While they walked to the building that would be their home until the project was completed, Clarke and Murphy took turns telling Raven and Abby to expect. They repeatedly reminded both Abby and Raven to ignore A.L.I.E., who waited for them.
A.L.I.E. identified Skaikru as they came through, but ignored their guards. Clarke, Murphy, and the guards who accompanied them the day before were relieved to see that doors remained jammed open and Clarke's markings were still on walls and doors. A.L.I.E. remained incorporeal, and that would make a great many things easier.
Raven wanted to stop at the first working terminal they found, but Clarke forced her to press on. She wanted Raven to see the medical facilities before she started doing anything.
When they reached the room furthest from the entrance, Clarke opened the door and stepped aside. Raven went in first. She took a few steps and stopped, then turned toward Clarke. "Did you know this was here?"
"No."
"Know what," Abby began, and like Raven, stopped just inside the room. While Raven continued to stare, Abby approached the nearest tank, a tall, transparent cylinder. She looked at it, frowning, before turning to her daughter. "What is this?"
"A.L.I.E. wants it to be Earth's new start when she gets done nuking the rest of the planet," Clarke said. "We can't let that happen."
"I'm going to take a look at the computers," Raven said before backtracking into the facility. Clarke gestured for a guard to stay with her. Murphy went with them.
Abby continued to examine the tank and the pedestal with a small keyboard and a slot for something. After a few minutes, she turned around to look at Clarke. "I have no idea how any of this works."
"We'll figure it out."
"I'll do my best," Abby answered.
"You OK on your own for a while?"
"There's nothing I can do here yet."
Clarke nodded slowly. "There's some other places I want to look at again if you want to come with me," she offered.
Abby nodded and followed Clarke through the building. They passed Raven, engrossed in a terminal display, and Murphy, who appeared to be lounging against a nearby wall. Clarke heard echoes of their guards in the halls while she re-checked each room.
Clarke and Abby eventually left the building and went outside. "Bunker or lighthouse?" Clarke asked.
"Lighthouse."
They walked toward it without speaking, walked up the staircase and climbed up through a trap door to reach the observation deck. Clarke stood and looked out at the water.
"It's beautiful," Abby said.
"Um hmm," Clarke agreed.
"Have you thought about what will happen if"
Clarke interrupted her. "Not yet, not before we've even tried."
Abby looked at her daughter for a few minutes, trying to reconcile this woman with the child she raised. Clarke looked tired and sad, and Abby saw for the first time all that Clarke carried. She didn't know what comprised Clarke's burden, but she saw its weight. "How can I help?"
Clarke managed not to scoff at the offer. She could have used Abby's help many times, but Abby wasn't willing. "Stop fighting with Raven," she finally said. "You're going to have to work together."
Abby nodded.
"Let's go see what's in the bunker."
By the time they reached it, two guards were with them and took the lead when the group entered the bunker. It was as Murphy described it. The television continued to play the looped video. Clarke ignored it but Abby stood and watched it twice.
"Who he's talking about is what we saw in the other building?"
"Yes. And we have to stop it. It's dangerous."
"I didn't realize," Abby said as she followed Clarke outside.
Clarke stopped to talk to the guards in Trigedasleng. She directed them to begin carrying gear into the main building and to set up a small camp just outside the door if they weren't comfortable inside. It still amazed Abby that men twice Clarke's size bowed their heads and answered, "Sha, Wanheda."
Clarke turned to Abby. "You're free to do whatever until Raven needs you," she said, and followed the guards to the boat.
100 – 100 – 100
For the next two weeks, while Raven and Abby learned about the facility, Clarke was an ambulating ball of anxiety. Murphy did all he could to distract her. They sparred and hunted. He kept her company while she sketched. After the second night she woke screaming, he moved his furs into her space and two nights after that, Clarke woke up to Murphy's voice trying to soothe her. When she fell asleep again, he continued to hold her hand.
The next night, he moved his furs closer and took Clarke's hand when they turned in. He didn't make her ask, and Clarke was grateful for that.
100 – 100 – 100
On the fifteenth night, Raven joined everyone for the evening meal. Clarke waited for her to finish eating before asking, "What?"
Raven hesitated before answering, "You're not gonna like it."
"Spill," Clarke demanded.
"I need to go to the City of Light. The other one."
"Why?"
"I need something."
"Just tell me."
Raven took a deep breath. "Some of the stuff in Becca's journal makes sense now, and I need to go back in to find the key that makes all the stuff in the basement work."
"What's the key?"
"Software. A.L.I.E. buried the key in there."
"There's no way to get from here?"
"I tried, Clarke. I've read every line of code four times just in case the notes were a false trail. What we need is in the City of Light."
Clarke frowned and took a deep breath. She looked at the ground while she thought about their options and finally looked at Raven. "You're not going alone."
"I have to."
"No, you don't, and you're not. I'm going with you. Somebody's got to watch your back."
"Not you."
"Yes me. You'll give me one of those chips and I'll go with you."
"No. But maybe there's another way. Come with me." Raven stood up and Clarke followed her to Abby. They had a brief conversation before the three of them returned to the main building with Murphy tagging along because he was curious.
In the basement, Abby put a drop of Clarke's blood on a slide and looked at it under a microscope. When she finished, Raven looked and stood up nodding. Clarke looked, too, and was surprised at what she saw.
100 – 100 – 100
"Bring what you usually carry and a weapon," Raven said while they ate breakfast. "I don't know what we'll need."
"You're taking a weapon, too."
"Yup, and a couple little nifty bits of tech I found laying around. This place is a gold mine."
"We do what we have to and I'll make sure Ontari sends you back to take everything you want."
"I'll make sure," Raven corrected her.
"It's like that, huh?"
"You can't be the only Skaikru with a heda of her own."
Clarke laughed and Raven grinned triumphantly at her.
An hour later, they were in a small room. Abby and Murphy were with them.
"Ready?" Raven asked.
Clarke swept her hair aside and lowered her head. Raven placed the chip on her neck and said, "Et nos unum sumus."
Abby stood on Clarke's other side and watched with wide eyes as the chip burrowed into Clarke's skin.
"All done," Raven said.
"So how do we get there?"
"Close your eyes and think about your Commander," Raven said, then settled near Clarke. She put one of the earlier chips on her tongue and looked at Murphy. "If she tries to take me over, shoot me again."
"Don't make it come to that."
"We shouldn't be too long," Raven said to Abby and closed her eyes.
100 – 100 – 100
Raven was the first to arrive in the City of Light. It looked as it did every time she came, like a living city from a century ago. She immediately began walking toward the plaza where she was supposed to meet Clarke. Clarke stood there, looking around with undisguised interest, and absentmindedly wiped away the black blood slowly dripping from her nose.
Clarke heard footsteps and turned toward them while drawing her sword. When she saw who it was, she almost dropped her weapon in her hurry to meet Lexa. Lexa smiled broadly as she approached Clarke, and Clarke dropped her weapon so she could wrap her arms around Lexa. Here, she was solid and warm, more than just green eyes and a reassuring voice.
It took Clarke almost three minutes to begin to let go, and then only because Lexa, who held Clarke just as tightly, gently reminded her, "This is not real."
Clarke kissed her briefly before letting Lexa go. When she turned toward Raven, she saw Ontari for the first time. She and Raven were looking at Becca's journal and Clarke went to meet them. Lexa picked up Clarke's sword before joining the group. Raven's finger moved over a page and they all saw her processing the information. She finally closed the book and returned it to Ontari.
"Ready?" she asked everyone unnecessarily, her nervousness showing for the first time.
Ontari and Raven walked together. Clarke and Lexa followed, Clarke's attention split between their surroundings and the warmth of Lexa's hand on her back. They stopped unexpectedly, and Raven stared at the wall blocking their path. "This wasn't here." She got her notebook out and began flipping through the pages.
"Heda," Lexa said quietly and inclined her head to the right.
"Sha," Ontari agreed and pulled swords from the scabbards on her back as she turned to face the group that approached.
"Skrish," Raven muttered, and Clarke would have laughed if they weren't about to be swarmed by an angry mob.
"The map, Klark," Lexa prompted before moving to help Ontari.
Clarke pulled her small sketchbook out and flipped through to the page with the map she copied from the one hidden in Lexa's trunk. She handed it to Raven, who turned it a few times before saying, "OK, once we get out of here, we go left, take the third right, and go left again." She handed the book back to Clarke.
"We must hurry," Ontari said, and led them in the direction Raven indicated.
Clarke was glad she didn't recognize anyone in the City of Light. She knew there would be people there from the Ark, and hoped they wouldn't encounter any of them.
"Almost there," Raven reported as they turned the last corner.
They stopped, and Clarke swore silently. Skaikru blocked their path, Thelonius Jaha in the lead. "We can't let you pass," he said.
"You're dead," Clarke said flatly.
"I tried to tell you. There is no death in the City of Light. No pain, no worry, no fear."
"She lies," Lexa answered. "There is death. Unless you step aside, you will meet yours again."
"We will not allow you to destroy this."
"Final warning," Clarke growled.
It was a bloodbath. No one was armed except Lexa, Clarke, Raven, and Ontari. Clarke's eyes leaked black tears but she did what had to be done. When the way was clear again, they followed Raven to the door. While she picked the lock, Ontari guarded all of them. Clarke's tears continued, and Lexa comforted her, her words too soft for the others to hear.
"I am sorry, niron," Lexa said while wiping tears from Clarke's cheeks. She kissed Clarke's forehead. "One day, there will be no more death."
"There is always death," Clarke answered. "It's what I am."
"It is not. Wanheda is a title of respect and fear, but it is not all you are. There is peace and it will continue. There will be no need for any of us to go to war again."
"Got it," Raven said.
"Our future is waiting," Lexa said and turned Clarke toward the door.
Ontari entered first, weapons out, but quickly sheathed them. The large, bright room was empty except for screens and one terminal. The others came in behind her and Lexa pulled the door shut. She and Ontari remained on either side of it.
"I need the book," Raven told Ontari. When she received it, Raven and Clarke went to the terminal.
Raven flipped through the pages until she found what she wanted, and handed it to Clarke. Raven pulled out her notebook and went through it until she found the page she wanted. She looked back and forth between the books and the screen in front of her until she had typed in the exact sequence she wanted, and checked it to make sure there were no errors. She took a deep breath and pushed the key to execute the code she input.
Lines of words and symbols scrolled through the screen faster than she could read all of them but she saw the important ones and turned to Clarke. "Just a few minutes for it to finish, and we can go back." When she saw the despair on Clarke's face, she said, "She'll join us there soon. Go talk to her while you can."
Clarke nodded and closed the book. She walked to the door and handed it to Ontari before turning her attention to Lexa. "Raven said it worked."
Lexa smiled. "Do not be sad, Clarke. We will soon be together."
"I want to stay with you until then."
"You cannot. It is not safe here for any of you." Lexa ended the small distance between them and embraced Clarke. "Don't be afraid. It is not much longer."
Clarke was silent. She breathed deeply, soothed by Lexa's familiar scent.
Across the room, Ontari and Raven talked quietly. "This is all that needs to be done?" Ontari asked.
"Here," Raven clarified. "The rest of it is in the world, and it's just a waiting game."
"How long?"
"As long as it takes. I don't want to be here any longer than necessary."
Ontari smiled. "I miss you, too."
Raven smiled back and they shared a kiss. The screen emptied. "Finished," Raven announced. To Ontari she said, "I'll see you soon."
"I look forward to it." They walked to the door, where Clarke and Lexa quietly embraced.
"Clarke, we need to get back."
"I will see you soon, niron," Lexa said, and kissed Clarke again. She nodded to Ontari and looked at Raven. "Mochof. This is a great gift."
"Thank me next time," Raven answered. "Clarke, close your eyes and think about your mom or the boat or the lighthouse." She was about to do the same when Ontari stopped her so they could share one more kiss before Raven left.
"Heda, you must go, too," Lexa said.
"Leida," Ontari answered, and disappeared.
Lexa looked around the empty room before departing, making sure the door locked behind her.