Chapter Twenty Five: Promise Part I
A/N: So I intended to finish writing this a few months back but long story short I experienced a loss and it really impacted my motivation to write. Sorry.
On ahh-nother note, I'm so pumped that its almost done. This one's short but the next one will be up in a couple hours. As I say always, enjoy!
-x-x-x-
Promise: give good grounds for expecting; an indication that something specified is expected or likely to occur
"It wasn't supposed to be like that."
Your gaze leaves that of Lockwood's and you hope you don't look too guilty about anything because you are. Guilty, that is. You'd taken part in what's transpired over the past 48 hours and there's no denying that.
"Refresh my memory, Ms. Gilbert," the warden postures, "on what had been the plan."
You roll your eyes, mostly to calm your nerves cause you know it'll help sell the lie. It's something you imagine Katherine would do. Being exasperated over having to repeat herself.
"Bonnie and I were supposed to get them out of Block D. Towards the offices like we'd spoken about, but they changed it last minute."
"They?" Lockwood reiterates for clarification. She knows full well who you're talking about.
"Sage, Jules, and their crew. There was no way Bonnie, or I could convince Sage to turn around and continue onto the plan I'd put together. Not when she only listened to me when she asked for help."
The elder woman nodded, "Which resulted in not just one explosion but several."
"Bonnie and I thought we knew what was going to happen, but Sage had that entire night planned out."
"Up until she was pushed from the Silo's ledge by Jules, as you two claim," the warden finishes.
"We're not "claiming" anything. That's what happened."
"Hm," she asses you both with judging eyes.
"Are you kidding me? We could've died!" Bonnie interjects, "Going up that Silo. Or even on top of it. Jules had her own agenda and if we had done anything to physically try and stop her we'd be at the bottom of that shaft right next to Sage."
"Look, I'm sorry it happened this way, but Sage never told us how we would get out of the cells, she never explained Mervins involvement or… that Mervins would kill another officer if they were with me, or that they were changing plans and getting to the wall another way. We barely made it through that night and I'm sorry to say it, but you were the one who set us up to go ahead with the escape. You wanted proof, didn't you?"
"It may have been on my say but no guard or eye witness can corroborate your story. Nor can the disabled cameras around Block D. All the footage outside the section blocks show your full cooperation."
"Of course, it does, that was the point! And if you're implying what I think you're implying then why the hell would we tell you about it in the first place!?" you want to get up, but Bonnie's hand is on your arm in an instant.
"Not all," Bonnie corrects. Your confusion shows on your face, but Bonnie ignores it.
"You have undeniable proof of the escape?" Lockwood asks. As if your deal and your own eye witness account isn't enough.
"When I was at Block D's surveillance console I didn't disable the cameras. I blacked out the feed to the monitors and rerouted the default memory footage to an encrypted folder I created in your system."
The younger girl glances at you and you know she understands the "Why didn't you lead with that?" look you give her.
The information peaks Lockwood's interest, "Time stamped footage?"
Bonnie nods.
"Show me."
"No," Bonnie says bluntly.
"Excuse me?"
"Not till you honour the deal you made with Elena. Those part of the escape will be punished. But as for Elena, Katherine and anyone else who didn't willingly take part, we're going to be given immunity."
"If what you're saying is true and you have footage of that night then you two, as well as Pierce, and hell, even the cows outside will have nothing to worry about."
Bonnie sends her doubts with her stare. But Lockwood knows what's going on in her section blocks and if she wants to get rid of the people taking power from her she has no other choice.
"Immunity for proof. I'm no liar, Ms. Bennett. A promise is a promise."
-x-x-x-
You're nearing the hallway before the entrance to Block D when you see it.
It's at an intersection that you see the debris down the hall towards the Silo. Yellow tape is stuck from one wall to the other preventing any entry.
It's a stark contrast between that hall and the one you're going to head down, and the thought instantly garners a flash of Sage falling down that shaft. You can only imagine what the Silo looks like now. There's no way you would've survived if Jules hadn't thought to wait till everyone was out before getting rid of Sage. You shudder at the idea of being burned or buried alive or, worse yet, both.
Not that that's what happened to Sage. There's no doubt that she died the second she hit the Silo floor.
You shake away your dark pondering as the guards stop just outside the Block D doors to get it unlocked.
Soon you're all inside.
Though the hall to Block D seemed unscathed you can't say the same for the actual section block. Everyone is in their cells, but you notice that some are empty due to severe damage. Most of the occupied cells are cramped.
When you climb the stairs to the second floor you think they'll drop you off at your cell, but you pass by it and you realize why you aren't staying there. The left wall is partially collapsed, leaving a small opening from 276 to cell 274. The sink is no longer attached to the wall and there's scattered items on the ground.
The doors to cell 278 open without that signature Bzz and the first person you spot is a blonde with her left arm on a sling.
"Caroline!"
She meets you with a wide grin. The guards are gone as soon as your cuffs are off, and Caroline give you a one-armed hug.
You look around. There's a book and a few small items on the floor but other than that it isn't as shaken up as its neighboring cell.
Regardless, you look to the blonde with concern and ask, "Rebekah?"
The Brit had been the only one left in Block D when those explosions occurred. You had even witnessed her go back to this cell before you went off with Hannah that night.
"Don't worry." Caroline shakes her head, "She just went out to use the bathroom. The water here isn't working. A lot of the pipes were hit and per request the guards are escorting people to the bathroom… when they're feeling generous."
You make a face, not only not liking the idea of having to ask to go outside for the bathroom but also because there's a chance you'd be rejected anyways.
"So far, if you ask the new guards they'll more than likely let you."
"New guards?"
"Yeah, Lockwood had them add more right after that night. Help keep more eyes on us. Block D is becoming more and more trouble than it should be."
You have no point of reference to easier times, but you can hardly imagine a section block that isn't plagued with two warring tyrants and aggressive troublemakers.
"So, tell me about the… you know," she leans in secretively, but you already know what she's asking about. By this time, you're both sitting at the edge of the bottom bunk.
"Well," you sigh deeply.
You've repeated this enough times in your head that you can chant the abbreviated, warden-friendly version without even thinking about it. Unlike with Lockwood, explaining it to Caroline doesn't make you nervous because you add pretty much all the details. There's no use hiding anything from someone who already knows all the big important plot points.
"I guess in some way the riot ended up being a good thing."
Your eye brows draw together at Caroline's statement. "How do you figure that?"
"Well, if everyone had still been in their cells there would've been more dead than injured, don't you think? Though now that Sage is gone for good I wonder what'll happen."
"You don't think Isobel will swoop in?" It's really a no-brainer. More so since Isobel herself told you that that was her intention. Her next step.
"Oh, I don't doubt it. But Sage caused that riot. A lot of Isobel's people weren't part of it which kept them in their cells. Most of the ones that ended up in the infirmary are hers. Leader or not, she can't exactly take on a mass of people who have no loyalty to her. Though I don't doubt Isobel would make it work, being outnumbered isn't exactly favourable."
You nod and follow her gaze over your shoulder in time to see Rebekah being escorted back to the cell.
The doors still don't buzz when they open or close.
"Elena. You seem in good health."
"Rebekah," you greet. Last time you saw her was that night and she'd gone back straight to this cell. It's good to see that she wasn't harmed in any way.
Without much else, she walks over to the ladder and ascends to the top bunk.
A thought occurs to you as she does that.
"I'm sleeping here, aren't I?"
"That's the plan," Caroline answers, "A lot of women are sharing cells now, but Lockwood assures that this arrangement isn't permanent."
"But there aren't any extra beds?"
The blonde shrugs, "No one was given any. You and Katherine will take the bottom one here. I'd hate to be anyone shoved into unfriendly territory though. I doubt they'd be fair about the sleeping arrangement."
"Has anyone been let out at all? To roam freely?"
"Not yet. I'm really getting antsy sitting here, and some people have already found ways to cause some trouble just to be able to do something. Hopefully it doesn't last as long as the lockdown. Especially with 4 to one cell. Unlike us, some weren't so lucky with who they got boarded with. A girl from Isobel's camp has already gotten herself beaten because the people she got stuck with are from Sage's side."
"I hate to say I'm not surprised."
"Me neither but," Caroline shrugs again, "not much you can do."
And isn't that the truth.
-x-x-x-
Later Caroline is sitting on the chair. You're on the bed and you figure that Rebekah is sleeping since she hasn't said or done anything for a while now.
"Have you ever seen anyone die before?" you ask as you sit up and lean onto the bunk ladder.
Caroline almost doesn't hear you, but you know her blue eyes travel to your face even if you aren't looking at her.
"Like killed?" she asks for confirmation.
You nod.
She blinks and she's either trying to remember a time or, she's deciding on whether to be honest.
Caroline shakes her head slightly, "I mean, yeah. Did I ever tell you about my mom? She was a cop."
Of all the conversations you've had during work or otherwise, Caroline hasn't really mentioned her family. You figured everyone has their issues, but she speaks fondly. "Was?"
"The sheriff of my town actually. It was nice. Quiet. Had a big enough lake that attracted campers. That's actually how I got to know Katherine and Rebekah."
You nod, knowing the random information is filler. She's bracing herself and you have a bad feeling about where this is headed.
"Well long story short my mom died. Three people had broken into our house, the sheriff's house of all places. But it isn't like she carries a gun around her own house. The robbers left once they realized we were home. Shot her and ran away."
Your face is scrunched up in concern. You don't know how long ago this was but that didn't matter. She had lost someone. She had witnessed it. The details weren't important.
"Caroline."
"I'm… Don't worry about it. This was years ago. I was just answering your question. I have, and I don't ever want to again. Not with anyone I care about."
In a second she shakes off the tension and that smile of hers is back on her face. It's solemn though, and welcoming. "That officer and Sage is bothering you, huh?"
Respecting that she doesn't want to elaborate you nod, "Even if I pretty much hated her no one should die like that."
"Well, I can't say it wont haunt you… though," she begins, "at least there's a bright side? I'm not sorry that she's gone."
"Me neither. Tell me that's okay to think."
Without missing a beat, Caroline assures you, "It's not. Sage would've killed you in a heartbeat. If you're worried about stooping to her level, you haven't. You weren't the one who dropped her down that shaft, and you weren't the one to shoot that officer."
"I know." She's right but you hang your head anyways. You're so exhausted. Mentally, and despite that two-day coma, physically as well.
"You've been through hell, Elena. You probably want to rest. So, like I said, this bed is yours, I'll leave you to it."
Caroline's hand is on your shoulder and she gives you a comforting squeeze before she gets up and goes back to the chair by the desk.
You thank her and lay down, thinking oddly about how the pillow your head is on smells like Rebekah. Not that you sniff her or anything. You don't drift off, but you do appreciate the ability to do nothing but stare at the ceiling of the bunk for as long as you can.