Chapter 51
Adara told Mark about his father. He was devastated. His father was the one who encouraged him to do well at school, even helping him with his homework when needed. His father was guiding him to be the best he could be and Mark knew it was something he could be proud of. Adara left him with a friend of his looking after him. She hoped that when the Ark came down, that they didn't lose too many of the parents. These kids needed them.
Adara was debating who to take into the mountain with her. Jasper, Sterling and Octavia were all in contention. She had originally decided to take Sterling. He didn't remember, so he was coming at this solely on the basis of what they had learned this time around. Jasper would be woken once they were in the mountain and had found Maya. Octavia could be the most help as she was their best fighter, but she may be too impulsive. Even though Octavia had been through this before, she may not have enough self-control.
She really wanted to take all four, but she knew that taking four would be pushing it. Two people could move easier and quieter than four. Octavia would move the quietest, Jasper would make noise. It was a problem.
In the end, she talked to Raven about it and they decided that Octavia would be the best, but she would take Sterling and Jasper too and leave them just inside the vent as backup.
She gathered them and told them the plan. She had Octavia teach Jasper how to move quietly through pipework. Sterling was a serious guy and would follow orders. He had been practicing moving quietly around the bunker and when he could, outside. They would be dressed as Trikru, that included Jasper getting braids in his hair. Octavia did it for him, giving him the braids of a hunter - the Trikru didn't have braids for foragers - and he was happy enough to sit still for Octavia.
Monty had found them some pipework that they could practice with and they all had to figure out how to move quietly. It was not just the echo of steps, scrapes, and knocks, but it was also their breathing and some of the pipework would dip and make a loud noise. They had to learn how to identify those places and how to avoid them.
Three days later, they contacted the Commander at Tondc and said they were ready and would move up to the mountain. Monty had found a box of earwigs and throat mikes they could use. They decided that each person would have one, but turn off the throat mike inside the mountain until they needed them. The less they talked, the less chance they would be caught. Monty would monitor their com systems, Harper would monitor Mount Weather military systems and Jones would watch the cameras for anything else.
They moved out under the cover of darkness. Raven was left in charge of the bunker, but would take guidance from Monty on the mountain and when to contact the Commander.
Moving through the darkness, they were able to listen to Jones as he was helping them to avoid the cameras. Tondc had taken out quite a lot of them, but the closer they got to the mountain, the more cameras were still working. They moved quietly and silently. Moving tree to tree on a go from Jones was slow going but they hadn't been spotted yet. Harper was listening in to the command centre and at the moment, the soldiers on duty were having a chit chat about the last film they watched. None of them seemed to be watching the cameras.
They moved up the mountain until they got three quarters of the way up, they were on the back side of the mountain bunker and looking for the vent. Sterling snapped his fingers once - the sign for listen up - and when everyone stopped and looked at him, he pointed up to the corner of a rock just above their heads. A huge stone was protruding from the mountain and they realised they would have to get on top of it to access the vent.
Adara nodded and motioned for Sterling to take a look. He crept forward and went around the side where he saw a steep incline leading up to the top of the rock. He came back around and gave them a thumbs up. They went one by one to Sterling and he showed them the path. Octavia went first and looked at the vent. She had a pocket tool they'd found in the storerooms. She opened the screwdriver blade and got to work on the screws holding it closed. It took some time as the screws were rusted. Each person took turns wrestling with them. Eventually though, they got the vent open.
Adara went first, she crawled quietly inside and moved down the vent, testing each time she put down a hand or knee. It was solid. She motioned for Jasper to come next, then Octavia and last Sterling. Sterling put the vent back on and with some string he'd brought, tied it so that it stayed on and closed. Adara activated her throat mike.
"We're in," she said.
"Got it," said Monty. He knew she would then turn her mic off, but they could still hear him.
"Plans say the vent goes to the main decontamination area. Turn-off about 300 feet ahead on the left. Take it." Adara and Octavia started to move off as Jasper and Sterling stayed by the vent. 300 feet later and they turned left into a larger vent. Following the vent they moved past several empty rooms. They kept going, ever silent and quiet. Adara was about to move into a junction area where they could stand up and stretch, when a door opened and they saw Maya walk into a room. She placed some books on the table and pulled out the chair and sat down. Opening the books, she started to read and make some notes on the pad she had brought along.
Adara got Octavia's attention and pointed to the vent. She looked in and nodded. Adara was debating whether to move on when the door opened again and a man entered.
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"Hey, Dad," said Maya.
"Hey, Sweetheart," her dad said, "still studying?"
"Yes, I want to pass this health exam and then I can start working at the hospital. Once I do that, I can start studying to be a doctor."
"Still want to be a doctor, huh? Your mom would be as proud of you as I am," her dad said with a smile.
"Something you want dad? I'm kinda busy."
"Maya Vie! Watch how you talk to me. Show some respect!"
"Sorry, Dad, I'm just a bit nervous about this exam. I want to do good and I want to read up on some of the procedures some more." Maya was sorry about her attitude.
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Adara almost jumped when she heard Maya's second name. Vie! Cage had a Vincent Vie beaten up! This was Maya's father. She looked at him more closely and could see some fading bruising on his face and neck. She nodded to herself. He may be on their side. They needed to get Maya alone and wake her up.
Adara and Octavia waited until Maya's father had left. Adara motioned Octavia closer and she whispered into Octavia's ear.
"I have to wake her up. It was her father that Cage had beaten up." Octavia looked at her for a few seconds and then back to Maya. She nodded.
Adara tapped twice on the vent and waited. Nothing. She knocked twice more. Maya looked around but not at the vent. Adara knocked a third time. This time Maya looked up at the vent and then got up and moved towards it. She looked at it, trying to see inside it. She moved her head closer to the vent slits.
"Gromyo." Maya stepped back and almost fell over her chair. She grabbed the table as memories assailed her. She sat down to process things. "Maya?" she heard the whisper.
"Who's there?" she asked, frowning.
"SHHH!" the voice whispered. "Keep your voice down, Maya." Maya got up and went to the vent.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
"Skaikru."
"Who?" asked Maya, confused. Adara looked at Octavia. Octavia answered.
"Octavia and Adara from the Ark."
"The Ark! Is everyone okay?"
"Yes. Jasper's with us at the opening we used to get in, but he doesn't remember. We didn't think it was prudent considering what happened to him after you died."
"What happened to him?"
"Maya," said Adara. "We need to talk to you properly. Can you help us find a safe place?"
"Yes. We can use the pipes Bellamy used. Do you know your way around here?"
"No, but we can figure it out. Where do we meet you?"
"Second level. There's an abandoned storeroom with a broken vent in it at the far end. It's the farthest room to the north on the second level. I'll meet you there, okay?"
"Okay. Don't tell anyone about this Maya. Our lives depend on it."
"I know. I still think the same way I did last time."
"Good. See you then." With that, Maya got up and left the room.
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Adara and Octavia made their way back to Jasper and Sterling. Adara activated her throat mic.
"Monty?"
"Go," said Monty.
"We found Maya and woke her up. She'll meet us on level 2. There's an abandoned storeroom at the far north of that level. Get us directions."
"On it," said Monty, pulling up the schematics for Mount Weather. As they waited, Jasper spoke up.
"What did you mean, you woke her up?"
"She was asleep on her study books," Adara lied.
"Oh." said Jasper.
"Got it," said Monty. "Move to the main decontamination area. Just before there is a vent that goes up three floors. There's a ladder there. Go up all the way. That's level two. After that, the pipe that goes to the right. It swerves left and right, but follow it and it'll bring you out at the storeroom."
"Got it, thanks Monty." Adara knocked her mic off and started them out - all of them.
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It took them 15 minutes of crawling and climbing and crawling again to get near the storeroom. Adara held up her hand and they all stopped. She pushed out her mind to check who was in the room. Maya was alone. No-one else was in the area.
"Monty, check the cameras in this area. Anyone about?" Monty checked.
"No-one." Adara nodded to herself and turned her mic back off. She moved to the entrance of the vent in the storeroom and looked in. Maya was there and the door was closed. It was a small room, but everyone could fit in it. They all climbed down. When Jasper came down, Maya smiled at him, a wide full smile.
"Hey, Jasper," she said.
"How do you know my name?" Jasper asked suspiciously.
"Gromyo," said Adara. Both Sterling and Jasper gasped. Octavia went to Sterling and Adara to Jasper.
"Maya? Maya!" Jasper rushed to her and gave her a bone crushing hug. "How…?" Adara's hand was over his mouth.
"Shut up, Jasper. We're in enemy territory. Don't bring trouble down on us!" Adara hissed. "We've been given a second chance to get things right. First thing? Save the civilians of this mountain. Second thing? Let the Commander in to deal with those lying scum who have been stealing and killing her people. Got it?" Jasper nodded and returned his gaze to Maya.
"I'm not letting you die this time, Maya. If you do, I do." Jasper was serious.
"Okay. Jasper, I need you to work with Maya to get the civilians to quarantine. It has its own independent air supply. You get them there and keep them there, understand?" Jasper nodded. "Sterling? You okay?"
"Don't know, yet. I died? I fell off a fucking cliff!"
"I know," said Octavia. "I came upon them trying to save Mel. They did. She lived, Sterling." Sterling let out a huge sigh.
"I'm good. Don't know this part of stuff. Guess I was dead by this time, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Okay," said Adara. "You two okay? I mean are you fit enough to continue the mission?"
"Yeah," said Sterling. Jasper just nodded and hugged Maya again. Adara turned her mic on again.
"Monty?"
"Here," he said.
"Sterling and Jasper are awake. Jasper is going to help Maya move the civilians to quarantine. After that, we need to let the clans in. I need you to show the civilians the truth about the clans, but first, contact the Commander and tell her we have our inside man and that we are moving the civilians to quarantine."
"Got it. Hang on one minute." The silence was starting to get to them, but they knew their lives depended on it. A few minutes later, "Adara, the Commander's moving her people into position now. I'm turning off the acid fog when they get to the bottom of the mountain."
"Good. Tell us when you have."
"Got it." Adara again turned off her mic.
"Maya, Jasper, get into position near the mess hall, most of your people will be there. Make sure that you get the schools cleared out and into quarantine as well. Maya, get Jasper some clothing so he can blend in. Something with a high collar to cover his throat mic." Both nodded. Maya opened the door a crack and peered out into the empty corridor. She opened the door wide and pulled Jasper out after her.
"Keep your collar up when you get changed," said Maya as they disappeared down the corridor and around the corner.
Adara let out a sigh of relief.
"Once Monty has turned off the acid fog, I want him to play the recordings we got, especially of the harvest chamber. I want those civilians to understand the true nature of their leaders. Once they are out of the way and Monty's opened the door, I want the clans out of their cages and wreaking havoc in this mountain. I do not want Cage or Emerson or anyone able to make a deal with the Commander. If they are out of their cages, the mountain men have nothing to offer."
Adara was thinking that she wished she could talk directly with the Commander.
"Ah shit!" said Adara under her breath. Octavia and Sterling looked at her sharply.
"What?" hissed Octavia.
"We should have given an earwig and throat mic to the Commander so we can talk to each other." Both their eyes opened wide. Adara turned her mic on.
"Monty?"
"Monty's talking to the Commander," came Harper's voice.
"Can you get an earwig and throat mic to the Commander? That way we can talk to her. Let her know what we're doing?"
"Already ahead of you, Chief. Murphy and Miller are on their way to them right now. They are both wearing them and have a set for the Commander."
"Nice!" said Adara, smiling. She turned the mic off and gave a thumbs up to the pair who had heard.