seventeen - I'm Still Not Volunteering

Many features stiffen with brows furrowed and crease marks lining up foreheads as Jasper had everyone in the shared bedroom explain an offer that he predicted would be for the better of the Mountain people.

''Guys, think about everything they've done for us. They gave us shelter, clean clothes. They kept us safe from the grounders.''

With her lips parted, Brandi shook her head with dull eye's. ''Jasper, you were throwing up Maya's blood for three days.''

''But I'm fine. I'm still alive, aren't I?'' He asks with a hopeful smile.

She shook her head again. ''Brandi, it's different, okay? Doctors says that normal treatment wouldn't be as bad.''

''So they say'' Monty chimes in from beside her.

''So what, then? We'll only be puking for one day?'' Miller counters, proving that no matter what, he doesn't wanna be puking period. ''Nah, I'm out.''

''Sorry, Jasper'' Harper apologizes while taking a stand. ''I'm out too.''

Everyone started clearing out, leaving Jasper standing in place who still trying his best at persuasion. ''Come on. They gave us cake. I have a sign up sheet, if you'd-''

Brandi and Monty rose from they're spots on the beds and walked up to Jasper, stopping him from embarrassing himself any further. ''What the hell are you doing?''

''What?'' He asks in what looked like defeat.

''When did you start working for them?''

Jasper shakes his head but the flash of hesitation already answered Monty's question. ''You know what? Never mind. Now that you're better, we're going after Clarke.''

Brandi's orbs flicker past Jasper to see Maya walk into the room with a grin plastered on her face.

''Of course she came'' She mutters as she approaches, not acknowledging the rude remark she made about her.

''Hey guys. Jasper, I'm so glad to see you're feeling better'' She says, holding up a notebook with black marker written across it.

ACT NORMAL

THEY'RE LISTENING!!!

''Thanks'' Jasper replies slowly once finished reading her discrete message. ''I am.''

She flipped the page over with more words not meant to be shared aloud.

THE BREACH WASN'T AN ACCIDENT!

FOLLOW ME!

''You look, rested'' Brandi hesitates out of uncertainty.

She shrugs. ''Hey, it's pizza day. Whose hungry?''

Her smile falters as she backs out of the room.

Jasper glance back at the two with questionable orbs before trailing after Maya.

She leads the three to a room neither Brandi or Monty have been before. It was dark and it had shelves filled with artistic items that Brandi couldn't help but stare in awe.

''What the hell is going on?'' Jasper asks, snapping Brandi out of her open mouthed state.

Maya looks down with muffled sobs wracked against her chest. Brandi turns to Monty as Jasper handles Maya, mouthing ''What's happening?''

He shrugs his shoulder and frantically shakes his head.

''Maya?''

''I'm sorry.''

''About what? What do you mean, it wasn't an accident?''

''They purposely exposed her to radiation, Jasper'' Brandi answers the simple questions, Monty tagging along with her. ''I bet it was to get you to agree to being blood brothers.''

Maya nods at this shamefully.

''I knew it. Clarke was right.''

''Monty'' Brandi scolds while Jasper told him to shut up.

Jasper turns back to Maya who was refusing eye contact. ''Did you know about this?''

She looks up quickly. ''No.''

''Why would they do that to you?''

''Because the standard treatment sucks compared to you.''

''That's what Dante said.''

Brandi shakes her head and asks ''What's the standard treatment?''

She points a thumb towards a further direction behind her. ''Through there.''

She leads them again further into the room with Brandi the first to follow.

It wasn't long before Brandi, Jasper and Monty stood in front of a vent that possessed a view of a whole different sight.

There were cages hanging along the walls, half of them occupied with someone inside of it.

''Oh my god'' Jasper whispers. ''Are those all grounders?''

''Wait a second.'' Monty turns back to the girl whose knees where practically shaking. ''Why are you showing us this?''

''Because I'm afraid.''

''Of what?''

''That you're next.''

Brandi still had her back to Maya, watching the horrific sight as she pulled along the locks of her loose hair back. ''If those are grounders, why aren't I with them? My immune system doesn't regard around anything from space?''

Maya shakes her head vigorously. ''I don't know. This is as far as I know.''

Jasper points back to the vent. ''Who else knows about this?''

''Everyone. Nobody talks about it because we learn not to ask questions.''

''That's why grounders hate you people so much'' Brandi mumbles to herself after a wave of realization hits her.

''Look, without those treatments, we die-''

''And with those treatments, the grounders die'' Brandi interjects.

''Well what are we suppose to do?''

''Die'' Monty chimes in.

Brandi's eye's enlarge as the group turns to Monty. ''We have to get out of here. Dante said we could leave, right?''

''He was lying. He knew I'd be too scared to leave, just like he knew I'd do what had to be done to save Maya'' Says Jasper.

''So we don't ask. If Clarke got out, we can too.''

Brandi slaps her arms to her side. ''That's the thing. Because Clarke got out, security must have been boosted around here.''

Maya points at her. ''She's right.''

''We have to try.''

''We're not leaving'' Jasper states. ''I won't leave the others behind. Not if it means they end up in there.''

Monty shakes his head. ''What choice do we have?''

''We volunteer.''

× × ×

Jasper and Brandi stood in a facility that held many beds aligned against the wall, occupied by multiple sky people who were willing to volunteer after another meeting that was more convincing than the last.

''You're all set, Monty'' Dr. Tsing finishes up before grabbing a hold of her clipboard and pen.

''The general anesthetic will take effect shortly so you won't feel a thing'' She informs to Monty, given that's he's always concerned about himself and others.

''Are you sure you don't want to volunteer, Brandi?'' Dr. Tsing questions with a lingering eye on her.

''Yeah. I just don't think my blood would be as effective'' She replies almost sheepishly.

The doctor nods before heading to the back room that's known to be her office.

Jasper chuckles down at his best friend as he asks ''How high are you right now?''

He lets out a breath. ''I almost don't care that there's a six inch spike in my neck.''

Brandi's features cringe insanely that it was a humorous sight for Jasper and Monty.

The anesthetic must have kicked in because his eye's close with a sharp inhale.

President Wallace enters the room, dragging Brandi and Jaspers attention on to him.

''I must say, I'm impressed Jasper and deeply grateful.''

Brandi smiles genuinely at Jasper as he grins at his acknowledgment. ''These are just the first, sir. More will come.''

''I have no doubt. Though, I do wish you could be as supportive as the others, Brandi.''

Brandi pursed her lips, her mood dampening at his minor disappointment. ''But I understand if you don't want to. Things happen for a reasons, am I right?''

She flatten her lips into a straight line and nods.

''Well, you saved us, right? It's the least we could do.''

President Wallace turns back to Jasper and nods appreciably. While walking past him, he presses a grateful touch on his shoulder, before presuming his way to Dr. Tsing's office.