Chapter 16
Outside, the storm rages. Raven tries to contact the Ark through the radio. "This Is Raven Reyes calling Ark station. Come in, Ark station." She says. There was no answer but static.
"Can anyone hear me?" Raven asks.
"Are you sure you have the right frequency?" Monroe asks.
"Yeah, I'm sure." Raven says.
"Raven, you can do this, Ok?" Clarke asks. Raven nods as she continues to call the Ark. She turns and sees Clarke removing the bandage from the knife where Finn was stabbed. "Ark station, please come in. I'm on the ground with the hundred. We need you." Raven says.
The Ark
Jaha, Kane, Abby, Callie, and a few others were in the meeting room.
"Theft of medical supplies. Illegal salvaging. Unauthorized ship launch. Pirating the Ark comm systems. Each of these crimes is punishable by death. But that will not be your fate today." Kane tells Abby. They hear a static noise. "What was that?" A man asks.
"Never mind that. It was argued convincingly that your medical expertise is still required." Kane says as he sits down. Abby looks at Jaha. "Thank you." She says.
"It wasn't me. The council vote was nearly unanimous. Apparently, Jake's message woke their better angels as well." Jaha says. Abby grabs her seat.
"Not so fast." Jaha says.
"We need to talk about those flares." Abby says.
"No, we don't." Jaha says.
"You saw them too. We can't just ignore what we all know it means." "Abby says.
"We don't know what it means." Kane says.
"It means that there is someone alive on earth. It means that are kids still might be alive." Abby says.
"Kane, she just might be right." Callie says.
"Come on, Callie, those flashes could've been anything. Lightning, radiation in the atmosphere." Kane says.
"In any case, whatever they were, that's a matter for the council to discuss. And you are no longer council." Jaha tells Abby as he stands up and walks over to her with his hands behind his back.
"Your life has been spared, but you've been stripped of your seat at this table, effective immediately. Your pin." Jaha says. Abby hands Jaha her pin as they hear another static noise.
"There it is again." Callie says.
"Calling Ark station. Come to Ark station." They hear Raven through the speakers.
"Raven, she's still alive." Abby says.
"Are you there?" Raven asks through the speakers. Abby runs out of the meeting room, Jaha, Kane and Callie follows.
The ground
"Is anyone there? I'm on the ground with the hundred. Can anyone hear me?" Raven asks.
"This is a restricted area. Who is this? Identify yourself." Sinclair says through the radio. The hundred walks over to Raven.
"This is Raven Reyes. I'm from Mecha station. I'm transmitting from the ground. The hundred are alive. Please, you need to get Abby, now." Raven says.
The Ark
Abby, Callie, Jaha, and Kane runs into the control room.
"Hold on Raven, we're trying to boost your signal." Sinclair says.
"Did you confirm the signal's origin?" Jaha asks Sinclair.
"Yes, sir. It's coming from earth. Sinclair says. Kane looks with a shocked look on his face.
"Raven, are you there?" Abby asks. There was nothing but static noise for a second.
"Mom? Mom, it's me." Clarke says from the radio. "Clarke?" Abby asks, smiling from joy.
"Mom, I need your help. One of our people were stabbed by a grounder." Clarke says.
"Clarke this is the Chancellor. Are you saying there's survivors on the ground on the ground?" Jaha asks.
"Yes. Earth is survivable. We're not alone." Clarke says. The people look at each other.
"Mom, he's dying. The knife's still in his chest." Clarke says.
"Okay, can you patch me through to medical?" Abby asks Sinclair. Sinclair nods.
"Clarke, is my son with you." Jaha asks.
"Wells is fine, he's out with Bellamy and the others." Clarke says.
"You don't know what Bellamy has done," Jaha says.
"He shot you to get on the dropship. I know," Clarke says.
"And he walks free among you?" Jaha asks.
"I trust him. He did what he had to so he could protect Octavia. We have more important things to talk about, Jaha.
"I guess we'll see about that." Jaha says. Jaha looks at Abby. "Clarke needs you. Patch her in to me when they're finished." Jaha says as he walks out of the control room.
"I'm going to talk you through it step by step," Abby says to Clarke, who stands by Finn. The storm rages harder. "Clarke, give 5... medi...medical." The radio starts to static.
"Raven what's happening?" Clarke asks.
"It's not the radio. It's the storm." Raven says.
The Ark
"Dr. Griffin, you should take a look at this." Sinclair says as he shows a location of the earth right where the hundred are. "There's a hurricane right on top of them." Sinclair says.
The ground
Octavia walks into the dropship as the radio buffers and hands a bottle to Clarke.
"Ugh, Monty's moonshine?" Clarke asks.
"Pretty sure no germ can survive it." Octavia says. They hear a boom outside.
"Storm is getting worse. Monroe, close the door." Clarke says.
"We still have people out there." Monroe says.
"Monty and Jasper still aren't back yet. Neither is Bellamy and Wells." Octavia says.
It's okay, they'll find somewhere to ride it out" Clarke says. Raven walks over to Clarke and hands her a needle.
"One suture needle," Raven says to Clarke, who grabs it.
"Right, I still need something to clean the room." Clarke says.
"There's some wire on the second level. I used it for the tents." Octavia says.
"Let's see it." Clarke says. Octavia nods.
"Stay away from the blue wires that run through the ceiling. I rigged it to the solar cells in the roof. That means they're hot. You got that?" Raven asks.
"Yeah, I got that." Octavia says as she climbs up. Raven looks at Clarke.
"Tell me you can do this." Raven says to her.
"Hey, they're back," One of the hundred yells. Bellamy walks in as Octavia looks at her brother. Miller and Wells drag the grounder in. They drop him.
"What the hell are you doing?" Octavia asks.
"It's time to get some answers." Bellamy says.
"Oh, you mean revenge?" Octavia asks.
"I mean intel." Bellamy says.
"He's right." Wells says.
"Wells." Clarke says.
"See? Even mini-chancellor agrees with me." Bellamy says.
"There's more of him out there. If we can get him to tell us more information about them. Then we be able to have a better chance of defending ourselves." Wells says.
"Get him upstairs," Bellamy tells the teens.
"Clarke, honey, we're ready. Can you hear me? Abby asks through the radio.
"This is not who we are." Clarke tells the boys. Bellamy looks at Clarke and Octavia then back at Clarke.
"It is now." Bellamy says as he walks away. The rest follows.
Clarke walks over to Finn. Clarke looks at him.
The Ark
Abby were in the medical room with Jackson. "The blade is at a sharp upward angle. Between the sixth and seventh ribs." Clarke says.
"Okay, how deep?" Abby asks.
"Well, I can't tell how deep it goes." Clarke says.
"That's alright. Just don't remove the knife yet," Abby says.
The ground
Clarke pours the moonshine on her hands and holds it out to Raven. "Here, sterilize your hands." Clarke says. Raven does the same and drink some. She chokes a bit. "Clarke, do you see any fluid?" Abby asks. Two of the hundred start to fight behind them. "Damn it. Clear the room." Clarke tells Raven, who nods.
"Everybody upstairs now! Let's go! Move it!" Raven yells. The hundred start to move.
"He feels a little warm," Clarke tells her mom.
"That's alright. Fever sometimes accompanies trauma. Clarke, I need you to tell me if there is any fluid leaking from the room," Abby says.
"No," Clarke says. Abby sighs of relief.
"Pleural membrane's intact. That's good. That's actually really good. He got lucky," Abby says.
"You hear that? You got lucky," Raven says tells the unconscious Finn with a sigh of relief. Upstairs, Bellamy paces as they chain the grounder up. He wakes up and struggles to get loose. "Shit, he's awake." A delinquent says.
"Tight him tighter. The last thing we need is this bastard getting free because you screwed up." Bellamy says. Octavia comes up. Bellamy looks at her, who looks at the grounder, with his face bloodied up.
"Octavia, get out of here." Bellamy says
"I told you. He was protecting me. You didn't have to do this." Octavia says.
"This isn't about you. I'm doing this for all of us," Bellamy says.
"You did that for all of us?" Octavia asks as she looks at the grounder's face.
"No, I did that for Finn, and Jasper and Diggs, and John, and Roma." Bellamy says.
"It wasn't even him." Octavia says.
"You don't know that!" Bellamy explodes.
"We need to know what we are up against. We know how many there are and why they're killing us. And he's going to tell us right now." Bellamy says as he walks over to the grounder. Octavia grabs his arm.
"No Bellamy, please don't." Octavia pleaded.
"Miller, get her out of here." Bellamy tells him. Miller and another teen pulls her away.
"No! I was there I--. Hey, get- get off of me!" Octavia exclaims. They let go. Octavia walks over to the ladder and looks back at Bellamy.
"I don't even think he speaks English. He won't understand you." Octavia says as she goes down. Bellamy glares at the grounder.
"Oh, I think he will." Bellamy says. Up the Ark. Abby and Jackson look at a x-ray of Finn's wound. On the ground, Wells comes down to the first floor.
"How is he?" He asks.
"Not good. Any luck from the grounder?" Clarke asks.
"Nope, nothing. This guy's tough." Wells says. Clarke sighs.
"Okay, Clarke, firm grip on the knife. You're gonna need to angle it upward and to the left very slightly to the left. As it exits the rib cage." Abby says as Raven paces.
"How very slightly?" Clarke asks.
"3 millimeters, any more would be bad." Jackson tells Abby. "Clarke, 3 mil-" Abby says as the radio statics.
"Wait what was that? You dropped out." Clarke says. "Clarke, 3 millimeters, got it?" Abby asks her daughter. Raven walks over.
Yeah, okay, I got it," Clarke says. "Here it goes," Clarke says as she stares at Finn.
"Steady hand, Clarke. You've assisted me on trickier procedures than this and once that knife is out. The hard part is over," Abby says. They heard a rumble as the ship shakes slightly.
"All right. Extracting now," Clarke says as she grabs the knife. She starts to pull when
Finn groans in pain.
"He's waking up," Raven says.
"Hold him still." Clarke says. Wells and Raven hold him down. "Finn, I'm gonna get that knife out of you, okay?" Clarke asks.
"Good plan," Finn says
"Finn, you can't move. You got it?" Clarke asks. Finn nods. "Okay here goes." Clarke says as she grabs the knife and pulls slowly. "Slow and steady, Clarke." Abby says. "Almost got it. Stay still." Clarke says as a huge rumble knocked everybody over as Clarke pulled the knife out.
"Clarke. Clarke what's happening? Clarke?" Abby asks. Clarke stands up.
"It's out. She did it." Raven says with a sigh.
"What the hell was that? We under attack or not?" Bellamy asks from upstairs.
"Storm damage. We're okay," Wells says as he climbs up. Bellamy looks at the grounder.
"We're gonna try this one more time. What's your name?" Bellamy asks. No answer. "Where's your camp?" Bellamy asks raising his voice. Still no answer. "How many of you are there?" Bellamy asks.
Miller grabs the vitals. "Hey, check it out," He says. Bellamy walks over. "What the hell is all this stuff?" Miller asks. "Hell knows with these people." Bellamy says. Wells grabs a book and hands it to Bellamy. Lincoln moves the chains.
"Looks like we found something he doesn't want us to see, Jaha." Bellamy says. Bellamy opens the book and sees drawings in it.
"These aren't bad," Bellamy says as he opens a page and sees a drawing of Octavia. He looks at Lincoln. He opens another page and sees a drawing of their camp and a bunch of lines. 10 were marked out. "It's our camp. I'm guessing if I counted all those marks, it would add up to 102. 10 are crossed out." Bellamy says. "That's how many people we've lost." Wells says. Bellamy closes the book and gets up and walks over to the grounder and glares at him. "They've been watching us since we landed" Bellamy says.
Raven and Clarke had put Finn back on the bed. Clarke was stitching Finn up. She cuts the needle. "Ok, I'm done." Clarke says.
"Good, do you have anything to cover the wound with?" Abby asks.
"We'll make do. Like always," Clarke says.
"Should he be this pale? Warm, too." Raven says.
"He's lost a lot of blood, Raven. But if your boyfriend is anywhere near as tough as you, he'll be fine," Abby says. Clarke put her hand on Finn's chest.
"Wait, Mom, she's right. He's feverish, and his breathing's uneven," Clarke says.
"You need to give him some time to recover. Let me know if he gets any worse," Abby says. "I think he might just be out of the woods," Abby says.
"Well, down here, there's nothing but woods." Clarke says as she sighs.
"I need a break." Clarke says as she starts to move.
"Clarke? Clarke wait. Raven, could you give us a few minutes?" Abby asks.
"Sure." Raven says. "No. No. Just, stay with Finn." Clarke says as she walks. Bellamy looks at a drawing of a black figure shaped like a man. "What the hell is that?" Miller asks. Bellamy shows the drawing to the grounder. "A friend of yours?" Bellamy asks.
Clarke climbs up.
"Clarke, you shouldn't be here." Wells says. Clarke looks at the grounder.
"Well, if he didn't hate us before, he does now," Clarke says. Bellamy grabs Clarke and moves her away.
"Who cares? How's Finn?" Bellamy asks.
"Alive." Clarke says as she points at the grounder. "His people will care. How long until they figure out where he is? And what happens when they do? I mean, when they come looking for him? They will Bellamy," Clarke says.
"Relax, princess. No one saw us take him. He was chained up in that cave the entire time and thanks to the storm. We didn't see a soul on the way back," Bellamy says as the ship shakes again. Bellamy opens the book. He shows her the drawing of the camp and the marked out lines. "In case you missed it. His people are already killing us. How many of our people need to die or be taken until you realize we're fighting a war?" Bellamy asks.
"We're not soldiers, Bellamy. Look at him. We can't win." Clarke says.
"You're right. We can't. If we don't fight." Bellamy says.
"Clarke, he's seizing," Raven says. Clarke runs to the ladder. "On my way." She says as Bellamy closes and locks the hatch behind her. She comes down and sees Finn seizing.
"He was fine, then--" Raven says.
"Get my mom on the radio now. Raven, now!" Clarke shouts.
"The radio's dead. Interference from the storm." Raven says as she looks at Finn, worriedly. "Please don't let him die." She trembled.
Clarke looks at Finn. He stops. "It stopped. Help me get him on his side. There's fluid in his lungs, he could choke." Clarke says. Raven helps her. "He's burning up," Clarke says.
"Fluid in his lungs. Does that mean that the knife hit something?" Raven asks.
"This isn't blood. It's something else. I did everything she told me I-. Wait. I've seen this before. Shortness of breath. Fever seizing. It's poison." Clarke says.
"Clarke, you sterilized everything, I watched you do it." Raven says. Clarke looks at the knife. "Not everything. Stay here." Clarke says as she grabs the knife. She walks over to the ladder. "Clarke, they've locked the hatch." Octavia says as she walks toward her. Clarke climbs up and bang the hatch.
"Hey! Open the door!" Clarke shouts as she continues to pound on the hatch. Bellamy and Wells paces around the room as Miller opens the hatch but blocks the hatch. "Out of my way Miller. Now!" Clarke shouts. Miller moves out of the way. Clarke makes her way over to the grounder and shows him the knife. Octavia climbs up.
"What's on this?" Clarke asks.
"What are you talking about?" Bellamy asks.
"He poisoned the blade. All this time, he knew Finn was gonna die no matter what." Clarke says. She looks back at the grounder.
"What is it?! Is there an antidote?!" Clarke shouts.
"Clarke, he doesn't understand you." Octavia says.
"Vitals." Wells says as he walks over and grabs the vitals. "It's gotta be in here." He says. Clarke throws the knife on the ground and grabs the vitals.
"You'd have to be stupid enough to have a poison around this long without and antidote." Clarke tells the grounder as she looks through.
"Which one?!" Clarke shouts at the grounder.
"Answer the question!" Bellamy shouts. He doesn't answer.
"Show us. please." Octavia pleaded.
"Which one? Our friend is dying down there and you can stop that." Clarke begs. The grounder says nothing. Bellamy sniffs.
"I'll get him to talk." Bellamy says as he walks over to him. Octavia grabs his arm.
"Bellamy no!" Octavia shouts. Bellamy snatches his hand away.
"He wants Finn to die! Why can't you see that?" Bellamy asks as he turns to Clarke.
"Do you want him to live or not?" He asks. Clarke doesn't say anything. Octavia walks over to her.
"Clarke you even said it yourself. This is not who we are! He was protecting me. He saved my life." Octavia says.
"We're talking about Finn's life!" Bellamy shouts. "Do it." Clarke says. Octavia lunges forward but Miller and another teen pulls her. Bellamy grabs the knife and cuts a belt off a seat and walks over to the grounder and cuts his shirt off.
"You're gonna show us the antidote or you're gonna wish you had." Bellamy says. Clarke paces around the room. Bellamy gets in front of the grounder. He looks at Clarke, who slowly nods.
"No, Bellamy, don't, please." Octavia pleaded. Bellamy whips the grounder. Clarke looks away. The grounder doesn't say anything. Bellamy looks at Clarke, who looks away. He whips the grounder again in the face. He starts to whip him repeatedly. "Enough!" Octavia shouts. Wells dashes in front of the grounder.
"Look man, we don't wanna do this. But right now our friend is dying down there. All you have to do is tell us which one is the antidote. Because if you don't. I can't stop what's about to happen to you next." Wells says. Once again. Nothing. Wells puts his head down and sighs as he walks away. Bellamy throws the belt on the ground. "If that doesn't work. Maybe this will." Bellamy says as he grabs a huge sharp object. "Clarke you don't have to see this." Bellamy says.
"I'm not leaving until I get that until I get that antidote." Clarke says. Bellamy sighs as he held the object up the grounder's face. "Last chance." No answer. He puts the sharp object through the grounder's right hand. The grounder groans in pain. He shakes his hand painfully, blood dripping down his hand. Clarke, Wells and Octavia looks away.
"What the hell is taking so long up there?" Raven asks as she climbs up. "He stopped breathing." Raven says. "What?" Clarke asks.
"He started again, but next time, he might not." Raven says.
"He won't tell us anything." Clarke says. Raven looks at the grounder.
"Wanna bet?" Raven asks as she reaches for two cords.
"What are you doing?" Bellamy asks.
"Showing him something new." Raven says as she grabs the cords and electrocutes the grounder with it. The grounder yells in pain.
"Which one is it?! Come on?!" Raven asks. She electrocutes him again. He screams in pain. Octavia grabs the knife.
"HE'S ALL I HAVE!!!" Raven cried out.
"NO MORE!!" Octavia yells.
"HE'S LETTING FINN DIE!!" Raven rages. Octavia starts to slit her arm.
"Octavia no!!" Bellamy shouts.
"He won't let me die." Octavia says as she walks over to the grounder.
"Octavia, what the hell?" Bellamy asks as he tries to grab ber arm. She snatches away.
She crouches down and points at a vital.
"Huh?" Octavia asks. The grounder shakes his head. "Good." Octavia says as she grabs another vital. She lifts it up above her head. The grounder nods. Octavia hands Clarke the antidote, who grabs it. "Thank you." She says as she walks over to the ladder, with Raven following.
Bellamy puts his hand on Octavia's shoulder. "Don't touch me!" Octavia shouts. She and Lincoln looks down at one another.
Clarke goes down the ladder and runs to Finn. Raven were behind her. Clarke gives Finn the antidote. "How do we know if it works?" Raven asks.
"We'll know when he wakes up. He'll need water when he does. Do you mind?" Clarke asks. "Sure." Raven stands, wiping her hands and lightly brushing Finn's forehead. "I'll be upstairs."
She climbs up the ladder. Clarke starts to sob on Finn's shoulder. "I can't do this without you." She whimpers.
"Hello? Clarke? Can you hear me?" Abby asks through the radio. Clarke sniffs.
"I-i'm here." Clarke says.
"Oh, thank God. The storm is passing. How's Finn doing?" Abby asks.
"I-I think he'll be okay." Clarke says.
"Well that's thanks to you. I am so proud of you. Your father would be so proud of you, too."
Something inside of Clarke snaps at that moment.
"No," she snarls. "You don't get to talk about him."
"Clarke?" Abby's voice is surprised, and Clarke rolls her eyes.
"You do not get to talk about dad like you're not the reason he's dead," Clarke hisses. "You turned him in. Your husband. My Father. You let him die."
"Clarke, I-" Abby's voice cracks, she starts to sob. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Thelonious was supposed to talk him out of it."
"I don't care," Clarke cries. "You still did it. And you let Wells take the blame for it, too. He let me hate him all this time, so I wouldn't hate you. Well, guess what?"
"Please, Clarke, let me explain-"
"No," Clarke reaches forward and slams her fist on the button. "I am done talking to you." She collapses next to the radio, sobbing into her hands. She cried for a while. The storm had finally passed, the hundred were back to work. Clarke paces around the dropship until she hears a groan. She wipes her tears and walks over to Finn and smiles. "Hey doc." Finn says smiling weakly. Raven walks over. "Hey, tough guy, what happened?" Raven teases, "You scared us for a second there." Raven says.
"Good save." Finn says. Clarke grins.
"Well it wasn't just me." Clarke says, cocking her head towards Raven.
"Raven needs you, Finn. Try to get some rest." Clarke says. Finn nods. Clarke walks out the dropship. She walks towards Wells.
"We'll get it cleaned up." Wells says. Clarke sighs. "I wish this was our only mess." She says. Wells grabs her hand.
"Clarke." He looks down and sees the object Bellamy stabbed the grounder with.
"Who we are and who we need to be to survive are very different things." Wells says. Clarke points at the dropship.
"What are we gonna do with him? We can't keep him locked up forever." She says.
"If we let him go, He'll be back, and not alone this time. It's not easy being in charge is it?" Wells asks. They stare at each other for a moment before Clarke walks away. Wells watches before he does the same.
TO BE CONTINUED