"No one else can die because of me."
— Marcus Kane, "The Calm"
Kane was starting to think that John Murphy was right, that the threat wasn't real. He stood with Rebecca, leaning against the railing, as Bryan and Justin slowly made their way into the trees, both talking without a care in the world. Kane kept his eyes on the forest, but the lack of sleep was getting to him. He got less than five hours every night as he always had something Chancellor-related to do after the 6am patrol. He was exhausted.
"You still with me, Marcus?" Rebecca asked, nudging him with her elbow. His head snapped up to look at her. She said, "You looked like you were falling asleep."
He shook his head. "I was just thinking about the meetings for the day."
She rolled her eyes. "That's a lie if I've ever heard one."
He nodded. "You're right, I was thinking about sleeping."
"You can't exactly take a nap between these patrols, can you?" She asked. He shook his head. "Damn, that's rough."
He smiled at her. "That's the life of the Chancellor."
She set her binoculars on the railing and turned to face him. "How much longer are we going to keep this up? There's been nothing for two weeks."
Kane sighed. "I know, but I don't want to let our guard down. The second we do, it will be too late."
"Yeah, I know," she replied. "I just miss having dinner with everyone. We're always on watch when dinner is on."
He smiled and nodded. "I understand. I barely see anyone but the Council and Guard these days...and you, of course."
"Well I hope I can brighten your dull days," she said with a grin.
He shrugged and look off toward the trees. "You're doing an okay job, I guess."
She hit him. "Wow, sarcasm from you? I never thought I'd see the day."
"I've come a long way," he said, smiling. "So have you."
"I know," she said, "I'm pretty awesome."
He rolled his eyes. "You sound like Raven now."
"We hang out, she lives with Gina."
"How's Gina doing?"
She shrugged. "She hanging out with Bennett Albright a lot. I think they might be dating, but she won't tell me."
"Isn't he a bit old for her?"
"I don't think so," she said with a half-shrug. "He's 30? She's 20. How big of an age difference is it between you and Abby."
"Not that much," he replied. "Two or so years, I think."
She just nodded and turned back to the woods. He tapped the knit cap on her head and said, "How can you still wear that?"
She shrugged. "I like it, it's comfortable."
"It's ridiculous in this heat," he said with a smirk.
"Oh, shut up," she joked.
A sudden shot caused them both to turn toward the woods. A second shot came and there was a scream; it took Kane a moment to realize it had come from next to him. Rebecca had fallen and he could see blood spreading from a wound between her shoulder and neck. He breathed, "Rebecca."
Kane sank to his knees next to her, staring at the wound. Her fingers were clawing at the wound as blood began to pour out. His brain seemed to kick in as he pressed both hands firmly on the wound, staunching the blood flow. Her hands kept clawing, her nails making contact with the backs of his hands and digging deep into them. He pressed down harder.
"Marcus, I..." she tried to speak, but the blood was bubbling up in her throat.
"It's okay. I'll get you to Abby. She'll fix this," he said quietly, his breath hitching in his throat. "You'll be okay. You'll be okay."
Rebecca coughed and spat blood all over him. He didn't flinch as it coated his face. Her breaths were coming out in wheezes. He pressed the wound harder as he said, "I'm so sorry, you should not have been here."
"It's okay," she whispered, her eyes looking past him. "Dad, I..."
Kane watched as her head lolled against his hands; he couldn't feel a breath against his skin. He kept his hands in place, softly whispering to her, "It'll be okay, Rebecca. It will all be okay."
It wasn't until another shot rang out and Monty came running, hunched-over, to him that he looked away from her. Monty muttered, "Christ."
Kane blinked through his tears at him. Monty placed his hand on Kane's and said, "I'm sorry, but we have to go. You're an open target."
He shook his head. "I can't leave her."
"We can't do anything more for her now," Monty reasoned, staring down at his motionless friend. "We have to find who did this."
Slowly, Kane nodded. However, he didn't make a move to leave. He leaned over Rebecca and whispered, "In peace, may you leave the shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels, until our final journey to the ground. May we meet again."
Monty muttered, "May we meet again."
Kane looked at Rebecca one more time before following Monty along the parapet. They didn't get very far before there was a shout from the tree line. They both peered through the railing. A man in camouflage exited the trees, holding Bryan in front of him. He held a pistol to Bryan's temple. He yelled, "Weapons down or the boy dies!"
Kane's weapon dropped quickly. Monty slowly lowered his. Kane leaned up over the railing and yelled, "Where's the other boy?"
"He killed Justin!" Bryan yelled. The man jerked him towards himself and muttered something. Kane guessed he was telling him to shut up.
The man turned back to Kane. He yelled, "You and your people need to leave this place. It doesn't belong to you!"
Kane noticed movement behind the man and saw Bellamy, Clarke, Costa, and Nelson moving soundlessly through the grass. Kane looked back to the man and said, "Who does it belong to then?"
"Us!"
Bellamy and the others were nearly to him. Kane yelled again, "And who are you?"
"I used to live here," he said. "You live in my house."
Kane and Monty exchanged glances. Kane stood up and leaned against the railing. "Why don't you come in and we can talk about this."
The man shook his head. "No way. This is a warning. My people are coming for you."
"Like hell they are," Monty muttered as Bellamy hit the man in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle.
Kane was sitting in the Council chamber, holding Rebecca's knit cap in his hand, when the door opened violently and Gwen ran in. Her skin was blotchy and her face was covered in tears. He looked up at her helplessly. She continued toward him and he knew what was coming, but he let it happen. She smacked him across the face as hard as she could. He looked up at her again and she was ready to let loose. She screamed, "This was supposed to be a safe place! You were supposed to keep her safe!"
He whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Gwen."
"You're sorry?" She said, rolling her eyes as she started to pace. "My daughter is dead! You were supposed to make this place safe for all of us! Not just your family!"
His eyes darkened as he stood up to face her. "Rebecca was my family!"
Gwen laughed. "You know what? No! You don't get to say that! You abandoned her-"
"And I have made up for that!" He screamed.
"Don't even think for one moment that you have made up for what you did to her!" Gwen screamed, taking a step toward him. "She could have died so many times under your watch, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner!"
"Don't you fu-"
Bellamy ran into the room and put himself between Gwen and Kane. He whispered calmly, "You two need to calm down. We're all on edge and everyone in this building can hear you."
Gwen rounded on him and said, "Don't you dare-"
Bellamy cut her off. "I know what you've lost. We are all hurting. Rebecca was one of us. But you don't get to make everyone else more terrified than they already are. They need leadership and this is not helping."
Kane breathed through his anger and Gwen stood there, looking like she was about to smack Bellamy too, but she kept her arms crossed with her hands firmly under her armpits.
Bellamy turned to Kane and said, "Sir, we have the prisoner in a holding cell. Would you like to question him?"
His eyes darkened and replied, "Take me to him."