Chapter 1:
When Josephine finally woke up she knew it wasn't good. That Murphy must have gone back at his word. Instead of blasting the EMT charge so Clarke would dead for good, he must have hit her over the head and locked her to this chair.
"What a waste. He's pretty, but all the dumb ones are," she thought.
She looked around to see nine angry faces surrounding her. Bellamy, Raven, Abby, Miller, Murphy, Echo, Emori, Octavia, and Diyoza carried rage on their faces. Why people were so sentimental she never understood.
"We need to figure out how to get Clarke back," Murphy said. "Josephine said she was still in there so we can figure out how to get her back if we act soon before the rest of the Primes find us."
"It's too late honey. Clarke has left the party," Josephine said. "Don't look so sad. She's at peace."
"Clarke would never leave us like that. She survives," Bellamy said, trying and mostly failing to restrain his unbridled hatred of the girl with the face he loved.
"You're right. She did. But you see the great Wanheda got tired of fighting for you ingrates. She's been trying to keep you people alive since her daddy died and she just got so tired."
The words Josephine were saying made sense, but the nine couldn't allow themselves to believe it.
"Then why would you need the ENT blast?" Murphy offered.
"It was just a backup," Josephine said. "In case she fought back, she didn't."
"We aren't leaving Clarke," Raven said. For the all crap they have been through together, Raven couldn't let her oldest friend, the one who would pick her first, die this way.
"Oh please honey stop lying. I was in her head. I know the truth," Josephine said with a sad smirk. The one a teacher would give a child who said the wrong answer. "You left her again and again, with the burden of surviving and then you actually left her while you all lived it up in Club Med of the Sky."
Josephine could tell she had struck a chord. With a tilting of her head, she leaned forward in her chair, pulling at the restraints, knowing she had to push more.
"Let's play a game shall we? I'll tell you something you said to Clarke and you tell me if I'm wrong," Josephine answered with as much excitement as sarcasm.
"Their blood is on your hands, and even if we win, I'm afraid you won't be able to wash it off this time. That's you right Abby?"
"First you hanged me. And who could forget Lexa? I was tied up that night too. just a disposable pawn in your game. Tying up me and Emori in Becca's lab because she was disposable too. I know you remember that one because you drew a little picture of it. Did you draw Bellamy in the fighting pit too."
Murphy looked at the ceiling, surprised about how much his own words shocked him.
"Murphy honey that one was you," Josephine said in a sing-song voice. She almost looked like she was enjoying herself.
"And that's your plan? Bellamy's counting on you. Everyone's always counting on you."
You trusted Lexa. You let a bomb drop on Tondc. You let all those people die. Yeah? Well, it's not good enough. That winner belongs to the one and only, Bloodreina."
"Tsk tsk tsk for someone so little you have quite a mouth on you," Josephine laughed.
"Don't pretend you care about Bellamy now Clarke…. I'll admit, not the most original but all those times you tried to kill her more than make up for it I promise. Spies were never really known for their one liners anyway," Josephine smiled as she looked at Echo.
Bellamy looks at Echo surprised. He never thought they discussed him. That thought upsets him and he can't quite understand why.
Now for the one-two punch.
"You're the only murderer here…. You don't get to give up, Clarke. You killed Finn and I didn't give up…. Deciding who lives and die in your job… Good people died because of you. Shaw was tortured because of you. The problem isn't making amends. Every time you do something terrible you're sorry then you do it again. Clarke Griffin and her impossible choices. The only difference between you and her is Octavia doesn't pretend to feel bad about it."
Raven's face falls at the venom she spat at Clarke. The last words Clarke ever heard from her.
"And I'm not even going into all the crap that you said as Allie," Josephine laughed.
"Didn't think I would forget you, did you, Bellamy?" Josephine knew that this one would be the most fun.
"Need me? You left me?… People die when you're in charge.… I don't need you anymore… This is your fault Princess…What you're doing is a kind of betrayal."
Bellamy began to feel dizzy. He never knew she hung on to every word.
"I mean honestly after all that are you sure you want her back?" Josephine asked sincerely.
"Of course we do. She is our friend and you took her from us," Raven yelled lunging at Josephine.
"Honestly dear calm down. Take a pill. Did you think bearing the burden of survival was easy? It wasn't. She was just exhausted."
"But don't beat yourselves up too much. That was nothing compared to the things she said about herself. Honestly, it was a real bummer. She had this box filled with dead people things of all the people she killed. Gross right? Let's see, there was a old watch, a pair of goggles, a two-headed deer statue, dog tags with the word JAHA, a little girl's jacket, and a creepy throne thing. Depressing right? Wouldn't wanna be stuck in that head forever am I right?" Josephine asked and was met by silence.
"I'm not telling you this to be cruel. I'm telling you this so you understand why she chose the way she did," Josephine said.
"What choice?" Bellamy barked, holding back tears.
"I told her she could die peacefully saving her people or she could kill me and then my father would wipe you out. Easy choice really."
"Clarke would never surrender," Abby said.
"I'll admit, she fought it at first, but then I showed her a memory and boy did she change her mind. What memory you ask? Great question! I showed her Bellamy telling my father that he would make a deal with them to survive even though they just killed Clarke. If even the love of her life doesn't care if she lives? Why should she?
The nine people looked at each other and each thought, "What now?"
End of Chapter 1