CHAPTER 19
Clarke's POV
"It's been a week already. The grounders and our people are getting restless again. Yesterday, Bellamy took an arrow to the shoulder. If Octavia hadn't been there Bellamy would've died and a fight would have erupted between our people and the rest of the clans. You can't just expect us to sit and wait and do nothing. What is going on? I demand some kind of information. Where has Lexa gone?" my mom asked Indra and I.
"Look Abby. We can't tell anyone what we are planning because the truth is that there is no plan for us. We can't do anything. We have to just believe that the Commander will complete her quest to save us all." Indra said.
"Yes, but where is she. Stop going round about and just say it already." Abby said frustrated.
"Was it hard to believe that Lexa came back mom? Cause I could hardly believe it at first when it happened too and I was the one that wanted it the most to be true. We never really explained what happened to Lexa when she merged with Alicia to the grounders. They just believe that their great Commander found a way to come back. How do we explain to them that their great Commander left the ground and went to the past to kill Alie the programmer, so that there would have never been any radiation or nuclear meltdowns during our time? We can't. If we did say it to the grounders, they would think Lexa, their protector and leader, abandoned them. They would think we were lying to their faces. They would never believe she would be able to go to the past. They would laugh at us and think we were mocking their intelligence. They would then riot again and fight to see which clan could be in charge of the coalition. Our people are barely united too. They actually put their faith in Lexa for the first time and then Lexa leaves Polis. It wouldn't look good if we told the truth." I said.
"She went to the past? But… still they will revolt even if you don't tell them the truth." Abby said.
"We know Abby. Wanheda and I are extending the good will and respect the grounders have for me and the Skai Kru has for Wanheda to keep peace for as long as possible. I'm surprised we even lasted as long as a week. We need to provide the Commander with whatever time she needs to complete the quest." Indra said.
"Yes, we'll know when it's done when our present changes. We'll know she'll be successful. And as for the people. Once they run out of their compliance with what we have already given to them, Indra and I will be ready to suffer the consequences that come with helping the commander and representing the positions we embody at Polis. I fear the time is coming soon. You will not be able to stop it mom." I said.
"Clarke. I hope you know what you're getting yourself into this time. This is complete suicide. You're just sitting here waiting to be killed and not doing anything to stop it." My mom said.
"Without her, I'm already dead mom. This world is no longer fit for me now that she has left it. I would've died sooner if she hadn't reminded me of my position in Skai Kru I would've killed myself or asked Indra to kill me again. It's hard enough right now not letting any of my emotions show because I am a leader. I'm holding out as long as possible for you, mom, and our friends. I love them too, so I'm willing to sacrifice for you guys. Just please let us do this our way. We've thought about other options numerous times. This is the best way. We're not changing our minds." I said.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" It sounded like people were trying to ram the doors of the tower down. It's begun. I gave my mother a weak smile before I looked over to Indra.
"Indra. They're coming for us." I said stoically. I was ready to accept my fate.
Lexa's POV
"Alicia. Wake up. Donny said it's time to go. It's already morning." Marny said as she shook me awake. I sluggishly got up from Nick's hold and stretched. I looked down to see a passed out, Nick, Ofelia, Chris, and Nate. Donny was on watch.
"Let them sleep. They had a rough day yesterday. Let's make them breakfast before we wake them." I told Marny.
"Sure," Marny said. We gathered some food and cooked it. It wasn't amazing, but it was enough to get us through the day. I woke everyone up when it was done and called Donny over. We ate our now brunch in silence.
"What's going to happen?" Ofelia asked.
"We're close to her building. It's only a couple blocks from here. We go to the penthouse and kill her." I said. There were no nods or disagreements we just all stood up and gathered our belongings from the convenience store and got ready to leave. We checked if the exit was clear of the infected and headed towards Erica's building. The walk to the building was fine. There were no threats because we were in broad daylight; the first floor of the building on the other hand was a different story. It was flooded with the infected and we needed to get to the elevators.
"Listen up. We need a formation around Alicia. She needs to make it to those elevator doors. Do you hear me." Donny said.
"No, I'm going to fight." I said. They all nodded and made a circle around me.
"No, you need to make It up. You need to make the shot. We have no idea what this is for. Don't you want to find out why this girl did what she did to your people. You have an obligation to know the truth. Now stay in the circle Alicia." Donny said.
I was dreading going in. I didn't want to lose any one else, but I knew there was no other choice. I saw it in their eyes. They were all willing to go in and fight for the people of the future that didn't mean a thing to them. They were only fighting because those people were important to me. There lives were on me. With this trust and loyalty, there's no reason why we wouldn't be able to get through this.
"Move!" Donny said. We opened the doors and Donny, Nate, Chris, and Nick fought the infected in the front, while Ofelia and Marny got any leftovers that made it pass the boys. Chris tripped and the circle broke. When I looked down, he was already being eaten. This took everyone by surprise and we broke formation. Ofelia was grabbed from behind because she was too encapsulated with what had just happened to Chris, that she let her guard down. She too had been bitten. That's it. I'm fighting. I took out my swords and spun them, slicing off heads and legs. Nick almost got bit before I stabbed the infected in the head. We made it to the elevator doors. We hit the elevator button and turned around. Chris and Ofelia had turned and Nate was missing. For the first time since we were back, I saw a scared Donny.
"I have to go back and find my brother. If the elevator doors open before I come back just go, okay. Good Luck!" Donny said as he ran back towards the entrance.
It was just Nick, Marny, and I left.
"Ding." The elevator sounded as the doors open. We stepped in and pressed the top floor where we knew Erica would be. The doors closed and we began our ascent. Midway through the ride up our elevator came to a sudden halt.
"What the hell." Marny said.
A black screen above the buttons lit up. Words started to appear across the screen.
"Test for humans: Type in the first president of the United States." It read.
"George Washington." Nick typed in.
"Thank you. You may proceed." The screen wrote before shutting down. The elevator lights flickered and we started going up again.
"Ding." The elevator doors opened and we were surprised to see Erica waiting for us patiently in front of the elevator. She didn't have any weapons. She just looked cleaned, well dressed, and calm in comparison to us.
"You're here to kill me aren't you." She said.
"Yes." I said.
"I'll let you. There's nothing left to do here anyways. I'll run out of food soon and eventually die, but first why do you want to kill me?" Erica asked.
"You really don't know? Don't play dumb. By now you would've built it." I said.
"I'll tell you whatever you want to know. But first…" Erica said. She lifted her hands and snapped. There were two gunshots. I felt the wind from them both on the sides of me. I heard a thud. I looked down to a dead Marny and Nick. What! I felt my anger boiling. My nails dug hard into my hand.
"What..? Why'd you do that." I said as I stepped forward and took my sword and placed it swiftly by her neck.
"Don't you want to know why I set off the radiation and why I created Alie 2 Commander? I know who you are. You see I've been waiting for you. I needed to tell you that your trip was a complete waste of time and my plans need to go accordingly for the rest of humankind to survive the longest it can." She asked.
"Tell Me." I huffed out.
"Come with me and I'll show you." She said. She started walking without my agreement. Everyone. I just lost everyone important in my life. This better be one hell of an explanation of I'm going to skin her alive.