Episode Seven, Part 7:The Great Escape

Elara ran through the night, not even sure of which direction she was running in, or what she was looking for. She just knew that she needed to get as far as she could and pray that there would be someone able to help. Her brother's life was on the line.

So consumed by her fear, she momentarily forgot the previous circumstances enforced upon her by Lyra, and when she saw her walking ahead, a spark of relief carried her feet over towards her. A longing of familiarity in the unrecognizable world that burned through all the wrongdoings of her friend.

"Lyra!" She called out, stumbling into the girl's arms as she reached her. A moment passed and she pulled away, looking up at her friend as if begging that she had changed her mind. But Lyra looked down at Ell and there was no drop of sympathy in her eyes, not even something to say that she was glad to see her alive. "Lyra, please..." But no other words would come out, nothing she could say to get her on her side.

"Where's Ares?" Lyra's voice was cold but calm. Unfazed by the horror of the young girl she had known her entire life.

"Mom has him." She answered. "She... She hurt him, Lyra. He told me to go."

"So where were you going?" Lyra was being smart - biding her time, asking questions to distract the young girl from the fact that she was still working against her.

"I-I don't know, he just told me to keep running. But he needs help and I don't know what to do. Fabian took Harlow somewhere, but I don't know where they are-"

"Did they say where he was taking him? Somewhere nearby until morning?"

Elara closed her eyes and tried to remember what Ares has said to Fabian. She could sense that Lyra had some understanding of the landscape, and was orientated to where they were. If she confessed that they were heading to Basilisk, then Elara would be able to follow Lyra over there - find Wynn and Quill, tell them about Ares. She knew the consequences it could bring: that Fabian and Harlow might be found, that Lyra would send other Blood Riders on their way, but she knew the reality was that Ares would have no other choice but to head back with their mum, and that meant that they might never see him again.

"They're going to Basilisk. To find the girl who opened the Bunker. Ares said she'll get help."

Lyra's eyes focused on Elara, looking for a twitch or sign that she was lying. Perhaps the Lyra she knew wasn't all gone, and her old self fought its way back to believe the girl standing before her, a decision that would take them to their family.

///

Ares had managed to crawl over to the wall, leaning himself against the cave for support. Every time his mother drifted in his direction, something burned inside him. Fear or betrayal, they both tasted the same.

"Where's Elara?" Martha spoke up. Ares noticed that she had now sat down against one of the logs near the entrance, facing the wall that Ares was by. She didn't seem to be focusing on anything in particular, but her voice felt detached from her - monotone, emotionless.

Discomfort crawled under Ares' skin. He didn't know what his mother meant by that, or how to answer. In fact, she didn't even feel like his mother. She hadn't for a while.

"Have you seen her?"

"Mom..."

"Do you know where Wynn is? I need to tell him something."

Ares could feel his pulse picking up, and despite the agony in his side, he pushed himself to stand - the blood beginning to seep through the jacket held on his wound. "Mom, what are you talking about? You know where Wynn is, he's with Quill..."

"Oh." She murmured back, with no recollection. "Can you tell him to come here?"

Ares didn't know what to say, his mind spinning trying to understand what was happening to his mum. Was it shock? The guilt of what she had put her son through finally catching up to her? The knowledge of execution if she didn't return with them? The anger that he had been feeling for her was starting to drizzle away, and a newfound worry had taken place.

"O-Okay, I'll tell them. They're coming, Mom."

Martha looked over towards Ares, not recognizing her son trembling before her. She didn't even acknowledge his bleeding or hear the desperation in his voice as she stood up and faced the exit of the cave.

Ares knew he wouldn't be able to follow her out there. The strength alone it took to stand was wearing him out, and with the search for his people on, Ares knew that Riders wouldn't see him worth saving with all of his injuries.

"Mom, stop!" He called out, Martha being immersed in shadow. She took one final look at her son, Ares knowing there was nothing he could possibly do to make her stay, his heart sinking as she left him.

///

As Sol walked with Wynn through the night, her mind was clouded with thoughts, unable to separate one from the other. The result was an overwhelming storm raging around and it wouldn't let her rest.

She wondered what it would be like when she returned back to Basilisk. Would her people be mad at her for leaving before The Decider - and for dragging Dreea and Kodiak into her mess? Who would be Noble? What did it mean for her future as Sovereign? Most of all, the thought that terrified her the most was going home to face her father. What would he say to her? She wouldn't let herself imagine the consequences of her betrayal or the hatred burned into her father's features. She blocked everything else out of her mind, refusing to let it in.

She wanted to regret what she had done, but as she looked over at Wynn - heard what Dreea said about his family, she couldn't find any part of her that would take back leaving the ceremony. Basilisk were her family, and the people from the Bunker were Wynn's, and she knew that everyone deserved fighting for, even if they couldn't do it alone. After all, it had been her decision to open his Bunker, and finally, in a way, Sol realized that it made her in debt to them.

"Wynn, we need to stop somewhere. I need to listen in to the radio again, but it's too risky out in the open. We don't know how close Riders are to us, or if they can hear us."

"Okay," Wynn agreed. Sol had assumed that it would have taken more convincing on her part to persuade him into stopping, and so when he obliged, she knew that something was off.

"Hey, what's up?" She asked.

Wynn looked over to her, following as they approached the base of a steep cliff. "Nothing." He muttered back.

"Wynn..."

He looked at her again, almost timid to meet her gaze, to be so vulnerable in front of her. He had already been the root of so many of her sacrifices that he didn't want to burden her with anything else.

"You think we won't find them." She said. A sigh from Wynn answered her statement. "We will. Trust me, I know these Woods better than most people at Basilisk. If there's anywhere they can hide, I already know it. And at least now you're not doing it on your own." Sol offered a smile that she could see him return in the darkness. A gesture that restored some idea of hope inside of him, a spark that would light the way.

"Thank you." Wynn said. "For what you've done for me."

Sol nodded, understanding that he wasn't just referring to tonight- that the weight of everything else had finally sunk in, and the safety and promise of Basilisk was something that he had grown afraid to lose. Maybe it was the hope that she emphasized in his family that moved her, or maybe it was just that she thought she had found a friend in him, but either way, Sol didn't want to see the end of this as losing Wynn from her life. Despite what situation she would find herself in when she returned to her father's ruling, she was determined to fight for Wynn's place at Basilisk. Seeing the way he carried himself onward, she knew it was the least he deserved.

Sol pulled the radio out, gaining Wynn's attention so they could listen in. It took a few attempts to find a signal, but she managed to connect, an unknown voice speaking down the line.

"-You should find it south of Blood Woods. That's where her transmitter is reading from. When was the last time you heard from her?"

"Over an hour ago. She'd said she had two of them, but one of them's with me now." Wynn's heart picked up at the sound of Lyra's voice, his mind completely focused on her words.

"Do you have them restrained? I know they're your family, but you can't afford to make feeble choices. You know the consequences you'll face-"

"I know!" She cut them off, her voice heavy with frustration. "And yes, she was already in wrist restraints when I found her, and you can thank her mother for that. Can you just give me a little trust here? She's not going to get away, okay?" Water pricked at Wynn's eyes, all knowledge confirming that it was about his sister. Still, he didn't want to believe it. He tried to find some way to argue every thought that came to mind, always concluding with his mother never doing such a thing to Elara as tying her up.

"Alright." The guy on the other line sighed. "Just make sure you find the caves soon. If one of them managed to get away, then you have to suspect the other could have, too. And like I said, her transmitter hasn't moved for 40 minutes, so something's not right."

Sol switched the radio off, holding her hands out as if to still her thoughts. She closed her eyes shut, mumbling something to herself that Wynn couldn't understand.

"What is it, Sol?"

"I'm thinking!" She dismissed him, her hand dancing around as if she was visualizing something, directions to somewhere. "That's it..." She said. "The caves... They're like two minutes away. Something about a transmitter which I assume is giving them some sort of location, and there's only one group of caves south to the woods, so I think I know where they're talking about." She told him.

She chucked Wynn's bag straight into his chest, wasting no time in running to the suspected location. "Your friend didn't say where she was, so she could be close to it as well. We should hurry in case your mother is still there and we get company. Ares is the only one unaccounted for, so let's hope he's there, too."

After informing Wynn on the instructions, Sol pulled out the radio again, channeling in to Dreea.

"Hey, come in, its Riverly. I think I know where they are. One of them is with his sister heading for the caves south of Blood Woods. That's where they think Wynn's Mom and brother are. We're like a minute away, but head in that direction in case something happens."

"On to it." Dreea answered. "Kodiak's here with Aeryn, Quill, and some of our guards. Joren headed back to camp with Fabian and Harlow."

"And Bas?"

"He's with me." Dreea said. "Couldn't convince him to go. Said he wants to help bring the rest of them home, but I think he's still hoping that Lyra will come, too."

Sol looked at Wynn who was listening in on the conversation, but he didn't seem to react to his best friend's name, or the idea that Bas believed she would come around.

"What do you want to do about her?" Sol asked, not bothering to tip-toe around the question. "If she has your sister, and Elara's in trouble, what does it come down to?"

"What matters is bringing home my family, and family is the people who chose you; its not where you're from, or who you grew up with, but the ones who show up and fight with you, not against you." Wynnlow answered without a beat, as if bringing them together was fate - something already decided, and who came with them was down to something as simple as wanting to. Because if people really wanted to be together, then they would because that was all it took.

"People have the right to choose where they want to be. If Lyra doesn't want to stay with us, then that's up to her," his voice wavered a little, as if he didn't want to admit it to himself, "but she doesn't get to take that choice away from anyone else, especially not my sister-"

Wynn was cut off by a distant groan, a loud thump following seconds after. He looked at Sol as if to ask what the noise was if it was someone from Riders, but he could tell that she didn't know, either.

"Stay behind me." She told him slowly beginning to creep along the steep walls of the cliff. She passed the radio to Wynn, informing him to call Dreea if they ran into anyone they shouldn't, and her grip became fastened on the gun in her hands. They passed an entrance for a cave, Sol's gun instantly aimed in the opening ready to shoot at what she found, but there was only darkness. She scanned the ground beneath her, not locating any footprints in the dirt - anything to signify the noise coming from inside. One she knew it was clear, she nodded for Wynnlow to follow, inching closer to the next.

She turned over her shoulder, glancing at Wynn's face, trying to determine what was on his mind. "Don't try and do anything brave, okay?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I told you what'll happen if Riders find me. Look, if I don't make it out for whatever reason, don't give up on finding your family, alright?"

Wynn shook his head, part of the fear he had been feeling melting away. "No." He told her. "What happened to no one gets left behind?"

Sol tried to answer, but she didn't know what to say. Only a fondness beginning to develop for him, a trust, a confirmation that he belonged to Basilisk. And Basilisk protected their own.

She nodded at him, signaling their move, and stepped out into the light of the next cave. Immediately, her eyes settled upon a rucksack - one she knew didn't belong to anyone from her camp. She scanned around looking for sight of a Rider, but it was too dark to see further into the cave. From the side of her back, Sol pulled out some sort of flare light, snapping it to initiate the warm glow and chucking it deep into the darkness.

With the new light, they could see a body lying limp on the ground, their hearts stopping until they saw the slow movement of the person's head. They turned around, looking up at the two silhouettes in the opening, a smile reaching the boy's face. It was Ares.

Wynn ran towards him faster than his mind could catch up, his knees dropping by his side, taking the boy's head in his hands. "Ares? You're alive. You're alright." Wynn breathed out, relief spilling from his eyes.

Ares smiled and his eyes fluttered closed, as if surrendering to the peaceful state of time that he had found himself in. "Did they get you too?" His voice murmured out, not looking up to face his brother.

Wynn looked over at Sol who had now joined the boys on the ground, trying to figure out what he meant. She noticed the wound straight away - something that Wynn had missed, or perhaps just tried to deny from the truth. Pulling at her bag, Sol reached for a pack of bandages, resulting in Wynn's sudden awareness of his brother's injury.

"What happened to you? Who did this?" Wynn asked.

Feeling the pressure on his side, Ares began to push Sol's hands away, his strength barely there. "Ares, it's Riverly from Basilisk - do you remember me? Do you know what happened to you?"

"Riverly?" Ares muttered. "W-what are you doing here?"

"We're here to help you. Fabian and Harlow are safe, but we need to get you out of here." At her words, Ares' eyes shot wide open, desperately scanning across Wynn's face. His hand moved up to cup the side of his face, Wynn's overlapping his.

"You're real?" He asked. "You're really here?"

Wynn nodded, tears running past his lips as he helped Ares to sit up. Sol lifted up the side of his shirt, the sight of the cut enough to deteriorate all of her hope at getting them back. She tried to hide it from Wynn, but he caught sight of her expression, reading what she couldn't tell him.

"Sol..." His defeated voice broke through to her, a slight shake to his head. She took a moment to breathe, reaching for the radio on the ground beside them. They hadn't got this far just for it to end like this.

"Dreea?" She spoke into the radio. "How long till you reach the caves?"

Wynn could have sworn he held his breath the entire time that they waited for an answer.

"40 minutes, best. Any update?"

Sol exhaled deeply. "Yeah, we got Ares. Deep cut to his side, though. We need Aeryn as soon you can get here 'cause I don't know what I'm doing, Drey."

"You need to head north. It won't help the timing a lot, but it'll decrease the distance between us."

"Dreea, he can barely sit up-"

"Then carry him, Riv. You said yourself that they're on their way there now. Either they find Ares in there alone and kill him whilst he waits for Aeryn, or they find all three of you, and kill you all. I know the plan sucks, but you can't stay there. We'd never get to you first."

Sol weighed out the risks, looking around the bleak cave only to realize that there was nowhere for them to go. Even if there was, Elara was still out there somewhere, and if they didn't find her soon, then Riders would collect her from Lyra, and she would be locked back up at their camp.

"Okay..." Sol agreed. "Tell us when you're close."

"Where are we gonna go?" Wynnlow asked, his eyes constantly drifting back to his brother. Sweat was pooling at his forehead, his breaths shaky and struggling to even out. Wynnlow didn't want to risk moving him.

"You heard what she said, and she's right," Sol argued. "I don't know where, okay, but we have to leave now."

"You said if there was anywhere to hide, then you know where it is."

"I-I know." She stuttered. "But even if I did find somewhere, getting Ares there is the problem-"

"We have to try something."

"Fine! Then its your call..."

Wynnlow was taken aback, neither expecting nor prepared to make a choice like that. "I have no clue what to do."

"Okay! Great! Then stop rushing me into a decision."

WynnWynnynn huffed and walked back over to his brother, gently easing him into standing. Ares' arm slung around Wynn's neck for support, but he still found himself limping and unable to hold most of his weight. They moved to the opening of the cave, each step earning a grunt from Ares. Wynn turned to face Sol - the fear she was wearing enough to strip her of every ounce of power she once carried, but she knew they were counting on her.

"If we can get to the crossover point - by the river separating the grounds of Basilisk from Riders, then I think I can get us somewhere safe. We can't risk going further into Blood woods, or anywhere in that direction... This is our only option, Wynn."

"Okay." He complied, nodding slightly as Sol caved over to the other side of Ares. "I trust you."

Sol nodded back at him, a sad smile reaching her lips. She linked Ares' right arm over her shoulder, leading the brothers on their way back home. Their survival dependent on her.

///

They had been walking for around 15 minutes when Ares' legs gave in. Sol and Wynn struggled to keep him upright, having no other choice but to sit him down against the rocks - re-examine how he was doing.

Wynnlow didn't even need to ask, nor did he need to look at Sol to know that things weren't good. Sol pulled out her radio, frustration echoing in her voice as she called on the radio to Dreea.

"Dreea, you guys really have to hurry. We've got as far as we can, but Ares can't walk any more. We've just past crossover point, by Shallow Waters; he's resting now with Wynn."

"We're all going as fast as we can, Riv. Joren's got to back to Basilisk with Fabian and Harlow; he sent a gaurd out with one of the vehicles so we can get Ares back, but he's still got ground to cover. You just have to wait it out."

Sol kicked at the ground in frustration, paranoia creeping its way in with every passing moment. She didn't want to let Wynn down. She didn't want to put Dreea and the other people of Basilisk in danger. She didn't want to head home and have to tell her dad that she had failed him, but all of these fears seemed more and more likely.

"Help me!" A voice screamed out, the sound echoing even after. Sol looked over to Wynn in a panic, expecting that Ares had taken a sudden turn for the worse, but even they were confused as to where the sound was coming from.

Moments passed and it was heard again, this time, the voice bringing Wynnlow to his feet. Without a beat, he said, "that's Elara. That's her."

Sol looked at him closely - wanted to make sure that he wasn't just choosing to believe that it was her - as if his hope was deciding for him, but tears clouding his eyes and the wavering of his lips dismissed all doubt. He went to follow the sound, but Sol was already two steps ahead of him, pushing him back to where he stood.

Wynn tried to get past her, resolving for an un-daring look when she pushed him back for the second time now.

"Okay, Wynn." She stilled him. "I'll find her... But you have to stay here with Ares. If it is Elara-"

"No, it is. I know her voice."

Sol sighed. "I'm trying to say that it means Lyra's likely to be there, or someone else from Riders. You two need to stay quiet, and out of sight. Don't go anywhere until I tell you to. You hear me?"

Wynn nodded, biting down on his lip as he resisted the urge to try and convince Sol otherwise. He carried himself back over to Ares, sitting down by his side, nodding at Sol to go.

With his faith resting in her, Sol headed out into the night knowing that every move she made would have some affect on Wynn.

///

Elara thought she had heard someone nearby, several voices all lost to the distance. She thought for a moment that it could have been Fabian, although there was nothing that could have distinguished it as him. If anything, it would have been someone else from Riders - ready to whisk her back into the cell they had kept her locked up in.

But she knew it was worth a try, that anything was better than the torture Lyra had been putting her through, every threat drifting back to the promise of the gun which she held in her hand.

"Help!" She screamed out. "Someone! Help Me!"

Lyra pulled her back instantly, her grip on the chains tightening restricting Elara's reign.

"I told you to cut that out." She spat. "What do you thinks gonna happen, huh? You don't even realise how far gone you are. Riders are out here, and they're gonna find us, and take you back. They'll get Fabian and my brother, too. Your own mother chose Riders before you. How do you not get it by now? You're not going to leave."

"Shut up!" Elara screamed, turning around to face Lyra. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and a newfound rage was etched deep into her features, taking control of everything she felt. "Shut up, shut up! I'll never be one of them! I'd rather they kill me than turn me into someone like you. Hayzel was lucky..."

Her last words wounded Lyra. Everything was telling her to shut the emotions out - that she shouldn't feel anything for her sister anymore, because the memories would only hold her back - but she couldn't deny the way they burned. "Don't talk about Hayzel." Lyra said. "Don't mention her name again."

"Why?" Elara taunted. "Because you can't bare the fact that she died because of Riders?"

"She died because the people at Basilisk took us out of the Bunker!"

"We were safe before Riders! It was their bombs that took the bus out, their bullets that shot Ares in the woods - we would all still be together if they hadn't intercepted in Basilisks' plan!"

The clicking of a gun silenced Elara, her eyes focusing on the weapon pointed straight towards her. But she stared coldly back at her, despite knowing that she had every intention to harm her, and stood unafraid before Lyra.

"Like I said. I'd be lucky." Elara couldn't help but flinch when the bullet fired, the sound louder than she had expected. She waited for the pain to take over, for the warm flow of blood to seep out of her skin, but she couldn't find it. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Lyra scanning their surroundings - fear splashed across her face.

The shot hadn't come from her...

Lyra tugged at Elara's chains, dragging her under the cover of the trees, running away from the gunman. Elara resisted, pulling back with equal force to challenge her movement. Despite her being in control of the weapon, she didn't have the advantage: Lyra was afraid, Elara was not.

///

Wynn jumped at the sound of a gun. It was close and had occurred within minutes of Sol disappearing, and he found himself just as concern for her well-being as he was for his sister's.

He looked over to Ares - his skin pale and cold, his eyes half closed - but recognition of the sound visible. He knew he couldn't leave him like this, but he was worried that he wouldn't have a choice soon.

There was a rustling in the trees behind them, and Wynn crouched down, trying to cover Ares from the sight of anyone. He stayed as quiet as he could trying to peer over the rocks at who had walked by, hoping that it was only Sol. But it wasn't, and instead, someone else appeared - someone he should have been glad to see, someone that he should have run towards with open arms, but he stayed beside his brother, sheltering him as their mother stepped forward.

Wynn took to his feet, Martha locking eyes with her son. She walked over with an urgency in her step but brought herself to a stop when Wynnlow seemed to retreat.

"Wynn?" Her voice trembled, eyes glossing over with tears. At her voice, Ares opened his eyes more fuller gazing into his mother's mind unable to hide the betrayal he felt for her. He couldn't tell yet if she was as crazed as she was before, or if she had slipped back into her former self - the one determined the take them back to Riders.

"Where have you been? I was looking for you. Why didn't you find me?"

Guilt tugged its way into Wynn's heart. He had known what she had done to Ares and Martha, and his arms and his brother had been bleeding as a result of her actions, but the mother that stood before them was different than any version they had ever known.

She wasn't the warm and loving mother they had all those years in the Bunker, but she also wasn't the cold, emotionless, and unemphatic woman that had taken her place at Basilisk. She was stuck somewhere between herself; it was as if every other form of her had died away, and she was struggling to live as a ghost of who she used to be. Still, when Wynn looked at her, he saw the mother that he had been fighting so long to get to - the one who would tuck him at night when they first moved into the Bunker and he was afraid of never seeing the ground again, the one who had pushed through all the pain to give birth to his sister in there, the mother he knew who loved him.

Her eyes flickered over to Ares, not seeming to notice the fear looking back at her. "What happened to you? Ares, you're bleeding..." She brought her hand up to her mouth, trying to cover the cries that left her. They found their way out in trembles and violent shivers.

A part of Ares wanted to scream at her that she did this and that Elara was somewhere out there, and Quill was far away from them all. He wanted to deny the guilt from creeping in because he knew he didn't deserve it, but it was breaking his mum down into a mere echo.

"I'm fine, Mom..." He told her. "It doesn't hurt. I'll be okay."

As Martha began to step closer to the boys, the sound of footsteps drew everyone's attention away. Elara fell against the ground - the result of a nasty shove - and as she pushed herself to her feet she shot a look of hatred to the perpetrator.

Lyra stepped into sight of the group - her expression unreadable, even to Wynn. He couldn't tell if there was regret, longing, anger, or coldness. It all melted into one, foreign look.

"Elara." Wynn's voice murmured out his heart beating again at the sight of her. He shared a smile of relief with her from where she stood - about 10 meters away still tied up by Lyra - but it quickly faded when he realized that she wasn't being let go.

"Lyra..." Wynn's voice was careful as if one wrong note would send Lyra lost into the night. "Let her go." He said.

She stood across from him - his best friend - and played on his vulnerabilities. Tears spilled from her eyes, a slight nod that Wynn could see from where he was, and loosened the length of Elara's chains. The young girl took a couple of steps forward, beginning to run straight to her brother when Lyra tugged on the chains. Within a second she had her back in her arms, wrapping one around her body - the other - holding a gun against her head.

Elara's eyes widened, a whimper departing her as Wynn bit down on his lip, desperate to say something - to remind Lyra that they were family, but she beat him to any words.

"Martha, now's your chance!"

Martha looked over, her mind not having recognized her own daughter, or seeming to have any recollection of what she had Lyra had caused.

"Don't shoot her!" Martha held her hands up in surrender, every move shaking a little more than the last. "Please, that's my daughter!" She begged.

Lyra hesitated, gulping down her own guilt, her aim on Elara seeming to falter for a minute. "Martha, what are you talking about!?" She yelled, her voice heavy with frustration. She felt as though Martha might have been playing some sort of game with her, a delusion to get everyone out of Riders, suddenly all planned to turn against her.

She laughed a little - a nervous laugh that Wynn could see right through. "Get Ares up. Do it now, Martha!" She demanded.

Wynn moved closer to her, hoping that he would eventually find himself within reach of his sister. She took a step backward when she saw Wynn's advancements, bringing Elara with her. "I'll make a deal with you." She began. "You follow me back to Riders, and I'll get Ares the help he needs. I promise they'll save him-"

"Lyra, listen to yourself!" Wynnlow begged. "This isn't who you are. We're your family."

"And if you don't," Lyra continued, Wynnlow's words meaning nothing to her... Almost nothing; she couldn't find it in her to deny that she still cared for him.

She clicked the gun, ready to shoot, but directed away from Elara until it found its new victim: Ares. "I'll kill him before anyone can get to him."

Something resonated within Wynn. A pain stronger than any betrayal anyone had ever known. His stare hardened and watery eyes watched any trace of the girl he loved slip away.

What was he supposed to do? Give up on everything it had taken to get this far? Risk the possibility of Lyra actually harming one of them? It didn't seem so unlikely given what Martha had done to her own son, despite her mind having blocked out most events since being on the ground. His heart drifted to Sol; where was she? He remembered the previous gun fire that worried them all into thinking something had happened to Elara, but now Sol was nowhere to be seen, and even Wynn knew that she wouldn't have abandoned him.

"What did you do to Sol?" His voice trembled. He couldn't survive this without her.

Lyra shot a dark grin his way, taking the advantage she had given him. "You chose how this ends." She told him, refusing to give him any details about his friend.

"We're not going with you, Lyra."

"Three." She began.

Wynn tensed up, as did Elara and Ares - who was struggling alone without the added threat of a gun being aimed at him. Wynnlow shook his head praying that he was right about her - that she couldn't really be this person that would hurt him like that.

"Two." She pushed on, her voice sounding ready.

"Please don't do this. Please, Lyra, please. Look at me. We're your family. Family protects each other. You don't have to do this." He rambled out every thought that came to mind, anything to buy more time until Dreea arrived with the others.

Martha looked over to Ares in the midst of Wynn's begging, something seeming to awake inside of her. She looked at him with those tearful eyes that she wore so well - but it wasn't the fear of not knowing what was going on like it had been minutes ago. It was a tenderness, a deep regret as if her body remembered the way she drove the knife into his skin.

"You can still come back with us. I'd forgive you for all of it if you just come home." Wynn slowed his words as if to emphasize more meaning, but it didn't matter if she wasn't going to listen to him.

"Martha!" Lyra screamed - one final, exhausted attempt that would save her from what she was about to do. Her lips let go of the sobs she had been holding in, the sound ringing out into the night.

"One..." She declared. Despite the earthquake that erupted inside of her, Lyra pulled the trigger sending the bullet flying into Ares' direction until it collided with flesh. At the same time, a second bullet went off, sounding from the side of them somewhere in the bushes.

Wynn's mouth fell agape, unable to pray any longer. It had been done. Elara screamed from her place, seeing the sight behind him before Wynn did. Lyra had let go of her and was now gripping onto her shoulder as blood poured out of her. She looked down at her hand, realizing that she had somehow taken a bullet as well. Her eyes drifted up to Wynn who was fixated on her, looking at his friend as if she had died when she fired the gun.

As Elara broke free and ran in the direction of Wynn, Lyra stumbled backward looking regretfully at the mess she had made, soon disappearing from sight until she was gone.

Wynn found the courage to turn around, not prepared at all for what he found. Lying on the ground was his mother, bleeding fast from her stomach; she had jumped in front of Ares, taking the bullet for her son, a final apology for how she had failed them all.

Wynn collapsed to his knees placing his hands over his mother's, covering the wound. His eyes met hers, disbelief raining out of him.

From the bushes, Sol stepped down, lowering her gun as she took in the scene. Wynn wanted to say to her "please do something. Please tell me you can fix this," but he knew there wasn't a single person on earth who could change what had happened.

"Ares, I'm-" Martha coughed out, blood running from her mouth.

There was a rush of movement from behind them - a cruel twist of fate as Dreea appeared with everyone else behind. If only they had left a minute earlier, got here even a few seconds before - maybe they could have stopped Lyra before she did what she had done.

Quill stepped out from behind Dreea - his cheeks already stained with tears by the time he had reached the ground. "Mum?" He whimpered, his hand pushing her hair out of her face.

"I'm so sorry." Martha slurred out, eyes beginning to roll back.

"Sol?" Wynn turned around. "Aeryn?" He said. "You gotta try something..."

"Wynn, there's-"

Aeryn held out a hand, sharing a defeated look with Sol as she made her way over to the group. She knelled down behind Martha helping Ares to support her comfortably as she began to wipe the blood off of her face. Even Martha knew that there was nothing she could do, but the delicate empathy offered by Aeryn's comfort allowed for her final moments to be made a little better than they were.

"Mom, you can't go!" Elara cried. "I do need you still."

She reached a hand out to cup the side of her face, every movement taking away another second from what she could have. "No you don't baby girl." She whispered. "You proved that tonight. You proved that the day you were born in the Bunker - against all odds. You've fought since day one, you don't need me to help you do that: it's your fate. Who you are. And I love all of..." Her voice was fading, barely audible when she reached the last few words.

Elara leaned her head against Wynn's shoulder, closing her eyes shut unable to watch her mother draw her last breath.

"All of you."

Martha's body went limp in their hold, and her chest sunk down and failed to rise despite the desperation of everyone around. Sol stepped away from the scene, unable to take another second at watching what had unfolded.

"Hey," Kodiak caught hold of her wrist. She hadn't even noticed he was there until then. "You did good today." His voice was tender given the circumstances.

Sol searched his eyes, seeing that he meant what he said, but she wanted to tell him how there was no victory in how she had got them all here. If she had just fried the gun at Lyra a little sooner, then maybe Martha's fate could have been avoided.

Before she could try and dispute her friend's words, Bas approached them, pulling her over to the side. "Where's my sister?"

///

Sol stood beside Wynn, watching as his people made their way back into the Bunker. Things were going to be different this time; they had promised their selves that the exit would remain unlocked so that they could always decide to leave if they wanted to. So they knew that home was something they decided, and not a place or a decision that could be dictated by anyone else. All they knew was that it was that home was somewhere you go together.

There was a fear they all shared about going back inside; of course, they were going down to empty beds - rooms that wouldn't be walked in for a while, memories that would be remembered, but not spoken of, even though they were all bound to feel it.

There was something bittersweet about the day they went back in. It was the warmest day Wynn could ever recall, and the beating down of the summer's sun was almost enough to change his mind, almost.

MaReya climbed into the vault, followed by Fabian, Quill, Elara and Harlow - Wynn watching all of them disappear beneath the ground. His eyes drifted over to Ares - kneeling down before the fresh patch of earth where their mother had been buried. Alongside her were the other victims of their family that hadn't survived long enough on the ground to understand the taste of freedom that Wynn had known, even if it only reached him in brief intervals: Emlyn, Junius, Valarie, Lili, and Hayzel. Six graves. Six of Wynn friends joined him in their return home.

"I wish Bas decided to come back with us." Wynn said, looking over at Sol for the sympathy that she had grown so well at giving to him.

"I know you do." She told him. "But it was the only way Lyra could go back and live. I know you're still not sure how you feel about her, and that you can't forgive her for what she's done, but she's still Bas' sister. You can't blame him for going with her knowing that she would be killed if he didn't." Wynn faced her, hating that she was right.

"And you have Harlow with you. At least Bas wanted to leave him with you guys. You know, not make the choice for him to be there as well. You're gonna see him again, Wynn. You're his family, too."

Wynn smiled at her, looking down at his feet to avoid having to face all the emotions that were threatening to spill. He noticed that Ares was now by the entrance of the Bunker, waving for Wynnlow to join them inside.

"Stay," Sol murmured, her voice stopping Wynnlow as he initiated a step away. He turned back to look at her, realizing she was just as surprised as him at how desperately the words had escaped her.

"I mean... You don't have to leave." She corrected herself. "You know I lifted the condemnation - your injustices against Basilisk are forgiven. You'll be safe there. All of you. I swear..."

Wynn smiled at Sol, genuine and warm and meaningful. "Thanks, Nobel," he teased at her new title, recognizing the weight of all her actions, "but I think that right now we need to learn who we are when it feels like part of us is missing. And I think more than anything, we've got to live after it - to know what it means to survive. You know, the losses we've had: our parents, brothers and sisters... Those things don't live unfelt. Not tomorrow, not ever. They stay remembered."

She smiled at him, a part of her tainted by what he told her, and she knew she wouldn't forget his words. "So whats your plan?" She asked.

"Go back into the Bunker. Maybe try and forget for a while. The food won't last forever, so I'm sure you'll see us up here again."

"Don't worry, I'm not worried about that." Sol interjected. She got scared to say what she wanted, so instead offered him a gentle reminder, "Stay safe, Wynn. You know where I'll be when you come back, and you can come back anytime you decide. Kodiak and Dreea know it too. Your people will be let in."

"Thank you," he whispered, his actions taking him by surprise. He shifted to face her and pulled her in, his arms wrapping around her in gratitude. They let themselves stay like this for a moment - who each of them were when they met each other now completely different from the two people holding each other's embrace. They had changed - grown - and even in the face of such terrible losses, they were better people because of it. Because of each other.

Sol pulled away from him, afraid that she had already allowed herself to become too fond of his company, and watched as he stepped inside the vault, taking cover of their entrance in his hand, fading from sight after his departing words. "I'll see you around, Sol."

She would almost miss being called that. Almost.

END OF SEASON ONE.