The wind was blowing strongly and the rain was flowing freely. The sheet in front of the dropship entrance was twirling all the time and some guys were trying to hold it back. Camille was next to Raven, who had finished fixing the radio. She was trying to make contact with Ark, but so far all of the trying was in vain.
Charlie had left with Bellamy earlier and Camille was starting to worry seriously. No one knew why they left. Well Camille knew because Charlie had confided that Bellamy had come to see her asking for help in order to get the grounder and bring him back to the dropship for questioning. Camille had been reluctant to the idea but Charlie did not give up and she had finally given up on the debate.
Camille huffed and looked outside. Chills run through her body and she could have even cried when she heard a voice responding to Raven's incessant calls "This is a restricted channel. Who is this? Please identify yourself "
Camille put her hand on Raven's shoulder, and she smiled hopefully at her. She replied, "This is Raven Reyes. It's from Mecha Station. I'm transmitting from the ground. The Hundred are alive. You need to get Dr. Abby Griffin. Now "
The man instructed Raven and she hurried to do as she was asked. After a moment, a female voice arose, "Raven, are you there?"
Clarke gasped and leaned closer before asking in a shaky voice, "Mom? Mom, it's me" The woman, turning out to be Abby Griffin, whispered Clarke's name in response. Clarke took a breath before saying in a more confident voice, "Mom, I need your help. One of our people was stabbed by a Grounder. "
"Clarke, this is the chancellor." Camille cringed at hearing Thelonius Jaha's voice "Are you saying there are survivors on the ground?"
"Yes. The Earth is survivable. We're not alone. Mom, he's dying. The knife's still in his chest" Said Clarke but instead of hearing her mother's voice, the chancellor's voice was heard again. "Clarke, is my son with you?"
A heavy silence took place in the dropship as Clarke's expression darkened, "I'm so sorry. Wells is- Wells is dead. "
Jaha didn't answer and it was Abby who spoke. She instructed Clarke to help saving Finn. But just a few seconds later, Abby's voice sagged and they couldn't understand what she was saying
"Raven, what's wrong" asked Camille
"It's not the radio. It's the storm" replied Raven
"Of course, when we finally fixed that damn radio, there must be a fucking storm"
Octavia entered the dropship and gave Clarke a bottle of Moonshine made by Monty. Camille smirked when Clarke pulled her face back in disgust after smelling the liquid. A violent noise of metal resounds.
"The storm's getting worse. Monroe, close the doors." said Clarke.
"What ? We still have people out there !" replied Camille
"Monty and Jasper still aren't back yet. Neither is Bellamy and Charlie" added Octavia
"They'll find somewhere to ride it out." replied Clarke.
Camille made a haughty noise "Yeah 'course. Whatever, you're not closing the doors until my girl's back"
"One suture needle" said Raven, handing the item to Clarke
"Great. I need something to close the wound."
"There's wire I use for tents"
"Let's see it." Octavia replied before leaving the room. Raven turned to Clarke"Tell me you can do this."
Clarke didn't have time to answer because they heard a girl screaming "They're back".
Bellamy, Charlie and two men entered the dropship, dragging the grounder behind them. Some Hundred gasp in shock as Octavia walked into the room again shouting "The hell are you doing?"
"It's time to get some answers" replied Bellamy
"You mean revenge ?"
"I mean intel. Get him upstairs"
"Bellamy she's right" said Clarke
Charlie rolled her eyes. This walk away from Clarke had done her good. But here she is remaking her goody two shoes barely a minute after their return. Camille smiled softly at her and shook her head. At the same time, Abby's voice was heard again. Charlie was surprised to see that Raven had fixed the radio and she gave her a thumbs up. Raven thanked her with a nod.
"Look this is not who we are" said Clarke
"It is now" Bellamy replied before taking the grounder to the second floor.
Clarke walked over to Finn and answered her mother's practical question. The tension rose in the room and everyone felt it. Two boys started to push each other and wanted to hit each other. Charlie clenched her fists and shouted "Not now! Everyone upstairs! Now! "
The Hundred took turns climbing the ladder to the second floor while Camille whispered "Men are untenable." Charlie nodded and motioned for Camille to stay downstairs and help Clarke and Raven while she went upstairs.
Bellamy and Miller were attaching the grounder. Charlie met his gaze and she felt guilty about the tied man but she shook her head and approached Bellamy. He asked her if she was okay and she nodded.
The grounder struggled but when Octavia entered the room he stopped all movement.
"Octavia, get out of here" shouted Bellamy
"I told you, he was protecting me. You didn't have to do this"
"This isn't about you. I'm doing this for all of us"
"You did that for all of us ?" asked Octavia, showing the grounder's bloody face.
"No, I did that for Finn, and Jasper, and Diggs, and John, and Roma"
"It wasn't even him"
"You don't know that"
Charlie looked around her. No, please, not another shouting match. She definitely wasn't good at stopping that sort of thing. She huffed and walked over to Bellamy, "We need to know what we're up against. How many are they ? Why are they killing us "
"Yeah, that's right. And he's gonna tell us right now "added Bellamy as he approached the grounder. Octavia rushed over and grabbed his arm. "No, Bellamy. Please "
"Miller, get her out of here."
Miller obeyed and took Octavia by the waist, dragging her out of the room. She struggled and shouted "I was there. I swear- Get off of me! "
Charlie frowned when she saw the grounder fidget. He looked like he wanted to help Octavia get rid of Miller. She shook her head, no that was stupid. Octavia eventually extricated herself from Miller's grip and walked towards the exit. Before leaving, she turned and said, "I don't even think he speaks English. He won't understand you "
Octavia left the room and the grounder didn't take his eyes off her until she disappeared. Bellamy approached him and said in a confident voice "Oh, I think he will"
Bellamy then started asking questions of the grounder but he didn't answer. Charlie watched him do it. She met the grounder's gaze and she smirked. She was convinced that he could understand English perfectly but had decided not to say anything. Charlie thought it was funny.
Suddenly, a huge roar was heard and everyone was thrown against the walls. Charlie could hear the teens screaming downstairs. Bellamy stood up quickly and picked up a light before hanging it up from the ceiling. Miller went to help Charlie get up.
"What the hell was that ? Are we under attack or not ?" shouted Bellamy
Camille went up into the room by the ladder "Strom damage. We're okay"
"We're gonna try this one more time" Bellamy approached the grounder "What's your name?"
To everyone's surprise, ironically speaking, the grounder did not respond. Camille approached Charlie and asked, whispering "Did he speak?"
Charlie shook her head "How's Finn doing ?"
"Fine, I think. Clarke pulled the blade out and it didn't bleed to death. That's a good sign."
Camille turned to Miller when he apostrophized them "Hey ! Check it out"
They all moved closer to see Miller holding a small box with plenty of vials in it. "What is all this stuff?" he asked
"Who the hell knows with these people." replied Bellamy
He then took a small notebook which was wrapped with string. Bellamy began to unwind the string when the grounder stirred. "I think we found something he doesn't want us to see"
In the notebook were various drawings. They were really beautiful, whether it was plants, landscapes or even people. Charlie looked up at the grounder, saying "These are really good!"
Charlie was sure she saw the shadow of a smile on his face. She shook her head and returned her attention to the notebook when Camille gasped.
There was a line drawing of the camp on the next page. Charlie frowned and opened her mouth in shock when Bellamy spoke "It's our camp. I'm guessing if I counted all those marks, it would be add up to 102. Some are crossed out. That's how many people we've lost"
Bellamy stood up and approached the grounder before adding "They've been waching us ever since we got here."
Camille took the notebook from Bellamy and began to leaf through it. She regularly asked questions to the grounder for information on plants or places drawn. The grounder remained stoic but Camille did not budge. Charlie moved closer and looked over her shoulder. A kind of monster was drawn.
"What the hell is that thing ?" she asked
"Friend of yours ?" asked Camille to the grounder who shook her head gently.
Camille was about to start over with her questions when the trap door leading to the room opened. Clarke ushered in but Drew stepped in front of her.
"Get the hell out of my way" she threatened
Charlie rolled her eyes but made no comment. Bellamy ordered Drew to step aside to let her pass. She stared at the grounder in silence before saying "Well, if he didn't hate us before, he does now"
Bellamy took her by the arm and led her away. The two spoke in a whisper and Charlie turned back to the ground "This is Miss Chancellor. She's unbearable, I hope you won't have the chance to find out. If you ever escape, can you ask your friends to make her disappear?"
The grounder didn't answer but looked at Charlie in amusement. Camille chuckled in her hand trying to not make too much noise while Miller shook his head, laughing.
Another roar was heard and the ground shook.
"Shit" Camille swore, holding on to Charlie so as not to fall
"This storm is really violent. It's terrible" said Charlie
Silence took place, except for the incessant whispers of the little couple farther on. But they quickly ended their conversation when Raven shouted "Clarke! He's seizing"
Clarke shouted that she was coming before running off towards the ladder. Bellamy followed her and closed the hatch before looking up at the grounder. Charlie didn't like the look on his face at all. It was not a good omen.
He began to question the grounder again, in a more virulent way. And every time he didn't answer, he hit him in the face. Camille was swinging on her feet. This situation appealed to her as much as it appealed to Charlie, but they had no choice. They needed answers.
Charlie jumped in spite of herself when she heard a violent knock against the trap door. "Open the door!" Shouted Clarke.
Bellamy kicked the box that closed the hatch and Clarke walked into the room. She rushed to the grounder, the knife that had stabbed Finn in her hand. She put it in front of the grounder's nose before asking "What's on this?"
Bellamy approched too "What are you talking about ?"
Charlie saw Octavia come in as Clarke replied "He poisoned the blade! All this time, he knew Finn was gonna die no matter what we did. What is it? Is there an antidote?"
"Clarke, he doesn't understand you" said Octavia
Camille turned her gaze to the box from earlier before whispering "The vials"
Bellamy nodded before taking the box in hand "It's gotta be here"
Clarke threw the knife to the ground and picked up the vials, rummaging through them "You'd have to be stupied to have a poison around this long without an antidote. Which one?"
Everyone screamed at the grounder to find out which one was the antidote. Camille and Charlie looked at each other, frowning. Sure, yelling at him would suddenly make him want to help us.
Bellamy huffed before saying "I'll get him to talk". He raised his fist and was about to hit the grounder but Octavia grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Bellamy! No! "
He freed himself from her grip before yelling "He wants Finn to die. Why can't you see that?" Then he turned to Clarke "Do you want him to live or not?"
Clarke didn't answer, seeming to think. Octavia moved closer to her "Clarke, you even said it yourself. This is not who we are. He was protecting me. He saved my life."
"We're talking about Finn's life" shouted Bellamy in reponse.
A little silence took place broken by Clarke's voice "Do it !"
Charlie laughed without humor "You annoy the hell out of us with your fucking pseudo values all day long and now it's okay? Selfish bitch"
Camille shook her head and stood next to Octavia "Bellamy, think twice. What are you about to do ..."
She didn't finish her sentence when she saw that Bellamy had cut a belt off the ship and was now cutting the grounder's t-shirt. Bellamy remained silent and moved in front of him before whipping him with the belt.
Charlie shook her head, disgusted with his behavior. She saw that Clarke had looked away from the scene and it only made her more angry.
"What? This is too hard to watch? Weird, you ordered this! No need to play saint now!" shouted Charlie
Clarke gave her a reproachful look before stopping Bellamy and kneeling in front of the grounder. She spread the vials and begged him to tell her which one was the antidote.
"You've just tortured him. Do you think he's going to speak now? I wouldn't speak if I was him. We don't deserve it" said Camille
As Camille had just said, the grounder remained silent. Bellamy pulled Clarke out of the way and started hitting him again. Again. Again. Again. And Again.
Camille clenched her fists so tightly that blood had ended up spilling out as Charlie looked at the scene with annoyance.
"Enough !" shouted Octavia
Bellamy stopped knocking as Raven's voice heard from below "Clarke! He's getting worse!"
"We're running out of time. Which one?" Clarke asked again, moving back in front of him.
The grounder didn't answer. He was trying as best as he could to stay standing. Bellamy threw the belt to the ground "If that didn't work, then maybe this will" he said, taking a long stud in his hand. "Clarke, you don't have to be here for this"
"I'm not leaving until I get that antidote"
"Last chance" said Bellamy
Camille got between Bellamy and the grounder, shouting "Are you mental ? No ! It's going too far ! He hasn't said anything until now ! He won't say anything in the future!"
"Move ! Before I make you"
Charlie chuckled "Yeah, try that and you're at his place" she pointed to the grounder.
Bellamy shook his head "Charlie please ! We need to help Finn"
Charlie and Bellamy stared at each other, seeming to be having a glacing fight. Charlie huffed, looking away. She then took Camille's hand and pulled her out of the way. Camille looked at her with so much reproach that Charlie thought that if gazes could kill, she would already be 6 feet under.
Bellamy hammered the stud into the grounder's hand, who groaned. He then walked away and the ground was shaking in pain but he neither spoke nor shouted.
Raven walked into the room, shouting "What's taking so long? Clarke, he stopped breathing"
"What?" Clarke shouted, trying to run for the ladder but Raven stopped her "He started again. Next time, he might not"
"He won't tell us anything."
"Wanna bet?" she asked before heading to the ship's cables and ripped them off. A spark appeared when she did and the grounder jumped in surprise.
"What are you doing" asked Bellamy
"Showing him something new"
No one in the room reacts, shocked at Raven's behavior. She electrified the grounder who cried out in pain for the first time. Octavia on her side, took the knife in her hand and shouted "No more!"
Raven turned and replied "He's letting Finn die!"
Octavia stared at her with tears in her eyes for a few seconds before cutting her arm. Bellamy tried to stop her, but it was too late. She dropped the knife and said "He won't let me die"
She knelt in front of the grounder and showed him the vials one by one. Getting to the last one, he nodded. Octavia gave the vial to Clarke and she ran off with Raven to Finn's place.
Bellamy walked over to Octavia and put his hands on her shoulders but she pulled away violently from his "Don't touch me" grip.
A heavy silence took place in the room as Octavia and the grounder stared at each other. After a while, Bellamy and Drew left the room followed by Octavia. Miller meanwhile remained in a corner of the room, seated against the wall.
Once most everyone had left the room, Camille turned to Charlie and slammed her. Charlie turned her head but said nothing.
"You were ready to let them torture him! Why?"
"I - I didn't want Bellamy to be the only one blamed for that shit. I didn't say anything when he started hitting him. It would have been unfair to blame him at the end. I'm sorry."
Camille shook her head and whispered "Sorry. For hitting you"
Charlie smirked and flicked her in the forehead. The hatch opened and Clarke walked in. She said nothing and walked over to the grounder. She took his arm and pulled the stud out of his hand. Then she dipped a cloth in a bucket of water before trying to clean his wound. But with each attempt, the grounder freed himself from her grip and wouldn't let her.
"Look, I need to clean this" she said but the grounder was still struggling.
"Leave him alone, Clarke. You've done enough" said Camille
Octavia walked into the room at the same time and took the fabric from Clarke's hands "Let me try"
She walked over and the grounder let her clean his wound. Clarke said "I never wanted him to get hurt, Octavia. You have to know that. I just wanted to save Finn"
"For the record, you didn't save Finn. That was me. But whatever you wanna tell yourself to feel better." replied Octavia
"Yeah that's right. Shut up Clarke. 'I never wanted him to get hurt' Bullshit ! You told Bellamy to do it. Shut the crap" shouted Charlie
"You told him too ! Don't put everything on me !"
"Did I say that I didn't told him? No! That's the difference between you and the whole planet! We assumed our acts, our decisions. You're not! God, I'll end up killing you myself!" Charlie growled before leaving the room.
Clarke sought support from Camille. She laughed "What? Do you think I'm going to support you? Charlie is 100% right. You have nothing to do here, get out!"
Clarke said nothing and left the room, trying to hold her head up. Octavia smiled at Camille and turned back to the grounder. "You saved my life and look at the thanks you get. I never wanted any of this to happen to you"
Camille had looked away to leave them a moment of privacy. But her head snapped in their direction when she heard the grounder whisper "Thank you"
Miller, who until now had stayed in his corner, got up and walked over to the grounder "Hey! Did he say something?"
"No" replied Octavia
"You know your brother doesn't want you up here, Octavia. Let's go"
Octavia looked at Miller reproachfully and seemed hesitant. Camille approached and took the cloth "It's okay, I'll do it." she said "If you don't mind" she added looking at the grounder.
He didn't answer but neither did he struggle when she started to remove the blood from his chest. Octavia thanked Camille and headed for the exit. The grounder followed her with his eyes.