It was dark, the sounds of violence had ended abruptly as they had begun and Whitman stood still, his hands clutching his rifle tightly, his gaze focused on the shadows ahead.

The first ambush had been a little sooner than they had expected, casualties had been taken but they had pressed forward, they had put the savages on the back-foot and now he thought they had at least taken back some of the initiative where hunter now became hunted, the savages too afraid to fight face on, too afraid to stand their ground lest they be cut down by gunfire.

"Smoke it," Whitman said quietly.

The order was followed, someone stepped forward enough to get some space then they fired a smoke canister from their under barrel launcher. The quiet thwump of the grenade being fired echoed out before it landed somewhere on the far end of the tunnel. A hiss echoed out then before it began to fill the area ahead with a thick and acrid smoke.

They had no need to hide their advance now. Not when everyone would know they were coming.

"Be ready," Whitman said to those around him. "Those with infra-red sights lead, everyone else follow behind—"

"Whitman," Emerson's voice sounded in his ear, the sound just barely distorted this far into the tunnels.

"Whitman here," he said quietly.

"They're going for the dam," Emerson's voice sounded just a little strained as if he were in the middle of running.

Whitman cursed quietly. It had always been a possibility, always been a risk. But if they knew the dam was truly under thread maybe it wasn't so bad. At least they could focus all their attention on securing it—

"And they're coming through the tunnels to us," Emerson's voice cut in and there was just as much annoyance as there was anger in his voice.

Whitman paused to consider what that meant.

"Send whoever you can spare back to us. We need to end this threat before things get further out of control," Emerson continued. "We're sending reapers to help thin out anyone in the tunnels ahead of you."

"We won't be able to distinguish reaper from savage in the dark," Whitman warned. "It'll be hard to control them when things get violent."

"Understood," Emerson said. "Kill anything that gets in your way," Emerson said. "Reapers are replaceable. If we're lucky the savages and the reapers will kill each other and let you slip through. This is a zero failure situation."

"Understood," Whitman answered with a single nod before the radio clicked off.

He took a moment to consider his next moves then before he looked around at the solders who stood in the tunnel, faces turned outwards as they continuously scanned for threats.

"Alpha, Charlie and Delta teams return back," Whitman turned to the rest of those with him. "Everyone else on me. We're going loud."

It was more quiet than it had been in days. The once quiet calm of the tunnels was replaced by a tense silence that sat heavy upon Jake's shoulders. He stood at the opening of one of the many tunnels that led to one of the many main chambers deep underground. One hand lay atop the pommel of his sword, the other hanging by his side as his fingers tapped against his thigh.

The initial sounds of conflict had echoed through the tunnels not too long ago, each and every warrior quick to move into place, to silence any and all noises and prepare for a conflict that had been coming for years.

He had already sent warriors out into the forests, their presence enough to give warning should reapers try to descend upon them from behind. He had already sent warriors outwards and into the tunnels to act as an initial line of contact. But he knew the numbers sent wouldn't be able to hold off an assault by reaper or mountain man. Not alone. But he knew it would give the main army a direction to turn their attention on, to reinforce and to meet the mountain head on.

An Azgeda warrior stood close by his side, the woman's face scarred with similar markings to Ontari's, the appearance enough to tell him they came from the same village.

"Is this your first battle against the mountain men?" Jake's voice was quiet as he spoke to the woman, and as he glanced at her he found her to be young, barely older than many a young second that also stood near their firsts around them.

"Yes," the woman said quietly, her hands gripping a spear tightly as she looked up at him with determined eyes.

"Are you afraid?" he asked, his voice turning softer, more calm, and perhaps he could be forgiven for thinking of his daughter at such a time, in part because he knew her in danger, and in part because the young woman he now spoke to had clear blue eyes that for a moment made him wonder what life would have been like if Clarke had never been born a natblida.

The woman chewed over his question, he watched as she considered it with far more seriousness than he would have expected before she nodded her head briefly.

"My first. Nell," the woman's lips twitched up into a small smile. "He always told me it was important to embrace the fear," she worried her lip. "That if I stop feeling fear then it means I no longer fight to live, but to die and that I would do no good for myself or others."

"He sounds like a wise man," Jake said and he looked around in search of him, perhaps he stood nearby with a new second. But Jake saw no man that fit the description.

The woman seemed to sense his search for her first because her smile saddened as she blinked rapidly a couple times before steeling her expression.

"The reapers took him last winter," her voice was a little smaller, quieter, softer in the dark. "I was to ascend in spring."

That revelation didn't surprise Jake. Every warrior within the tunnels had lost friend, family, mentor to the Mountain or the reapers. But still. Jake would let himself feel the sadness of the young woman as if it belonged to him in that moment. He would let it fuel his actions, hone his senses and give him the anger he would need to cut down everyone who stood in his way.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Kess," the woman said and she looked up at him with a youthful determination he admired.

"Stay close to me, Kess," Jake said simply as he turned his attention back to the tunnel that stretched out before him. "Together we will see the new day."

Raven paced back and forth slowly, her gaze focused on the worn concrete flooring. Though she didn't think it hadn't been long, she had lost track of time, of how long they had spent locked in the cell. She didn't even entirely know how long it had been since Emerson's voice had last sounded out through the speakers.

She had long since stopped cursing herself for not anticipating the fact that there would have been alarms. The time for that was over. But still, she thought it was partly her fault the three of them were now stuck for the time being.

"You think we're still being listening to?" Octavia asked quietly, her gaze focused on the camera in the top corner of the cell, the red light blinking oppressively.

"Probably," Bellamy said and Raven couldn't help but to laugh a little at the way he glared up at the camera, the expression somewhat muffled by his face still showing the signs of the beating he had taken before coming to Mount Weather.

Raven took a moment to consider their dilemma though. As she considered it more she found herself coming to the conclusion that Anya and Kane must have got whoever they were with out or there'd be more commotion, more gloating. But Raven also didn't think they had done enough to give them time to get away scot-free.

And that left her feeling unsure of what to do in that moment. Part of her considered making a commotion, trying in some way to cause another distraction. But she knew herself unable to do much in a cell, nor did she want to accidentally do something that would make the situation worse considering she had no way to know just what the situation was outside of the cell.

But as Raven looked up at the camera again, as she considered the microphone she knew would be listening to everything they said, she found herself coming up with a plan. Or at least something that she thought would give everyone outside some kind help.

"Hey," she gestured for Bellamy and Octavia to come to her. "Here."

Raven walked over to the corner with the camera overhead, she got as close as she could to the wall and she glanced up. Satisfied that she was at least partly out of sight she turned to face both Blake siblings as they approached, both of them clearly unsure of what she wanted them to do.

Raven held a finger up to her lips as they approached before she gestured for both of them to bring their heads closer together.

"Listen," she said quietly into their ears, the position all three of them were in at that very moment a little awkward as she leant forward and tried to whisper as close to their ears as possible. "Firstly, us making it obvious we're trying to hide from the camera will put them on edge," Raven said as she gestured to the camera above them. "Second, the microphone won't be able to pick up everything I'm saying if I stay quiet," she felt like she breathed the words more than she actually spoke them. "But they might be able to pick up the fact I'm saying something. Now I have an idea," Raven continued. "We pretend that there's more people on our side in Mount Weather, enough that Emerson and the others start looking for them, too."

Raven leant back enough to look both Octavia and Bellamy square on to gauge their reaction to her idea.

"That's dangerous," Bellamy more mouthed than voiced.

Octavia looked between them before shrugging uncertainly.

"Innocents might get caught in any crossfire," Bellamy whispered as he leant in closer.

"Do you have a better plan?" Raven challenged. "We're stuck in here until this all ends. There's nothing else we can do."

She looked between both of them for a moment as she let Bellamy think over what she had said.

"What about anyone outside in one of the camps," Octavia added quietly. "Who was," she paused as she clearly tired recalling a name or two. "Monty? Harper?" she looked at Bellamy. "Weren't they part of your original team?"

"We're not throwing them under the bus," he shook his head.

Raven sighed. She didn't blame Octavia for the suggestion, nor did she blame Bellamy for being unwilling to point the metaphorical gun at people who had no part in this. But still, Raven didn't like the situation they were in.

But they were in it now and she wanted a way out. Or at least a way to help rather than be stuck in a cell unable to do—

Movement caught her eye and she looked at the locked cell door window to find a couple figures running past. The next thing she heard was shouting, something frantic, panicked and then gunfire erupted.

That made her jump, it made Octavia instinctively duck and Bellamy whirl around as if he could somehow tackle the thread from where he stood.

Raven ran to the locked door despite the danger and she tried to see out of the small window, tried to find out what was happening. A flash of gunfire filled her vision, the sound made her ears ring despite the locked door and she stepped back lest she catch a stray bullet or ricochet.

"Here," a muffled voice through the door screamed. "Here!" whoever it was sounded panicked, scared. Terrified. "It's her! It's fucking—"

A flash of bright metal flashed past her vision and then it followed a gargled, jumbled mess of sound. There was a thump of a body falling to the ground and then silence settled.

Raven's eyes were wide as she tried peering down the hallway outside, as she tried to see what was happening. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, her blood seemed to thrum through her veins and she didn't know what to do in that very moment other than stare at what she saw.

A figure slowly came into view, their gaze settled on something on the floor on the other side of the window but Raven couldn't take her eyes off the figure.

They were grey, pale, their skin seemed to almost glow a ghastly pale blue in the flickering neon light overhead. Deep black shadows were cast across the person's body, they dripped down its limbs, gathered on the floor and— and…

And Raven realised it wasn't shadows that she saw but blood. Black where it should be read. Black blood dripped from the figure's cheek. Some of it dripped down her neck, soaked into the thin light gown she wore that seemed to float in the barely there breeze of Mount Weather's interior. Blood dripped down onto the floor, her bare feet left behind bloodied footprints that made her skin crawl and Raven found herself for the first time coming face to face with the things she barely understood and knew.

The figure stopped mid step and Raven watched as they leant down, seemed to pull something from the floor and then they stood to reveal a bloodied knife held in a delicate hand. But Raven's gaze snapped to something that caught her ear as the figure bent down.

As the figure bent over the gown opened just enough to reveal their toros, the ribs. What seemed like two bullet wounds punctured into its body, they dripped and oozed blood down pale skin, soaked into the gown. Raven continued to stare as she watched the first bullet wound slowly begin to close, slowly begin to slow floor of blood until it barely ebbed from the wound. But then she saw something else. Something strange. Or something more strange than she could really grasp.

At first it took her a second to realise what it was, but as the wound continued to close she watched as the figure reached into the wound, their fingers firm, strong, sure as they dug into pliant flesh. There was a grimace of pain, something that told Raven what she looked at hurt more than she could fathom and then the fingers retreated, they came out bloodied, just barely trembling, but held within them was a bullet, its shape mushroom, compressed from its use.

And then the bullet was dropped on the floor as the figure straightened.

Raven swallowed hard, she blinked as if she were trying to clear her vision and then she recoiled.

The figure now stood just in front of the door, it paused mid gait and Raven felt a shiver run down her spine as they slowly turned to face her.

She felt Bellamy and Octavia standing behind her, too. She didn't know how much they had seen but she knew it was enough that they didn't need her to explain any of it. Not that she could explain any of what she had seen regardless.

And so Raven found herself staring at a woman. Young, perhaps years younger than herself. Black and bloodied, scars littered what she could see of this woman's body. The gown she wore did little to hide the scars, did little to stop the bleeding and Raven didn't know what to think.

A face turned to her slowly then. Pale blue grey eyes pinned her with such an intense stare that she felt herself locked in some kind of stance as the figures head tilted to the side ever so slightly, the expression that came to settle upon the woman's face was curious, predatory and wicked in the harsh of the light.

And so the woman's lips turned up at the corners, her lips parted to reveal almost black gums and shining white teeth that seemed too sharp, too sinister to her in that very moment.

And then a voice, muffled by the door but clear nonetheless said to her.

"Hello."

Ontari's chest rose heavily as she ducked the mighty swing of an axe that would have taken her head off with ease. She cursed as she slipped on an unseen rock only to roll, to deflect the next swing and then she was up on her feet. She stepped back once, twice, a third time, she pivoted, angled her sword enough to protect her exposed side just long enough that she could close the distance and then she struck hard, she struck true, viciously and too fast for the reaper.

Ontari snarled as she drove her sword through beaten leathers and matted furs. She snarled as she felt her blade sink into muscle and flesh, as it sliced between ribs and puncture vital organs and severed arteries.

A spray of foul blood hit her face as she spun, as she wrenched her sword free her eyes darting back and forth as she looked for the next threat.

Ever since the first ambush her vanguard of warriors hadn't come face to face with the Mountain Men. That worried her. That made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She knew they were trying something. She knew they had a plan. But she couldn't worry about that. Not when reapers had descended upon them in the dark.

Chaos was all around her. Screams, shouts, cries and agony filled the air. It was too tight to fight with any kind of formation, not when reapers cared not for sanity or safety or security in their lives, their actions urged on by drug fuelled rage and broken mind.

She could hear other parts of their army engaged in combat throughout the tunnels. At times she was sure she even heard the echoing crack of mountain tech used against her people, but she didn't know where it was, how far or how clo—

The wind was knocked out of her as she was lifted off her feet, slammed into the wall and then thrown onto the ground.

But Ontari ignored the pain, ignored the fact she could breathe and she scrambled, crawled. Her leg kicked out behind her, it hit true, she heard a grunt of pain and it gave her enough time to put distance between her, put distance between threat, and it gave her enough time to draw a knife and throw it as hard and fast as she could at a reaper that staggered back, slipped on something wet on the ground before toppling over, her knife lodged in its throat.

Ontari cursed the Mountain. Ontari cursed each and every reaper and she ignored the fact that they were once friend, companion, lover, father or mother. It would do none of them any good if they considered those facts in that mome—

She spat out a mouthful of blood as she pulled her sword free of a third reaper, as she blocked the slash of a rusted sword. She cursed as a slice in her thigh made her leg wobble just a bit, the wound she knew not how she got. But still, Ontari fought. She fought hard. She fought with every fibre of her body as she began to reassess their strengths, their position in the tunnel and she knew they would need to fall back soon, would need to regroup with more if they were to give Heda enough time to do what she needed to do.

"Fall back!" Ontari's voice roared out, it echoed and bounced off the tunnel walls and she began moving back, began pulling her warriors with her as they tried to discern friend from foe amongst the swarm of reapers.

And so they began to run, began to dodge reaper strike and reaper blow as they moved closer and closer to where she hoped their reinforcements lay in wait.

Lexa sat staring at the schematics in front of her, in her hands the radio she had used to talk with Anya, her grasp firm, worried, perhaps a little too tight around the plastic. Though the layout of the systems was vastly different to the Ark's, most of the systems seemed to function the same. She recognised the systems used for rerouting power, she recognised the systems for surging capacity when needed. Most things seemed straight forward, seemed easy enough for her to be able to understand without too much trouble.

But she knew, too, that she didn't have enough people here to be able to do much more than monitor the situation without doing serious damage. And that, she thought could be a problem if anything unexpected happened.

Despite that, she was thankful nothing had been shut down, nothing had been interrupted. She knew these systems were designed to have redundancies, systems in place to ensure their smooth operation without human input unless something serious happened.

She looked up at the sound of footsteps to find Maya walking towards her, frown upon her face, her hands stuffed into pockets as she tried not to step into a pool of blood that lay between them.

"How's everything look?" Maya asked.

"Good," Lexa gestured to the schematics she had been studying. "So far so good," she shrugged as she looked around them now, and for the first time she felt a little unsure about what her nexts steps were going to be.

Maya smiled tightly as she pulled up a chair and sat down next to her, the motion heavy, the violence of the earlier moments clearly having taken a toll on her.

"As soon as Mount Weather realises they've lost contact with the dam they'll send reinforcements to retake it," she said eventually, her gaze focused somewhere in the distance.

Lexa sighed at that information. It wasn't even unexpected but she found herself not enjoying the violence, the things that had happened within the last few days.

"Once Heda makes contact she'll tell us the next steps," Maya continued and Lexa watched as Maya's gaze seemed to follow Tobias who walked by.

Lexa remained silent for a moment as she continued thinking over everything that had happened before she spoke.

"We're using the dam as blackmail," she said simply. "Threatened to turn it off if the Mountain doesn't surrender."

"Or destroy it completely if Heda doesn't make contact," Maya said with a shrug.

Lexa nodded her head slowly as she began to think over what that would mean. It didn't take her thoughts long before she found herself realising what that would mean for Maya, too. But Maya seemed to sense where her mind had went for she laughed something between bitterness, acceptance and even maybe tired happiness.

"Yeah," and Maya looked at her. "I guess I'm screwed if that happens," and Maya patted the bag she had kept with her. "The last supplies of Heda's blood," she said. "About a month's worth."

Lexa bit her lip as she tried to think of something to say about that. But she found herself unsure of what she could say that would seem appropriate given the circumstances.

"I'd probably see if I could go see the beach," Maya said eventually. "I've never been and there'd be no point in me staying hidden."

Lexa felt her lips twitch up at the corners at that. She thought it sounded nice.

"I don't know if I'd be allowed though," Maya continued with a quiet acceptance that Lexa found so sad. "I wouldn't be surprised if one of the warriors decided to kill me, there'd be chaos in the coalition if we fail."

Lexa wondered what would happen to her if they failed and she realised she hadn't really thought about that future.

"I'd be in the same boat as you," she said. "Other than— you know," she cursed herself just a little as she gestured to the bag.

"Yeah," Maya's laugh was a little lighter, a little less tinged with sadness.

"If we're successful," Lexa said, perhaps in an attempt to lighten the mood some more, perhaps to turn her attention away from some of the darker thoughts that were swirling in the back of her mind. "What will you do?"

Maya hummed a sound as she lent back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling above before she answered.

"The same," she said. "Maybe visit some of the other clans, too if I can," and she paused as if to second guess what she had said. "Maybe ask Heda if she will help me try and find something more permanent," and Maya shrugged again. "I no my time is limited," Maya continued. "Ever since I made the decision that I did I knew I'd never live to old age. Logistically it's a nightmare," and she laughed again, and despite the macabre topic the sound seemed even lighter, less weighted and more carefree.

"My people will help you find a cure," Lexa said. "Or something longer lasting," and she meant it. She knew her people, those who would see reason, would be able to help in some way. "We've got more systems on the Ark, or what's left of it, that could help. More people, too."

Maya smiled at her in way of thanks.

"I'm not getting my hopes up, though," Maya said with a simple shrug. "I'd just be happy that those responsible aren't around anymore."

It was said with a quiet conviction that Lexa didn't underestimate. But she let the topic go, in part because she didn't want to pry further into Maya's life without being offered, and in part because again it made her feel a little too worried about the people whose lives were still at risk.

"You know," Lexa said, her mind already searching for a different topic. "I've never actuall—"

"Lexa, come in. Are you still alive?"

Lexa startled as she stared down at the radio she had all but forgotten about grasped in her hands as Anya's voice sounded.

"Anya, I'm here," and she moved closer to Maya so that the other woman could here. "Maya's here, and others," she gestured for Tobias and the other warriors to gather around.

"Lexa."

The second voice was familiar, too and despite the situation and despite the people that now gathered around her, Lexa felt relief flood through her body, she felt her lips twitch up at the corners and she realised a weight had lifted off her shoulders.

"Clarke. I'm here."