"Well?" Athena asked Bellamy; since she spoke to Lexa alone about their plan, Bellamy went to Clarke. With all eyes looking to her to lead, Athena knew that having another stranger come to her and throw a decision on her might break her down. So she sent Bellamy in, someone who shared leadership with her often, someone who she had trusted to make battle plans with. Someone who had kept her and the others alive.

"She seemed unsure about it at first, but I think she has lost too much recently."

"She doesn't want to lose you." Athena realized.

Bellamy leaned over the end of the bed; they were currently in their cell on the Ark. His elbows dug into his thighs just above his knees as he put his hands together, resting his head on his hands. Hs forearms flexed to accumulate the pressure. He was healing well; both from the fights he had been in and from the remaining wounds from the battle. His face would have scars that would fade in time, but never truly disappear. He was a man beyond his years, and it showed, in a good way.

"Since they've contacted Jasper, they know that this is the only plan that will stop the acid fog." Bellamy continued, "We're going in tomorrow."

"Give me the run-through."

"Again?"

"Again."

Bellamy sighed; he knew that Athena didn't truly understand computers and the technologies that the Arkers and the Mountain Men shared, and that would become an issue if the two were separated. Chances were, they would have to separate in order to prevent concern and suspicion from the people within the mountain.

"Dressed as Grounders and Lincoln as a Reaper, he brings us through the mines to Mount Weather's opening. When the guards come out, there will be a few with guns, those are the ones we have to go to first; once we have the guns, we can kill any other Reapers around, and we will have weapons from then on. I know you're people disagree with guns-"

"The Wood Clans do." She said, "A weapon is a weapon; survival is survival."

He smiled, "I feel safer already."

"Go on."

He cleared his throat, "Once we are in, we have to find the grounders, my people, and the control room. If we get in unnoticed, this will be easy enough in our disguises. We'll have to do the safest things first, and move to the more risky things after. First we have to find Jasper, or anyone of my people who are still there. They can help us, they have maps of the place, we'll be able to use our radios to contact Raven as well. After that, we need to find the Grounders, we need to tell them the plan, and we need to break them free when the time is right." He took a deep breath, "Then, we get into the control center and we stop the fog. That's when the army comes; we are trying to do this with minimal casualties."

"Not usually my style." Athena growled.

Bellamy raised his eyebrows, "Athena..."

"But-" She rolled her eyes and grinned lightly, "I will do my best."

-

Bellamy looked awkward in his Grounder gear. Athena studied him, trying to tell if he could pull it off. His dark hair, eyes and skin tone worked perfectly, even the scars and healing wounds on his face made it more believable, but Athena just couldn't see him as a Grounder. She crossed her arms over her chest, making a face as she cocked her head to the side. "Something is missing."

"Paint." Lincoln stood beside Athena, also studying Bellamy. It was as though they were playing dress up with Bellamy, and they were missing just one or two things to make it perfect. She glanced at Lincoln, who was wearing more tattered clothing; Reaper clothing.

"Yes, paint." She nodded. Her own face, out of instinct, had her blue markings on them. She was going in for war, but the Mountain Men would never know that was what the blue paint meant. Many Grounders went in with coloured faces, and Athena's colour was blue, to signify where she belonged in the world; with the Ice Clan.

Athena dipped her fingers in the remains of the black paint beside her, and walked up to Bellamy. Using two fingers, she dragged it down over his right eye and down his cheek. She smudged a bit more under his left eye, horizontally. Stepping back, the paint dried quickly in the sun, she watched as he contorted his face; it was hard to get used to having something on your face like that, but it made him look the role perfectly.

For most of the journey up the mountain, Athena and Bellamy were not bound; instead, they walked with rope loosely draped around their hands in case any other Reapers came by. Usually when a Reaper had more than one person to bring to the Mountain Men, he would tie them to a log, but Lincoln felt safer with them having their hands available. If they had to flee quickly and abandon the floor they could.

Athena heard something behind her, and glanced around, her eyes darting through the protective camouflage of the trees. Someone was on their tail; whether they were friendly or foe, Athena didn't want to find out. She had a dagger in her boot, and another up her sleeve. As she began to shake the rope off of her hands and try to notify Lincoln and Bellamy without speaking, she realized that she was too late.

"Hey!" A voice called, deep and raspy, filled with poison. "They are not tied up!"

Lincoln spun, a serrated dagger in his hand ready to kill the other Reaper, but he was too late. There were two of them, and he could not fight them this close to the mountain; it would look more realistic if Lincoln went in with other Reapers, to collect their pay. The drug that turned them into the monsters they were was the drug that the monsters craved and lived for. Lincoln was the only person Athena knew who had come back from it, but she worried about him going back in there so soon.

"I can handle these two." Lincoln said. He walked over to Athena and looked into her eyes, then passed her to the other Reapers. They had two men on a log, tied up, faces bloody. The Reapers on either end didn't seem to think it was safe that Lincoln had his two prisoners tied up, but not attached to the log. After mild debating, Lincoln had to oblige, and both Bellamy and Athena were tied up and added to the chain of Grounders who were being taken to Mount Weather.

Bellamy was behind Athena, so he could not see her widened eyes; she was officially face to face with the same creatures that took her parents ten years ago. They never made it out, and she probably wouldn't either. Despite the terror that shook her body, she moved step by step along with the others as they neared the dreaded mountain.

There was still a way out of this, but the risks had just skyrocketed. With more Grounders, there would be more people to help them throughout, but they did not have the knowledge of the plan, and it was safer when fewer strangers were lurking around in Mount Weather. From what we had heard, they were extremely strict and everyone knew everyone else. It was going to be tough, if they even made it in in one piece.

The mountain grew larger as they trekked closer; minutes inched by, and Athena felt her throat closing as they entered the mines. It wasn't the darkness that bothered her, it actually calmed her, it was the close confides of being in a cave with more enemies than friends, and her weapons were so small that they would hardly do any damage unless she had the ability to slit the enemies throat. Knelt down, they waited anxiously for the Mountain Men to come out with their weapons. Bellamy glanced at Athena and gave her a gentle nod, and then another to Lincoln.

He was so sure of this.

Athena was not.

A billion apologies for the really really late post (it's 9:43 PM PST and I know most time zones are ahead of me, and I'm usually in bed by 10 cause I'm a loser). I went to work yesterday really early and I didn't even start writing chapter 50, and then right after work I had to go to my dads, change into my concert outfit, and drive three hours down island to go to my concert. I didn't even get to his gf's house until about 12:30, and then today I had to go to another island off of my island to get my brother's car, insure it, and then drive it over an hour home (not including the 20 minute ferry ride from island to island) and then I went to work but my laptop was at home the whole time and I never stopped at home. And THEN it was my night off to hang out with my boyfriend, so we binge watched some stuff. Now he is playing video games and I have writing time but I've had a few drinks, so I'm going to wait. Tomorrow is my day off and it is my bf's too, so if I don't post it is because for once we are not going to be losers who ignore each other, and actually enjoy the really nice 20 degree weather! <3