Bellamy knew it was a terrible ultimatum, and he would've said so but Octavia left no room for discussion as she left right after offering her deal. They didn't even have a full chance to properly discuss it between themselves as Griffin stirred and woke from his nap. Echo made a note that they could talk later before she went to check up on Griffin.
After getting him what little food they had, Bellamy figured she could use some time to herself before doing what she was asked and snooping out those seeking to defect and take Diyoza's offer. Whether she was going to give them up to Octavia would be a later conversation. Looking over to Griffin he tilted his head, "What do you say buddy, feel like coming with me to help Uncle Monty do some hacking?"
Griffin's sleepy face lit up at the thought of being able to help, even though he didn't know what any of it meant, and jumped up onto his feet. "Ok!"
After a quick goodbye they walked off toward the bunker and into one of the rooms they were given to set up their base of operations. Walking in he saw Monty already hard at work, working on ways they can try to shut off the eye. Griffin found a chair and dragged it over so he could sit next to Monty and watch. Monty made a gentle but cautious warning to the boy that everything on the table was important and to not touch without permission.
As Monty continued to work over the next hour Bellamy began to pace back and forth which started to annoy him.
"Would you stop pacing?" He asked.
"Can you do it or not?" Bellamy asked in response. Referring to the half a plan they had on using one of the lasercom radios to synch with their systems and using it to bring down the tech that was watching them.
"I have access to the mothership. But everything is encrypted, so no." Was Monty's only answer as he continued typing on the computer, trying different methods of getting in.
"When we were up there, I could have opened a backdoor from the inside. But we didn't know they had a damn camera!" He roughly unplugged one of the wires from the computer startling Griffin who was watching silently.
"Hey Monty" Bellamy started, "take it easy." He came around the table to try and comfort his friend.
"Look why are we even doing this?" He asked in response, "So your sister can go to war? What happened to us being the good guys?"
Griffin pouted listening to them argue, "Daddy are we not good people?"
"We are..We are." He said first to Griffin then to Monty emphasizing his words the second time. He now wished he had left him with Echo or Harper, not expecting Monty to get as worked up as he was.
Taking a moment he collected himself and let Monty take a chance to calm down as well. "Raven's a prisoner, Murphy has a shock collar around his neck and is alone in the woods with Emori. This..This is how we get back to them."
He put a hand on his shoulder trying to provide as much strength and comfort as he could. "Come on, just try again."
"I'm telling you I can't do it from here." Monty tried saying again when the door opened and Echo walked in. A not so good look on her face bringing Bellamy to walk over worried.
"What's the matter, no takers?"
"Oh no, there were takers." She told him. "I'm just not turning them in."
She glanced to Griffin before stepping closer and lowering her voice, "Some bad things went on down here Bellamy. No one will talk about it, not even the ones who want to defect. I can see it in their faces."
She looked into his downcast eyes as she continued, "I'm sorry. I know this means I'll be banished, but I can't do it." Her emotions started to get the better of her and she had to turn away so their son wouldn't see her get upset. The thought of having to leave him behind. Her own painful memories trying to force their way through the front of her mind but she was quick to shut it out and reign herself back in.
He took her hand, and made her look at him before speaking. "Then let's defect with them."
"Bellamy" Monty inquired, wondering why now he would choose to leave.
"You said you can't do it from here. But we could if we had inside help right?" Bellamy asked as Monty started to understand the meaning.
He fumbled around with some items on the table before holding up a tiny USB. "I could put the backdoor code in a thumb drive."
Echo turned him back to her, "Bellamy, Octavia's not joking when she said defectors will be shot."
"Admittedly, not a perfect plan." He then looked to their son who just sat there staring at them all.
"Hey kid, ready for another adventure?"
Griffin just groaned and slouched into the chair. "My butt is still sore from the last one."
They all laughed as Bellamy came over to him and joked about making it feel better before tickling him in his side causing the boy to erupt in laughter and trying to fight him off with no luck. The mood in the room lightening just slightly. As they all got on board with the decision to defect they knew there was one last thing to do. Tell Octavia.
They packed up the essentials as they went over what they were going to tell her and explain how this was going to be the best case scenario if they want to get to the Valley. Monty offered to watch Griffin as he got to work on getting a few last things ready for when they were able to get the thumb drive to the mothership.
As they got to the door Bellamy told one of the guards standing outside that he needed to speak with his sister. After peeking in and getting confirmation he stepped aside to let them in. Bellamy walked in first, then Echo. They stood in front of Octavia who was sat in her chair, Cooper standing off to her right.
"So, what do you have for me?" She asked waiting.
Echo stood firm as she explained, "I'm not turning people in so you can execute them."
"A spy and a murderer, with a conscience. Your Bellamy she has changed." Octavia replied surprised to see that she wasn't going to give any names.
"There's something else. Monty was wrong.." Bellamy started. "He can't hack the eye from here, not without inside help."
"So you've both failed." Cooper said.
"Not exactly." Bellamy countered as he showed her the thumb drive and began to explain how the program on it would help them gain access to the camera and give them full control allowing them to turn it off and keep themselves safe from their missiles and any other surprises.
"You want me to let you defect?" Octavia asked raising a brow.
"It's either that or your people starve to death here in Polis when your farm stops producing." He told her trying to leave no room for argument. But that was easier said than done as she refused.
"I'm not sending you on a suicide mission." She expressed directly to him, not completely caring what would happen to Echo. "Diyoza knows who you are, she knows your my brother. She'll never believe you're a defector."
"She'll believe me." Echo cut in gaining her attention again. "I already have the perfect cover, I'm banished. The defectors think I'm one of them. All you have to do is let me go alone." She offered changing the plan Bellamy had started putting together for them.
"Letting traitors go will promote dissent." Cooper interjected not liking the idea.
"Your right, its a political sacrifice. But a necessary one if you want your people to survive." Echo replied trying to get Octavia to see any positive part in all of this.
Octavia took a moment to think, looking between the two before speaking to Cooper. "Call off the patrols. That's an order."
"But once you're on that ship, you're on your own. If you're discovered, or you fail to take down the eye.." Blodreina stood up and stalked her way to stand in front of Echo as she spoke. "No one is coming to save you."
"Then I better not fail." Was all Echo said in response as they called the conversation over.
The walk back to the tent was silent as Bellamy knew there would be no changing anyone's minds. And since Octavia had already declared it so. If his sister had forbade him to go, she knew she would take the proper precaution to make sure he didn't follow Echo onto that ship. In a way he knew she was right as well and it made him mad.
"I wish you didn't have to do this alone." Was all he said as they walked.
"I know. But we both know I have to. For our family." She told him before walking into the tent to see Monty and Harper waiting for them. Griffin sitting next to Harper playing with one of his toys.
"Well? What's the final plan?" Harper asked, Monty giving her the details of the day to catch her up.
Bellamy just stood off to the side as Echo explained that she would be going alone, getting the drive to Raven, and hoping to fool the prisoners long enough for Wonkru to make their way and help reclaim the Valley for them all.
"I guess it's a good thing I made this then." Monty said and held up what looked like a bracelet. He then motioned for her to hold up her wrist for him and helped place it on her.
"The latest Grounder fashion, with one small modification." He explained as he took the USB from Bellamy and slipped it into a secret compartment on the bracelet. "The jump drive will be hidden inside, no one will know."
"Clever." Echo told him with a small smile.
"Once your on the inside, get it to Raven. She'll know what to do." He finished before moving in closer and wrapping his arms around her for a hug. A sentiment she didn't share with everyone often, but knew that this was an occasion that called for one.
"Don't get killed ok?" He said softly. "Your the only one who liked my algae."
Echo gave a light laugh, "Actually I was just being polite." She told him before pulling away.
Harper gave a look to Monty silently telling him they should have a moment alone. She brought Griffin with them and said they would be back before it was time to go.
Once alone, she could feel the anxiety coming off of Bellamy. "I've got this." She said before turning to look at him.
He continued to look down, dreading his next words as he finally found his voice again. "I-I think you should take Griffin with you."
Echo was taken aback and watched him for a moment to let him explain.
"Like you said your banished, so they won't question you wanting to keep your son safe by your side. With all the craziness here, and having barely any food. I think it would be best to have him with you. I think it would be safer."
It took her a moment to think on what he had said. To keep him away from his family for however long it would take for the eye to go down and get them to the Valley. What if something went wrong? Could she even trust Diyoza to honor the deal of keeping the defectors safe and offering them a home?
If she knew one thing though, it was that she trusted Wonkru even less. If they wanted war, then she needed to keep Griffin as far away from it as possible. Seeing no other option in this short a time she hesitantly nodded. "Ok..I'll take him."
They both stood there, dealing with their own emotions before Echo spoke up again, doing her best to be the strong one. "I've got this." She said more confidently.
"Yea I-I know." He said giving a short nod, trying to compose himself. "So once the eye is down, it'll take at least six days for Octavia and her army to get there. But you know, I'll be in the rover and I can get there faster if anything hap-"
He was going to ramble on more but she came over to him and gently placed her hands on his cheeks and lifted his head to look at her through his teary eyes.
"We found each other in a cage. Whatever happens, I know we'll find each other again." She consoled him reminding them of their rocky beginnings and how it led them here to this moment.
He simply nodded before locking their lips together and kissing her with as much passion as he could. After six years together, four years being a true family, saying goodbye felt just as hard as when they launched into space. Not knowing what would happen next and how he couldn't control it. But he could control this moment. A moment he forced himself to believe wasn't a true goodbye, but a 'see you soon'.
She returned the kiss and melted into him as they spent the rest of their time making love and saying their goodbyes.
