Episode Four, Part 4:
A l t e r a t i o n

May the melody surround us when the cracks begin to show. 

Everyone sat around the couches in the Sovereign's Quarters: Joren, Aeryn, Bianca, Fenn - everyone from the the Bunker - they were all there, crowded around Sol and Dreea as they waited to hear their plan to save Elara and Kodiak. 

But Wynn was separate from everybody, leaning up against the back wall, devising a plan of his own as the Sovereigns spoke.  

"So, until we know more, we're not going to tell Basilisk that Kodiak, and Elara, are missing. " Sol added her name as if she were an afterthought, or not a priority as much as Kodiak was. 

"Bianca is his Nominated, so until they're back, she will continue his duties as Sovereign." 

"What are you doing to get Elara back?" Quill spoke up. His voice was a little nervous, softer than usual, not wanting anyone to take his tone the wrong way. 

"We've sent a few groups of Trackers out to see if they can find out where they took them to. Two Watchers to surround Riders to investigate if they had any part in this." 

"Watchers?" Quill inquired. 

"Like...spies." Sol scrunched her nose up, debating if that was the right term to use. "They're watching Riders from outside - keeping an eye on who goes in an out in case Rhea or Kane are spotted." 

Quill nodded, sinking deeper in the couch at the reminder of his father being the reason that his sister was gone. Beside him, Aeryn rested her hand on his knee, squeezing tightly for comfort as his own moved to overlap hers. 

"It's," Sol looked down at her watch, figuring out how long she had, "49 hours until the march. If Targo have them, then our only hope is that they avoid being caught up in the war. Targo have no position in it, so if there's one thing we can hold onto, it's that maybe they'll be safe when the rest of Basilisk is under attack." 

Wynn shook his head at the back of the room, scuffing his feet across the ground, almost betrayed that Sol would plea it as a distraction - that she would give them false hope so she could lead everyone through the war. 

Sol glanced around, taking in everyone's reactions, but only really concerned about Wynn. His distance felt far greater to her than anyone else in the room, and she hated the thought that she had let him down, praying that he would realize soon that she was doing everything she could think of to get Elara back when she didn't even know where she was. 

"If there's no news on them in 15 hours, then I'll go myself. I... I want you all to know that this isn't nothing to me." She looked up at Wynn as she spoke, their eyes meeting for a moment, but he looked down at the ground again, as if he wasn't interested in what she had to say to him anymore. 

"Elara is your family, and she's a part of Basilisk, so that means she's our family as well. And Kodiak's my best friend. I know that since you all came to the Ground, it must feel like someone is always missing, and I'm sorry. But like every time before, I won't stop until we're all home." 

Sol sighed, dropping her head, as everyone accepted her speech. She didn't even wait for Dreea to finish speaking before she slipped away and disappeared from everyone without having to face them. 

After a few moments, everyone of Wynn's family began walking over in his direction to reach the door, all wondering the same thing: why he hadn't been there - front and centre - to hear what Sol had to say. 

When they were all close enough to hear him, he looked up, muttering something so only they could hear. 

"Everyone meet in my tent. Five minutes." He ordered, swiftly moving away separately from the group so there wouldn't be any suspicion from the Sovereigns. Everyone was confused, question what he was up to, but going along with his request nonetheless. 

/// 

Wynn sealed the tent up after MaReya walked in, making sure that everyone from the Bunker was inside. All 8 of them had squeezed into Wynn and Quill's tent -  including Azha and Harlow who weren't sure why everyone was here. 

Wynn managed to move in front of everyone, so they could just about all see him from where they sitting or standing, trying to figure out how he would start. 

"I have to admit, this isn't where I'd call for a family reunion. I know we lived inside for 14 years, but couldn't we make the most of all this space we have now?" Azha joked, earning a couple of laughs from people around the tent. 

"What's this about, Wynn?" Ares spoke up, folding his arms in concern for his brother. 

Wynn sighed. "We need to come up with a way to find Elara." 

Ares exhaled, glancing around the tent to see everyone avoiding each other's eyes nervously. "Riv just went through this." He pointed out. "I thought you trusted her a lot? They're doing something to get them back, Wynn." 

"It's not enough." He shook his head. 

"There's nothing else they can do." 

"That's crap, and you all know it is." Wynn raised his a voice a little but he was quick to reign his frustration back in, not wanting it to burst the tent open. 

"We should be out there. Like how it was when you, Fabian and Harlow were at Blood Riders. Or when I was in the DeadLands on my own. How is this any different?" He exclaimed. 

"It's not." Quill answered, sitting up on his bed. "I'm with Wynn. Something needs to be done. She's 15, not older like the rest of us. And..." Quill's voice weakened, afraid to say it. 

"And we already Targo are trying to take her away. Who knows they won't succeed if we wait a day longer? The Sovereigns didn't known about them, so they obviously came from across the DeadLands because Basilisk know everything about this side of the desert." He continued. "A one or two day head-start out there could be the difference in...in never seeing her again." 

"I'm in." Bas blurted out, barely waiting for Quill to finish before he chimed in.

 "And me." Fabian agreed as well. 

"MaReya?" Wynn peered over, searching his friend for unity. 

"You don't have to ask twice." She smiled. "Plus, since I've been working with Aeryn, I know a few things that might help if we run into any danger." She offered. 

Wynn breathed out, relieved to know that if his sister was hurt in any way, then at least MaReya had a brief medical understanding of how to help. 

"Azha? Ares?" Quill looked around. 

"Without a doubt. If we find your dad, I might be able to get him to talk to me. You never know; it might be different it comes from a friend, rather than you guys." 

There was just one person left now, and Wynn looked up at Ares with a desperate look in his eyes, no one else seeming to exist in that moment other his brother. 

"You know I'm with you." Ares declared on an out-breath. "Every one of us is." He continued. 

"But we're all each other has left. As you've said, we've been here before with Riders, and we know that they're out there - probably hating us as much as the Sovereigns themselves. If we're gonna do this, we need a solid plan. No risk of losing anyone. First of all, Harlow stays here." Ares looked over to Bas, knowing he would agree in a heartbeat. 

Bas nodded. "One hundred percent agree with you. But that means someone has to stay with him. I would but, I mean, I'm kinda the best shooter out of all you guys." He chuckled nervously.

"It'll have to be me." Fabian volunteered, knowing he offered the least amount of value outside the gates. "Unless anyone has any other option of where he goes?" 

"We could hide him Joren's annex? That's where we were all before. And hardly anyone knows about it, so it's our safest bet." MaReya suggested. 

"No. He's not going down there alone. He'd be terrified." As Bas spoke, he reached across the tent for his little brother and held him as he stood in front of him. 

"Okay. It was just a suggestion." MaReya assured him, reminding him that nothing was set in stone. 

"Then Fabian, you'll stay behind with Harlow." She nodded towards her own brother, hiding how relieved she was knowing that he was promised safety when everyone else had to risk their own outside the gates. 

Wynn clasped his hands together in agreement. "We need to sort out who goes where." He informed them. "As I have access to the Sovereign's Quarters, I'll be able to get us some weapons, but we each have to have someone who is at least decent at using them. Bas and myself are the most experienced." He hesitated on what to call it, but gave up trying, knowing that at least he got his point across. 

"Bas, MaReya and Azha: you guys will be one group. Uh, maybe you should check around the Bunker and a little bit of the DeadLands for any tracks or indications that they went that way?" 

Bas nodded, understanding what needed to be done. 

"Quill, Ares - we'll go together. We'll head east, up towards Blood Riders in case, I don't know, they have some sort of alliance with them, or something. They might think they'd be safe up there, because we wouldn't think about going anywhere near there." 

Four // Part 4

I love Bunker Clan.

They have a bond that is so unbreakable and unlike any other group of people in this series. It is so fun to write scene where they are all together - all understanding and feeling the same way as each other.

I'm so excited of the relationships I get to explore in this season as well. There's a lot coming up that is going to be pivotal for so many characters: Sol, Wynn, Lyra, Noah and Elara are the ones that I really look forward to writing.

I didn't really know how to end this chapter, but I've so thoroughly planned out the next several parts!!!

PS: Stream Sex Education S2 for a hilarious and incredible show!!