and rushed down the hill in front of them.

"Clarke."

Sawyer shook her head and turned to a wide-eyed Lexa. "I'll get her. Take cover, and we'll find you." When the Commander didn't move, she shoved at her arm. "Go."

Lexa didn't wait a second time. She turned around and booked it through the forest.

Sawyer huffed after her, before she spun and raced after Clarke. She rushed down the hill and toward the village. After slipping past a few Grounders, she spotted Clarke with her mother behind one of the smaller buildings.

"Mom, I'm begging you. Please," Clarke pleaded with the woman.

Sawyer ran toward them and breathed out, gaining their attention. "we have to go. Come on." She grabbed ahold of Clarke, pulling her along as she did the same with her mother.

__________

The three of them raced out of TonDC, trying to get as far from the place as they could before the missile struck. Sawyer heaved, hopping over boulders and fallen trees, while she searched the area for any sign of Lexa. She hoped that the girl got far enough away.

Clarke and Abby were close on her heels. The older woman struggled to keep up with their pace, but she hurried after them, despite not having a clue what was going on.

"Wait," Abby called out, after they were only a hundred or so feet away from the village.

Clarke whirled to her mother and exclaimed lowly, "no. We can't stop. There's no time."

Abby yanked on her daughter's arm to keep her in place and snapped, "I am not taking a step further until you tell me what is happening."

Just then, a series of thunderous crackles ripped through the air above their heads. Sawyer looked up to see a streak of yellow and orange light speed across the night sky in the direction of TonDC. They were out of time. The missile slammed into the center of the village and a plume of brightness shot skyward as a boom rocked the ground beneath their feet.

Sawyer was tossed off her heels, falling hard to the packed earth. She lifted her arm to brace her impact, but they did nothing to slow her descent. Pain rippled up her arms to her shoulders, while her ears rung from the explosion. Her eyes were instinctively squeezed shut, so she pried them open to find smoke floating on the breeze around them. Sawyer pushed up on her hands, looking to where Clarke and Abby had fallen at her side. They were in the same condition, but otherwise appeared unharmed.

Abby stared at her daughter in what could only be perceived as shock and disbelief. "You knew and you let this happen?"

Sawyer cringed when the ringing faded and she picked up what the woman said to Clarke. Not good.

Clarke's eyes were glassy as she faced her mother. "We had no choice."

Abby looked back to where the ruins of TonDC laid behind them. "So many people. Our people."

Sawyer froze when that registered in her mind. Octavia. She forgot about Octavia. She really hoped the girl was as tough as she looked in recent days, because she wouldn't survive the end of that war if she had to tell Bellamy she basically let his little sister die.

"We had to protect Bellamy," Clarke told her mother when the woman looked back at her.

Sawyer's stomach plummeted. Oh, that made it so much worse. She really needed to find Octavia and beg the girl for her forgiveness. Her and Bellamy. She and Clarke were so dead.

"Without him..."

"No. No, stop it," Abby cut her off. "I don't want to hear it." She climbed to her feet. Clarke followed after her. "Tell me this was Lexa," she said, almost pleading with her daughter. "Please, Clarke."

Sawyer winced. Nope, not Lexa. Well, not all Lexa. She stood to her feet and watched the mother, daughter duo from afar. She was not about to insert herself into the conversation.

Clarke simply stared at the woman as tears gathered in her eyes.

"Please, tell me this wasn't you."

"I wish I could." Clarke sucked in a breath, before she leaned toward her mother and hurried out, "you can't tell anyone about this. If anyone finds out that we knew, the alliance of the twelve clans will break. We'll lose the war."

"You crossed a line," Abby stated with a hardened expression.

"Mom..."

"Their blood is on your hands. And even if we win, I'm afraid you won't be able to wash it off this time." Abby shook her head. "Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me." She turned to leave, but she paused when her gaze fell to Sawyer. "Don't think you're excused from this. This is on you as much as it's on her."

Sawyer stared toward the Griffin woman. Her features placid. "I never thought I was."

Abby didn't reply as she continued on toward TonDC.

"Mom, wait," Clarke called for her mother, but the woman didn't turn around. "Mom." But Abby ignored her, even as the tears fell and the smoke thickened.

<February 21, 2021>

I'M BACK!!!! Sort of...

Took me forever, but I finally updated. And let me tell you, this chapter was difficult.

Anyway, I don't know if you guys follow me or look at my profile, but I'm having some health issues that have prevented me from updating my stories. So, don't expect regular updates. Also, don't ask for them. I will delete those comments if you do.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

-Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.