ONLY MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES.

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LOST IN FIRE (book three).
°• CHAPTER EIGHT •°

" AND WE DON'T HAVE
A CHOICE EITHER! "

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        As Harley and Octavia approach one of the many tents outside of the bunker, they hear Echo's voice inside, speaking gently to Bellamy. "Your sister needs you here, Bellamy. She's fighting an enemy she can't beat, and now Diyoza is using the fact that her people know it to pull them apart."

An offended look crossed Octavia's face as she stepped in first, making her eavesdropping and appearance known loudly. "So, what would you do about it, spy?"

Both of them are surprised at the newcomers who eavesdropped, but Echo pulls away from Bellamy, staring at Octavia indifferently. "The truth? Surrender," she admitted flatly. "Only a fool fights a war they can't win."

"I've got a better idea. Spy for me," Octavia requested like she had thought about this while her and Harley walked through Polis for her talk to Echo. "When that ship comes back tonight, people will try to defect, and I can't let that happen."

It wasn't a command that Harley was expecting. People may have wanted to leave, what was so wrong in that? "Octavia," she said slowly. "This isn't what I meant - "

"No, Harley," Echo stopped her, suddenly deep in thought. "It's smart. If no one goes for the ship, Diyoza will think Wonkru's still unified. She'll lose faith in Kane."

"What happens to the people that she turns in?" Bellamy piped in.

Harley has a hunch none of them want to know when Octavia's head cocked darkly. "Root out the traitors, bring me their names before they defect," she ordered instead of answering. "And your banishment is lifted." Harley can't explain the churning feeling that twists in her stomach as the conversation ends there and Octavia leaves. She knows Echo and Octavia are right, that it's smart. Colonel Diyoza will think Wonkru is still one, and their advantage in this war remains. But at what cost?

It's Monty who has the conscious. While Echo works with Octavia's offer, Harley and Bellamy end up in his space back in the bunker where he had been working on the lasercom so they can spy on the enemy. When they explained the plan, Monty doesn't make his disgust in it subtle, especially on the expression clearly on his face before focusing back on the screen of his computer, getting back to his work on hacking into the ship.

"Can you do it or not?" Bellamy eagerly questioned from the other side of the table.

"I have access to the mothership from the lasercom, but everything's encrypted, so no," Monty replied, frustrated. "When we were up there, I could have opened a backdoor from the inside, but we didn't know they had a damn camera!" He exclaimed, slamming a fist on the tabletop angrily.

"Hey, Monty. relax," Harley said calmly. "Just take it easy."

The gentle tone Harley has only makes Monty's fit worse. "Look, why are we even doing this? So your psycho girlfriend can go to war?" He demanded.

Harley narrowed her eyes. "Use your words more carefully," she warned him lowly.

"And?" Monty challenged. "What happened to us being the good guys?"

"We are," Bellamy insisted.

"Really?" Monty shot back. "Letting her kill people for defecting - correction. Thinking about defecting?"

Defensive, Harley held her hands up. "She doesn't have a choice, Monty. It's how we win this war. And we don't have a choice either!" She justified. But it didn't work. It felt like a mistake.

Bellamy nodded in agreement. "Raven's a prisoner. Murphy has a shock collar around his neck and is alone in the woods with Emori," he reminded him, walking around the table to stand on his left. "This... This is how we get back to them." Bellamy paused to put a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, just try again," he encouraged.

"I'm telling you, I can't do it from here," Monty echoed his earlier words.

The door creaks open, stopping the three from arguing with one another. Harley picked her head up to see it's Echo, holding an apologetic look as Bellamy greets her. "What's the matter?" He asked, concerned. "No takers?"

"Oh, no. There were takers," Echo confirmed. "I'm just not turning them in."

"What?" Harley said in disbelief, stunned that her mind her switched so quickly and now claimed she wasn't turning in the traitors. It wasn't an option. "Echo, you have to. You'll be banished if you don't."

"I'm sorry," Echo said softly. "Some bad things went on down here. No one will talk about it, not even the ones that want to defect. I can see it in their faces." Monty huffed from behind them, but Harley blocked it out, too focused on taking in Echo's words. What could have possibly been so bad down here for six years that they couldn't talk about it? "I know this means I'll be banished," Echo continued sadly, reaching down to take Bellamy's hand in hers. "But I can't do it."

It's fair, and Harley knows it. But Echo not turning in the defectors means so many terrible consequences, not just for Wonkru, but for her family. Murphy, Emori, and Raven were more at risk by being in the woods with the enemy, and Echo would soon join them when Octavia forced her to leave.

But it's sooner than Harley thinks when Bellamy whispered. "Then let's defect with them." He turned back to Monty. "You said you can't do it from here, but we could do this if we had inside help, right?"

Digging through a mess wires, Monty pulls out a small chip and studied it closely. "I could put the backdoor code in a thumb drive," he announced. Harley perked up, wondering how Octavia could take the new idea. In truth, it could be the answer that solved everyone's problem.

"Bellamy," Echo said seriously. "Octavia's not joking when she said defectors will be shot."

Sighing, Bellamy avoids her sight. "Admittedly... Not a perfect plan."

So Octavia is less than pleased when Harley, Echo, and Bellamy approach her throne. Harley isn't sure if she's seen Octavia satisfied yet anyways, other than the first time she had seen her. She had remembered telling Octavia that she'd be an amazing leader, and she couldn't wait to see her someday - but now that the day was here, and Harley sees her, she isn't completely positive this is what she'd envisioned for Octavia.

"What do you have for me?" Octavia questioned, leaning back in her throne.

"Nothing you're gonna like," Bellamy admitted honestly, making Octavia's face pinch up.

When he gestured for Echo to take over, she took a deep breath and repeated when she told them. "I'm not turning people in so you can execute them," she explained calmly.

"A spy and a murderer with a conscience," Octavia noted sarcastically as she tipped her head in Harley's direction. "You're right, Harley. She has changed."

"So have you," Harley commented without missing a beat.

Hurt grew on Octavia's features from the three words, causing Harley to regret them as soon as she sees the clear emotion. Octavia breaks their heavy stare to glare at Echo as Cooper interrupted. "Do you have the names or not?" She demanded.

"There's something else," Bellamy continued without looking away from his sister. "Monty was wrong. He can't hack the Eye from here, not without inside help."

"So you've both failed," Cooper deadpanned.

Lips parting open, Harley fumed and prepared to cut in, having enough of Cooper, but Bellamy holds up a hand just as fast to stop her. "Not exactly," he said, more calm than what Harley had prepared to say. He reached into his pocket, bringing out the drive Monty had given him, showcasing it.

"What is that?" Octavia asked curiously.

"Inside help," Bellamy responded simply. "There's a program on it which opens the backdoor to their systems, giving us control of the camera on their mother ship. Monty says it's easy to use if we can get inside their firewall."

"You want me to let you defect?" His sister questioned, her hands clutching the handles of her throne tightly.

"Either that or your people starve to death here in Polis when your farm stops producing."

Harley looked from Bellamy to Octavia. "I can do it," she offered, making Octavia's gaze suddenly snap to her. "I can make up some bullshit story. They should know Murphy by now. I can say that my brother is there, and choosing between him and the bunker wasn't hard to think about." Bellamy was right when he said this, admittedly, wasn't a perfect plan. There was also the high chance that they wouldn't believe Harley.

And Octavia seems to know this as well. "Out of the question. I'm not sending you on a suicide mission," she declared, her sharp tone leaving no room for argument for Harley before she averted her attention back to her brother. "And Diyoza knows who you are. She knows you're my brother, she'll never believe you're a defector."

It's quiet as the three understand Octavia isn't wrong before Echo pitches in. "Harley's right," she said. "We would need a story, and she'll believe me. I already have the perfect cover. I'm banished, the defectors think I'm one of them. All you have to do is let me go alone."

"I don't like it," Kara said stiffly. "Letting traitors go will promote dissent."

Eyes squinting in Kara's direction, Harley snapped back crudely. "Good thing no one asked you."

"It's a political sacrifice, but a necessary one if you want your people to survive," Echo cut in when she sees Kara scowl at her friend.

As Octavia mulls this over, Harley watched her shut her eyes. Then they opened again, and narrow at Echo despite her ordering Kara. "Call off the patrols." Kara looks bewildered, mouth beginning to part. "That's an order," Octavia sneered before she can say anything. Then she stands, rising from her throne and speaks in warning to Echo, taking one step with each word.

"But once you're on that ship, you're on your own. If you're discovered, or you fail to take down the Eye, no one is coming to save you."

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A leather bracelet is clipped to Echo's wrist by Monty. Harley can dread the good-bye that she knew is coming as she watches, standing with her arms tightly crossed over her chest inside of Echo and Bellamy's tent. "The latest grounder fashion..." Monty announced, turning over Echo's wrist once it was clipped and secure to showcase a ring tied in the jewelry. "With one small modification." He tapped the metal with his pointer finger. "The jump drive is hidden inside."

Impressed, Echo nodded. "Clever," she complimented.

"Once you're on the inside, get it to Raven," Monty instructed. "She'll know what to do." When Echo showed she understood with another nod, Monty sucked in a deep breath and pulled her into a tight hug, his arms draped over her grounder's shoulder tattoo. "Don't get killed, okay?" Monty requested softly. "You're the only one who liked my algae." Harley can't hide her smile at the peaceful memory.

Neither can Echo, who even laughed quietly. "Actually, I was just being polite," she joked, pulling away after squeezing him back.

As Monty and Harper leave the tent, Harley's smile fades and she closes the space between her and Echo to embrace her next. "I can go with you," she breathed out, voice cracking as she fought the strong urge to cry. "You don't have to do this alone."

"No, you can't Harley," Echo says gently, her arms crossed behind Harley's back. "Octavia won't let you, and she needs you here." As they slowly release one another, Echo gives her a tearful, faint smile. "And I know it's not easy - but I'll make sure that Murphy is okay," she vouched seriously.

Touched that she didn't even have to ask and Echo only somehow knew she needed that comfort, Harley's hands run down the other's arm and stop at her hands to take them on her own and give them a squeeze. "Thank you," she said genuinely.

"Go get some rest," Echo directed her, seeing the worn-out look on Harley's face. "This isn't good-bye."

Sighing, Harley nodded, letting go of Echo and leaving her and Bellamy alone. Years ago, when she was seventeen and Echo stabbed them all in the back, leading them away from Mount Weather where Clover died. Then again, when Roan and his clan were prepared to slaughter everyone and she almost killed Octavia. But living in a space station for six years with Echo had given Harley a new outlook on Echo and her life. How Ice Nation was the most ruthless clan of them all, and Echo was only a soldier doing what she was forced to do. She didn't have a choice, much like what they've done themselves. The two have formed a close bond in the six years, and now, Harley trusts her with her life.

Once Harley's head hits the pillow in her small, one-person tent, she's out like a light. The last time she had slept so well was in the rover when they landed, and even then she had woken up with a crank in her neck. The cots they had found in the ring were comfortable too, but Harley had always gone to sleep with a heavy and shattered heart, knowing Octavia was on the ground, leading the bunker, and she was in space, living in peace.

Harley sleeps so soundly that she's only awoken when a roaring sound fills the air. Her eyes flicker open, immediately alarmed when the noise hits her. Her mind is hazy from her sleep, and she has to blink a few times before she remembered. Diyoza is taking defectors in a ship. Something hits Harley fast, even though she should feel satisfied. Octavia was letting the traitors, including Echo, go the land in peace while they plan their own war.

But there's a shouting of whispers outside of Harley's tent that she can't ignore because it's Clarke and Bellamy. She knows she can't fall back asleep, even if it's only been a few hours, deciding to grab her sheathed sword and throw it over her shoulder, hurrying to open the tent's flap and step out. Both of them are on edge with their eyes wide, looking around like the sandy campsite had been set on fire. "What is it?" Harley asked quickly.

"It's Madi," Clarke panicked while brushing her short blonde hair back. "Have you seen her?"

"No," Harley replied quickly. "Why?"

Hands suddenly shaking, Clarke frantically exclaimed. "She can't be on that ship without me - I have to find her!" Then she takes off, running across the dirt. Bellamy and Harley share a knowing look before they follow, bolting after her. Clarke is still calling out Madi's name when they catch up, loud enough over the ship landing. "Madi, where are you?!" Then her voice is lost in her throat when she sees the ship fly over the crumbled buildings, closing the distance near the ground. "We're out of time."

"No, we're not," Harley argued in determination. "We'll catch her before she gets on the ship - "

Her breath hitches in her throat when she heard gunshots piercing in the air. Harley's eyebrows furrowed, lost at the noise. She knows the truth, can feel it screaming in her head and making her bones shake.

But it's Clarke who says it. "They're shooting at the defectors."

Trembling, Harley shakes her head, refusing to believe it. "No - no," she stammered out. "Octavia - she said..." There has to be some explanation, but Harley can't figure it out. She doesn't feel like she's standing there, thinking she's miles away, but Bellamy tugging her arm makes her move again. Her mind is whirring with what she believed; that Octavia ordered Kara to let the defectors go.

The barrel of a gun is poking out of a shattered window in one of the rotted building's top floors. "There!" Bellamy told them in a shout, pointing the firearm out. It's still popping out rounds, and Harley has no idea how many people the shooter is taking down. She has a hunch she doesn't want to. As Clarke and Bellamy take out their handguns, Harley grabbed the handle of her sword, tugging it out of her sheath. Bellamy held his hand up. "On me."

Bellamy raced up the stairs, taking the lead of the other two girls. Harley can feel her heart pumping with adrenaline, a heavy weight pushing down on her shoulders that doesn't lift when they reach the top. It should because it isn't Octavia shooting. It's Kara.

"Cooper!" Bellamy shouted. Kara's actions halted and she reluctantly pulled away, cocking her rifle at her hip. The expression on her face is completely indifferent, not caring of the horrified looks on the three of them. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Bellamy demanded, keeping his gun pointed at her. "Octavia said to let them go!"

The smirk Kara gives them sends Harley's stomach churning. But it's her next words that make Harley's running blood turn freezing cold. She doesn't move as Kara strolled her way in between her and Clarke, so cold she doesn't even feel their shoulders bump into one another. She doesn't even hear the ship flying away, carrying the traitors who might have survived the shooting. All Harley can hear is Kara's cruel tone, the sentence repeating again and again in her head, making her think maybe she can't be the one Octavia needs to help her.

"Who do you think gave me the order?"