Chapter Seven: Mass Destruction
A/N: Wow I'm seriously amazed at how the interest in this little story has grown! We're heading towards the end of Season 2 - don't you worry, there's going to be a lot of Bellinta development over the next few chapters ;) As always, please don't hesitate to leave a review with your opinion!
Jacinta was fully prepared to carry out her grandfather's plan before she heard word of what had happened in the control room. Word travelled fast in a small community like Mount Weather, and when Jacinta heard the whispers, she knew that she had to confront her dad. She barged into the control room and although several of the guards looked to Cage with shock on their faces, none of them attempted to restrain her.
"Is it true?" Jacinta demanded. Her hands were balled into ready fists as she examined him. It seemed to her that her dad was capable of more horrific things than she had given him credit for.
Cage raised his eyebrows. "You're going to have to be more specific. Is what true?"
"Did you bomb Tondc?" Jacinta asked, taking care to keep her tone level. She failed. Her voice was shaking with anger, and it was obvious even to her. But it would keep Cage's attention. That was part of the new plan that she and Bellamy had devised. Jacinta had written him instructions, and she had gone to speak to her dad – a distraction. Cage would be too focused on his irate teenage daughter to realise what was happening right under his nose. Or at least, that was what they hoped for.
"It had to be done," Cage insisted, striding towards his daughter and gripping her by the shoulders. "Jacey, I'd hoped you'd get it by now. Your grandfather doesn't, but there's still time for you. The Grounders and the Sky People were going to ally, attack us…"
"You murdered innocent people!" Jacinta tore away from him. The plan had been to confront him, but the rage that she was exhibiting was very real. Her eyes blazed with anger, her body shaking as she forced herself to accept the fact that although he was her dad, he was capable of atrocities. She had seen that the moment she had turned eighteen, and foolishly tried turning a blind eye. Well, Jacinta would prove that she too was a monster, just of a different kind.
"Jacinta…" Cage sounded pained, but by the look on his face, he had already accepted the truth. He had lost her, and he wasn't getting her back. His decisions had driven between them an even greater wedge than the tragedy of what had befallen Nessa.
Jacinta responded not with words, but with uncharacteristic violence. She flung her arm forward, the palm of her hand connecting hard with Cage's cheek. His head jerked to the side and he touched his face. Jacinta swallowed hard as they both struggled to come to terms with the fact that she had just slapped him.
"Take her to her room." Cage's voice was hard as he gestured to Jacinta. Before anyone could move, the alarms started blaring, signalling a containment breach. Cage's dark eyes narrowed, and try as she might, Jacinta couldn't help the vicious smile that spread across her lips. It might hurt her to know that this breach could cost lives of her friends and acquaintances…but they needed to get the Sky People out. They had to.
"What have you done?" Cage demanded of her.
"Nothing." Jacinta tilted her chin up. "I've been right here the whole time. How could I be responsible for this?"
"Dante," Cage snapped, gesturing towards the guards. They snapped into action immediately. "It's on Level 5. Hurry!"
Jacinta wondered momentarily that if, during the chaos, her dad had completely forgotten about her. She didn't have to wonder for very long. Emerson strode over to her, catching her by the arm. She struggled, but his fingers were like steel bars around her bicep. Cage clenched his jaw as he watched her.
"I'm very disappointed in you, Jacinta. Emerson, lock her up in her room."
The cogs in Jacinta's mind were turning faster than ever as Emerson led her back towards her room. Once she was in there, she knew that there would be no chance at getting out. She hadn't really thought this far ahead, and she chastised herself. Some mastermind she was, getting herself caught out just as Bellamy would be getting the kids out. Fortunately, the radiation in Level 5 wouldn't be a problem for her. She just needed to figure out how to reunite with them first.
"Do you ever wonder why my mum wasn't into you?" Jacinta blurted out suddenly. Emerson barely paused, but a frown crossed his lips and his grip tightened slightly on her arm, so she knew that the topic was a sore spot.
"Shut up and keep walking."
"Oh, right, you aren't trying to suck up to me now." Jacinta normally didn't even speak this way to Emerson, but it seemed like she had gotten a lot more outspoken and defiant since everything had been thrown into motion. "Is it because my dad knows what you did, or because you're head of security, which was meant to be my job when Dad became President? Congrats, by the way."
Frustratingly, Emerson refused to rise to the bait. Jacinta didn't really know what her plan was, but she hoped that if she could distract him from taking her to her room, she would figure out some miraculous escape. It was too much to hope for, but it was better than just condemning herself to imprisonment.
"Anyway, as I was saying. Big mystery as to why Mum wasn't into you. I mean, why not use force if the object of your affection doesn't return your feelings?" Jacinta could see how Emerson had tensed, and knew she was playing her cards right now. "Did it make you feel good, Emerson? Did it make you feel like a man?"
Emerson released her arm, but before Jacinta had the chance to run, he had spun her, grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her against the wall. The impact made her grimace, and talking about her mum in such a way made her feel sick. But she needed to. Jacinta needed Emerson to be angry enough to lose control, and she was damn near close to getting there.
"I said shut up, Jacinta," Emerson snapped, shaking her hard.
"You know she never would have touched you of her free will," Jacinta hissed at him, "Because like me, she thought you were a pathetic…"
Emerson's grip shifted to her neck, his eyes flashing with anger. Jacinta simply smiled smugly up at him despite his fingers around her throat. His hand tightened until she winced and coughed. There was something savage about him then, and she could see with a cold thrill of fear, the man who had hurt her mother.
"If you weren't Cage's daughter, I'd love to throw you to the Grounder and Sky People and see if they'd protect you and shelter you. Unfortunately, that won't happen. So I mean it, Jacinta. Shut up about Nessa."
She tried to say something, but Emerson's fingers were constricting her throat. Once he realised she was trying to talk, he raised his eyebrows and loosened his fingers.
"Yes? Is there something you wanted to say?"
"I've got your gun," Jacinta rasped.
Emerson tensed and looked down to see that she wasn't lying. He hadn't noticed, too caught up in his rage to realise that she had slipped his gun from his belt and now had it pressed against his stomach. His hand went for it, but Jacinta was faster. She pulled the safety off, and Emerson went very still. Both of them had a general idea of how a gun worked, him more so than her.
"Don't make me blow a hole through you. Believe me, I'd do it."
Jacinta hoped she sounded threatening, because she didn't know if she really could shoot someone if she was pushed into doing so. Emerson removed his hand from her throat and took a slow, careful step backwards. She smiled. He wasn't a stupid man, so he knew any sudden moves might make her finger slip on the trigger.
"Good. Stand still." Jacinta pushed herself away from the wall. "It's tempting, you know? To kill you and avenge my mum. But I'm not Cage. I don't kill needlessly. That doesn't mean I won't shoot you if you move."
Jacinta considered for a few moments, before pointing the gun at the roof and firing two warning shots. Emerson flinched, staggering backwards at the loud noise, and she took the opportunity to turn and run. She clutched the gun tightly in her hands. It would probably come in handy in the very near future.
"Jacinta, you there?"
Her walkie had been quiet for the past few hours, but hearing Maya's voice made her fumble for it with eager hands, grateful to hear that her friend was alive. She had no idea what had happened after the Level 5 radiation breach, but she was keen to find out. She stowed the gun in her belt.
"Maya? Is everything okay? What happened?"
"I'm fine now," Maya sounded a bit shaken. "Your d…President Wallace tried to use me against the others. Don't panic. I'm alright, and we're hiding them now. Bellamy is looking for the acid fog generator though. He could use your help."
Jacinta held back a groan. She was really pissed at her dad for using Maya like that, and concerned for her friend. At the same time though, she wasn't keen on the idea of being Bellamy's partner in crime – although it seemed to be happening a lot lately. Maybe part of it was because she was beginning to like Bellamy more than she should. Once this was over, she would likely never see Bellamy again, so what was the point in having some stupid little schoolgirl crush on him?
"Okay. I'll go find him."
Jacinta turned her walkie off just as alarms starting blaring again, causing her to tilt her head back and sigh. It looked like Bellamy had probably gotten himself into trouble. Using her key card to access the restricted areas of Mount Weather – and thanking her lucky stars that it actually still worked – Jacinta slipped into the shadows and heard the sound of shouting and heavy footsteps. Well, at least she was getting closer to finding Bellamy. She took the gun out of her belt and flicked off the safety.
A guard was running across one of the platforms, right in her direction. Steeling herself, Jacinta pointed the gun at his head. His eyes widened when he saw her, recognised her. The guard held his hands up in surrender.
"Where is he?"
"He went down to the lower levels," the man replied, clearly realising that Jacinta was after Bellamy. "Garza went after him."
"Okay." Jacinta nodded, allowing herself a moment to pause before hitting the guy in the head with the gun, hard. He collapsed to the ground, but she didn't have time to feel guilt. She had to find Bellamy. Gripping the gun tightly in her hand, she descended the stairs, casting around for any sign of him.
"Bellamy?"
"Jacinta!" He moved out of the shadows and she almost jumped out of his skin. His eyes were wild and there was a key card in his hand. Probably Garza's, if his wasn't working. She licked her lips.
"What's the plan?"
"We need to find Vincent," Bellamy raked a hand through his dark hair. "He'll know about the acid fog generator."
Jacinta couldn't help a proud grin even as alarms blared around them. "Why would you need Vincent when you have me?"
"You know how to get to it?" Bellamy's eyes widened. He examined the gun in Jacinta's hand, then his eyes raked over her. She couldn't help but feel a flush building in her cheeks and was grateful that the darkness gave her some cover.
"Kind of," Jacinta admitted, before realising that perhaps Vincent was a more viable option after all. She knew about the acid fog generator and its location, but they would be needing maps. Visiting Dante again wasn't an option – after the Level 5 radiation, Cage would have him sealed in tight. "Look, you're right. Vincent's a better option. He'll have maps and maybe…maybe more weapons."
"Did you shoot anyone?" Bellamy indicated the gun in her hands.
"No," Jacinta admitted quietly, unsure if he would take that as a sign of weakness. She had really wanted to shoot Emerson. Some vicious, violent part of her would have delighted in putting a bullet in his skull. But the truth was, she didn't have the guts for it. If Emerson attacked her, maybe it would be a different story. In cold blood? Definitely not.
Jacinta watched from the couch as Vincent and Bellamy talked in low voices. Bellamy was going to the acid fog generator alone, so although she could hear everything they were saying, she didn't pitch in. She turned the gun over and over in her hands, just staring down at it. What had she been thinking, stealing it? Did she think she was some kind of revolutionary? She was just a rebellious President's daughter. Bellamy probably just saw her as a spoilt teenage trying to break free of her dad.
Yet deep down, Jacinta knew it was more than just defying Cage. She truly believed in this, that they shouldn't be harvesting the blood and bone marrow of innocents simply so that they could live. Jacinta had still not gotten over her disgust at the knowledge that she was immune to radiation, forever. It had not been her choice, yet she still felt guilt knowing someone had probably died so that she could live.
"Hey." Bellamy crouched down in front of Jacinta, and she raised her eyes from the gun in her hands. "I never thanked you, for helping me out earlier."
She shrugged, a little embarrassed. "Don't mention it."
"No, seriously." Bellamy placed a hand over hers. His palm was comfortingly warm. "You've been invaluable, Jacinta. I don't know what we would do without you. You stood up to your dad. You showed him your morals are different to his. That takes courage."
"I'm not brave," Jacinta murmured.
Bellamy linked his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. "You are. You just haven't realised it yet."
