Episode Four, Part 5:
A l t e r a t i o n

Things I knew when I was young - some were true, 
and some were wrong. One day, I pray, I'll be 
more than my father's son. But I don't 
own a single gun.

Noah stormed across camp, careless of whoever came in his way of finding his father. His step was loud and thunderous, shaking the ground of Blood Riders, a lingering darkness drifting behind him. 

Every door he walked into slammed open, shaking the walls of their commorancy - as if a warning to Rogue that he was coming. 

As he entered into the Den, ordering his guardsmen to flee, Rogue stepped away from Jonas who was trying to keep up a brave face, and stared Noah down. 

"Son!" He exclaimed in surprise, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?" 

"Is it true?" Noah asked demanding a response. He stepped up close to his father, subconsciously creating a divide for his ability to reach Jonas. 

"Is what tr-" 

"Did you send Jonas out? Again?" He roared, cutting him short before he could finish his question. 

Rogue scoffed, glancing over Noah's shoulder as if to confront Jonas with his cold, hard glare. "I don't see what business this is of yours." 

"He's my brother!" Noah yelled. 

"And my son!" Rogue fired back. "I make decisions for him. I'm the parent. I'm in charge." 

"I'm in charge. I'm the king." Noah affirmed, emphasizing his position in a overt stance, folding his arms as he scowled at his father. 

"Where did he could that someone else couldn't have? What was so important that he had to be the one to leave?" 

"Give me a break. He went to the old labs, that's all. They're a three minute walk away, and no one from Basilisk could even get near them without being shot."

"Why was he going to the labs?" 

"It's where those people from City of Targo are. Part of our exchange." Rogue informed him. "They wiped out a lot of Basilisk for us with that virus so we would have an advantage for war. They get to use our labs so they can return to their home."

"Didn't I already tell you that he doesn't leave?" 

Rogue flapped his arms in the air, completely astonished that Noah was still insisting on keeping Jonas inside Blood Riders. "What is your infatuation with keeping him here like a- a, like a prisoner!?" 

"Infatuation? Oh, so you think you I'm foolish for trying to protect him? To keep him safe with me?" Noah laughed. 

"He's never going to be safe if you never let him go." Rogue told him. He seemed to have wandered back over as he spoke, like he was trying to reach him, to get through to Noah somehow that he believed what he was saying. Something resounded within his voice; a desperation, an empathy somehow as if he honestly cared about keeping Jonas safe. 

Noah kept his eyes on his father, fighting the urge to give in and listen to him, but he couldn't. All he wanted for Jonas was someone to keep him safe in case he wasn't around, and the one person who should have been able to do that for them, was the one person who posed more danger to him above anyone else. 

"He's a young boy, Noah. He needs to know his way out there. How to fight, how to defend himself, what to do if he runs into Basilisk." 

"Basilisk aren't the problem, you are, dad!" 

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Rogue screamed. In a heartbeat, his anger was back, raging out of control as his hands sent things flying across the room - wiping the table behind him clean of anything from its surface. 

Jonas quivered behind Noah, moving back to avoid being hit by something. He had seen them at war enough times to know how this would end. 

"We're going to war against Basilisk, and you're trying to tell me that they're not our threat? That what's really putting our people in danger is me? Their former king who served and kept them alive for seventeen years?" 

"Yeah, former, that's right." Noah inched closer, getting in his face. "I announced the war, and I can be the one to call it off, as well, if I wanted to." 

"You- you think that your people would listen to you if you called off the march? You don't think they'd retaliate, or defy you? We are Blood Riders, Noah. All of them, out there are hungry for this fight! Not a single person is short of enemies at Basilisk." 

"What enemies, dad? Eryx was the problem and Riverly killed him! As far as I'm concerned, that problem was between you and him. If we don't march, then there won't be a war to fight." 

Rogue tensed his jaw, biting down on his lip as he searched his mind for a solution. 

"Jonas, come here." Rogue ordered. 

Jonas' head shot up, not expecting to be drawn into the conversation. He looked to Noah, bringing himself to his feet, wondering if he should listen to their dad or not. 

"Stay there, Jo." Noah held his hand out, blocking the path in case he tried to pass him. 

Rogue's head snapped over to Noah, a dangerous glare narrowing in his eyes. He repeat his demand, not looking away. 

"Jonas. Get over here. Right this minute." 

Noah didn't know what to do. He couldn't predict what his father wanted with Jonas right then, or what would happen to either or them if he tried to get in his way. He feared what would happen if Jonas disobeyed, promising himself that as soon as their conversation was done, he would get his brother the hell away from their father. 

Noah nodded so from behind him, Jonas would know to listen to him. The young boy gulped, slowly moving closer to their father, awaiting to see his purpose. 

Noah took a step back whilst at the same time, trying to remain close to Jonas, not wanting him to be afraid. 

"You think we don't have enemies? You think there aren't people in this world that would hurt someone like him, but you're wrong. Because we're just the same, Noah; Blood Riders are no exception. If our people marched out there right now, do you think they would spare anyone because they were a child, or someone's brother, or not trained enough to fight back?" 

Noah couldn't answer because he knew the truth to his father's question, and this time, nothing could deny that feeling. He couldn't stop Riders from marching - whether he was king or not, and it was daunting on him that he couldn't do a lot to keep Jonas safe if they were a part of this. 

"Not fighting is not an option. They fight, we fight back." Rogue declared. 

As Noah went to speak, Rogue turned sharply, shifting himself upwards as he raised his hand, then swinging down as his palm collided with Jonas' cheek. 

Noah's eyes widened in horror, his stomach twisting in nausea, unable to do anything from the pain that stung through his little brother's skin. 

"We fight back!" Rogue screamed, a hunger - a maniac taking over. 

Noah stepped forward and reached down to the ground, picking up Jonas who had fallen from the force of the impact. His cheek was already a burning red, and tears glistened over his eyes, welling up inside until they inevitably fell, despite how much the young boy tried to keep them in. 

Noah held Jonas behind him, his arms wrapping around his brother's waist, afraid to let go. 

"This is it. You're done. You're never going near him again. Do you understand? Never!" Noah scream at his dad, tears stinging his eyes, unable to know what he was supposed to do. 

"You see what I mean now? Even if you just stand there, people will beat you and hurt you, and the only thing you can do is fight back. Otherwise you're just letting them do it. You were supposed to fight back, Jonas. You're supposed to fight!" 

Noah backed away, grabbing Jonas by the wrist and leading him with him as they moved for the door. 

"Where are you going? You can't abandoned your people." 

"I'm not." Noah spat. "I'm taking Jonas somewhere safe until the march is done. Then I'll deal with you." 

Before Rogue could get another word in, Noah stormed out the room, leading Jonas into his room alongside him. 

As Noah began to pack a bag - filling it deep with what was around him, Jonas stuttered nervously, trying to keep up with what was happening. 

"W-where are we gonna go?" 

"Somewhere safe. You won't have to worry." Noah answered him, not even enough time to stop and explain everything to him. 

He walked over to bed, lifting up the pillow to reveal a radio, glancing around the room to make sure the doors were still shut, and that no one else was with them. 

"Can you hear me... Riverly?" Noah muttered across the line, hesitating to say her name. He peaked over at Jonas who was standing near the door, rubbing his cheek softly, afraid that he would be afraid of the name he heard. 

"Riverly-" He tried again after a moment.

"Noah?" Sol's voice broke through the line, filling him up with hope. 

"Yeah!" He leaned into the radio. "It's me. I... I need..." 

"What's wrong?" 

Noah closed his eyes, everything depending on her. "I need your help." He admitted. 

"With what? What's happening?" 

He sighed, continuing to fill up the bag with his free hand, beckoning his brother over so he could put it on him. "Jonas... I can't keep him safe here. Please, Riv. I don't know where else to go." 

"Of course. He's innocent." Sol replied. Her voice was warm enough to fill up the entire room, and Noah breathed out relieved, making sure he had everything he needed to get outside. 

"You know where to meet. I'll see you soon." 

"Okay. See you." Noah answered, switching the radio off and tucking it into the bottom of Jonas' backpack. 

He did a final lap around the room, grabbing anything that he thought he would need: a knife, a radio for Riders, a gun and extra bullets, and another for Jonas, if the worst came to it. 

"Come on." Noah turned him around, pushing him towards the door. 

"You're not going to leave me, are you?" 

"What?" Noah said. "No, I'm coming with you." He opened the door, leading them to the outside where the fences were in sight. 

"But once we get there, you're not going to go away, are you?" 

"I don't know what's going to happen yet, okay? But no one is going to hurt you. This war is in 2 days and I've gotta keep you safe from that. From dad. But after that, I promise you we'll together, and no one will hurt you. Can you trust me - that we have to do this, that we have to leave right now?" 

Jonas nodded, exhaling bravely, smiling back at Noah unconvincingly. He took his hand and walked with him up to the gates, avoiding eyes of all the guards that had not long ago forced him outside. 

Noah burned with rage as they reached the gates, the sight of his dad standing there - as if to wave them off - making his blood boil. He waited for the gates to open, nodding at his guards to say that he would be back later, and led Jonas out without a single word to their father. Within moments, they were lost to the sight of the forest, and when Noah looked back, he could no longer see the figure of his father standing, watching on. 

But Rouge was still there, staring off into the distance with a plan unfolding in his mind. He walked over to Judas who was among the rest of the guards, and pulled her over to the side so they were out of earshot from everyone else. 

"Follow them." He blatantly ordered, not taking his eyes off the horizon where he had last caught sight of them. 

"Of course, Rogue." Judas answered, immediately making her way to the gate. 

"I want you to bring Jonas back with you. Do whatever it takes. Do you understand what I'm asking you to do?" 

"I understand." Judas smirked, seeing through the darkness in his eyes - a request she had been waiting years to complete: kill the king. 

/// 

Sol stared at the second bag she had packed, sitting on the counter in front of her, an identical one slung over her right shoulder. It wasn't safe for her to go out alone because it wouldn't be safe for her people if their Sovereign was left vulnerable to an attack... It was the only thing from stopping her from leaving right away. 

She needed someone to go with her. Someone that wouldn't ask too many questions about who they were meeting like Dreea, or Joren, or Bianca. It had to be someone that wouldn't see the risks of meeting up with Noah when the march was only a day away. 

Her eyes flickered to the window, peering out at all the people that walked past - guards and shooters that needed to remain and protect the rest of Basilisk. But then one person who sparked an idea inside of Sol, moving her to her feet and out the door of the Quarters as she raced up to them. 

"Zara!" Sol called out, jogging over to the woman, the extra bag in her hand. 

Zara turned around, pleasantly surprised to find that it was the Sovereign running over to her. 

"Riverly." She beamed. "What can I do for you?" 

"Do you know where Atlantis is?" 

She seemed a little taken aback by the question, but answered nonetheless. 

"She went into the medic tent a few minutes ago. The um, the girl..." she struggled to remember her name at first, snapping her fingers when it came to her. "Aeryn! Aeryn needed her for something. Apparently something went missing." 

"Missing?" Sol mumbled to herself, trying to recall anyone telling her about something going missing. She suddenly looked back up at Zara, remembering what she was doing in the first place. 

"Thank you." She said to her, smiling a little before hurrying off to the medic tent. 

As Sol reached the tent, she pulled back the opening, wandering inside to see if Aeryn and Atlantis were inside. She found them pulling out things from the cabinets and rusting shelves, moving everything around as if trying to count what they had. 

"Aeryn?" Sol called, gaining the doctor's attention.

 "Riverly!" Aeryn smiled nervously, holding something behind her back as she jumped up to stand in front of the cabinet. 

"What's going on?" Sol furrowed her eyebrows together, curious. 

"Just, um, inventory." Aeryn answered. "Making sure we have enough of everything after the uh, the virus... There's a lot here so I asked Atlantis to help me out as everyone else is... Busy." She laughed a little, disguising it as a cough when she could see that Sol wasn't completely fooled by her story. 

"If there's a problem..." Sol began, biting on her tongue. "You know what, nevermind. If something's happened, you'll have to tell Dreea." She informed Aeryn. 

"Atlantis, I came to see you."

"M-me?" The girl stuttered, unsure whether she was terrified or hopeful. 

"Yeah." Sol confirmed, finding it hard to make eye contact. "I need to leave, and I need someone to go with me." 

"Do you want me to find Joren or someone?" Atlantis offered, presuming that was what her sister needed her for. 

"What? No." Sol shook her head, realizing she hadn't been clear enough. "I'm saying I need you to come with me, if you wanted to, that is." 

"Yes!" Atlantis rushed her answer out. She exhaled, hoping her speed hadn't put Sol off of the idea completely. "Yeah, that would be great. I've wanted to explore everything for a wh-" 

"It's not a hike, okay?" Sol snapped out of instinct, having to remind herself to be a little more patient. 

Atlantis nodded, looking down to the ground as she waited for Sol to continue. 

"I'm sorry." She sighed. "It's dangerous out there. That's all I'm trying to say. I'm meeting someone, but we have to be on a constant lookout for Blood Riders or Targo. Understand?" 

"Yes. I do." 

Sol rolled her eyes, giving in to the urge to smile over at her, and chucked the extra bag into her hands. 

Atlantis caught it - surprised, but letting go of all her anxiety when she saw Sol's face. 

Four // Part 5

Protect! Jonas!

Almost 3000 words for this chapter!! Hope you enjoy!!