xiii. casualties [part. II]

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chapter 13 - casualties
[part. II]

➳ ➳ ➳

10 Minutes before missile launch...

As soon as Clarke made it back into the village unnoticed, she immediately grabbed her mother by the shoulder and pulled her aside.

"Mom, what are you doing here?!" The blonde practically hissed. "I told you to stay back at camp!"

"Enough, Clarke!" Abby scolded her. "I am the chancellor. I don't need your permission to goβ€”"

"β€”No, we have to leave. Now!"

The doctor caught sight of the frantic look in her daughter's eyes, and instantly knew something was wrong. "What is going on?" She questioned her. But Clarke just shook her head and lowered her voice some more, if that was even possible.

"We can't be here. Mom, I'm begging you. Please, just listen to me." Abby nodded quickly, yet hesitantly, and followed her back out of the village.

"Where's the Commander?" Indra asked Kane, just a few feet away. "Where's Clarke?"

"I don't know." Was his reply. No one had seen them in awhile and it was definitely enough time to raise suspicions between the two. "The last time I saw them, they were heading downstairs."

"They're not there now."

Kane took a moment to think, as he looked out to the crowd of people in front of them. He watched some of them conversate amongst themselves, as some feasted on their dinners, and a few warriors sharpened their blades in the corners. He could have sworn he even heard laughter somewhere between the merging conversations floating in the air. All of this and more was in his line of vision, yet not one of those people were the co-leaders of the alliance. Which was odd, considering the important meeting that was scheduled for that night.

"We should search the woods." He finally spoke, glancing over at Indra in time to see her nod in approval.

"I agree."

After that, they went their separate ways. Kane going back inside to inform the other clan leaders, and Indra leaving in order to form a small search party. At that point, it seemed like everyone in Tondc was busy doing something with their lives. Whether it be important business, or just hanging out with friends and celebrating the fact that all of the clan leaders were going to be putting their differences aside for now, in order to defeat a much bigger enemy. But yet, out of all the hundreds of people that were present in the village, none of them happened to see the camouflaged Mountain Man hiding in the trees.

They were oblivious...

"Final targets confirmed." Whitman radioed in, still assuming that Clarke and the Commander were with the other leaders in the building. "We are go for launch."

"On your command, sir." Emerson stated, locking in the missile back at Mount Weather.

Cage smirked, as he watched the live footage coming from Whitman's camera. He had a perfect view of the majority of Tondc, and he was ready for the show to finally begin. "Fire."

Emerson instantly pushed the button that released the nuclear weapon, and they both watched as it launched.

"Bird is in the air. Impact in ten...nine...β€”"

"Wait!" Abby yelled at Clarke, once they were a few hundred yards away from the village.

"No! We can't stop! There's no time!" The blonde cried.

"I am not taking a step further until you tell me what is happening!"

Clarke didn't even have to say another word. Before Abby even finished her sentence, they heard the sound of the machine propelling through the air, and they watched as it lit up the night sky while heading towards the mass crowd of innocents.

"β€”five...four...three...two...one..."


➳ ➳ ➳

Present Time...

Kota and Octavia climbed up the enormous pile of rubble that was blocking their view of the destroyed village. They too, had not seen the missile coming, and so they had been much closer to the explosion then Clarke and Abby were. Once they had reached the top, they both stood shell-shocked as they peered down at the scene before them.

If the traumatized screams and the cries of pain weren't enough to depict all of the devastation hidden beyond the thick smoke, then the actual sight of the victims definitely would. Various bodies and piles of ash laid scattered everywhere they turned, and the people who did manage to survive, surely didn't look like they should still be standing.

Not one person was stumbling around without some sort of burn or wound on them, and everyone had smudges of black coated on their skin from the flames. Some limped around aimlessly, trying to search for their lost loved ones, while others even staggered about looking for their lost limbs! It was complete and utter chaos, and pandemonium was surely evident.

Without wasting anymore time gawking, the couple rushed down the pile of rubble and onto the scene to help. They began with attempting to search through the debris that they were just standing on a few seconds ago, trying to see if anyone survived but was stuck under the fallen rocks.

"Kota, be careful. It's not stable." Octavia warned her, concerningly. Noticing how the grounder girl was jumping from the rocks in a not so cautious manner.

"Someone's down there." Was the girl's only response, before she tried lifting a block of cement bigger than her. The veins in her forehead protruded and a guttural sound emerged from her throat as she strained to lift it with all of her might, but it just wouldn't budge.

"Need a hand, Sis?" A male's voice suddenly appeared from behind her, and she already knew who it was before she turned around.

"Oh, Link! Thank god you're alive!" She sighed and leaned forward to catch her breath, placing both of her hands on her knees for support.

"I was in the woods looking for Clarke and the Commander when the missile hit." He replied, at the same time moving to help her with the rock. "I'm so glad you survived, I didn't even know you were here. Where the hell have you been for the past forty eight hours?"

Dakota rolled her eyes as they both picked up the debris and set it back down a few feet away. "You really think this is the best time to question me about my whereabouts?"

"TouchΓ©." He replied, before noticing the familiar darker skinned warrior that was laying motionlessly on the ground where the rock had been.

"Indra!" Kota shouted, gaining Octavia and Abby's attention. "She's alive!"

Lincoln moved away some more rocks, which allowed her to bend down and drag the woman out. Again, she grunted loudly as she did so, overestimating her physical strength. Either that, or she was just too weak from the blast.

"Sen ai daun, Ripa!" [Put me down, Reaper!] Indra yelled at Dakota, who was only trying to help her.

And so, she did just that.

After pulling her out of the hole, she dropped the warrior to the ground with a thud. Indra grunted and glared at the girl, before she slowly stood up on her own with some difficulty. The warrior then took the opportunity to survey all of the surrounding destruction, but she wasn't even standing more than ten seconds before the sound of a gunshot filled the air and a bullet pierced right into her shoulder.

Everyone gasped and rushed to help her but several more gunshots starting blasting through the air, and the whizzing sound of them rushing by and missing, was coming from every direction. Everyone ran to take cover from a shooter they weren't even sure was located.

"Octavia, go! Get down!" Dakota shouted, and the said girl listened and ran behind a small piece of remaining wall. All of the others ran for cover as well, while Kota managed to carry Indra behind a large tin can.

_______

Meanwhile, Clarke and Lexa were somewhere in the woods when they suddenly heard the multiple gunshots. Clarke immediately stopped as realization hit her.

"It's the spotter!" She informed the leader beside her, before turning to rush in a different direction. "He aimed the missile. He's alone!"

"Clarke, just slow down." Lexa stopped her. "If he's a spotter, he's here to make sure we're dead. If he tells the Mountain we're aliveβ€”"

"β€”He won't."

"How can you be sure?" Lexa looked at her skeptically, but Clarke's threatening glare told her more than words ever could.

"Because I'm gonna kill him."

And with that declaration, the duo raced off to find the gunman that was hiding somewhere on the outskirts of all the chaos.

_________

"Dakota! You must stop the bleeding!" Nyko shouted to her from a few feet away. The grounder girl had only a limited amount of experience when it came to the skills of a healer, and even though Nyko and Lincoln were nearby, there was only so much they could do to assist her when bullets were still flying through the air at anything that moved.

Kota went to put pressure on Indra's wound, but the warrior instantly shoved her hand away and grunted in pain. "Indra, let me help you!" She sighed in frustration.

"No." The woman spat, before sending her a distinctive look that made Dakota feel like she was the most disgusting thing to ever exist. She knew that the stubborn warrior still viewed her as the dirt beneath her shoe and that she would not allow Kota to lay a hand on her, so it was useless to try and help her.

With that revelation in mind, the grounder girl decided that she could be of better use elsewhere, specifically with going to put an end to the sniper. So, when a few of the others managed to avoid the bullets and gather closer together, she chose to take the risk of carrying Indra over to them. She ignored the woman's remarks and instead, threw her over her shoulder before running out into the open fire.

She passed Octavia on the wayβ€”who was already looking over at her in shock of her ability to carry the womanβ€”and Kota instantly requested her to follow. Together, they made it to where Lincoln and the other Trikru members were gathered, and Nyko immediately relieved the girl of her hold on Indra.

"What are we gonna do?" Atohl questioned the group, as they all tried to catch their breath. "We can't move."

"I'm going for the shooter." Dakota informed them, turning the heads of both her brother and lover. "I'll sound the horn when it's done."

"All right, my friend." Nyko nodded, and patted her back.

Lincoln was about to speak against her doing such a dangerous task but once she gave him a look, he immediately shut his mouth. Apparently, he was trying his best to get on terms with this whole 'my baby sister isn't really a baby anymore' phenomenon.

Octavia on the otherhand, wasn't afraid to let the girl know where her head was at. "I'm going with you." She decided, but Kota quickly held her back.

"No, Nyko needs you here."

"Are you sure you're up for this?" She asked, her green eyes full of nothing but concern.

Dakota smiled lightly and pulled the brunette in for a hug, before resting their foreheads together, creating a short moment of intimacy and assurity. "Ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim." [Get knocked down, get back up.] She repeated Octavia's words from earlier, causing the girl to smirk in return.

They then parted ways, and once Kota was out of sight, Octavia turned around and focused on the situation with Indra. "What can I do?" She questioned the healer, and Nyko guided her in putting pressure on the bullet wound.

Indra groaned in pain at the feeling of her hands pressing against the punctured flesh, before forcing Octavia to look her in the eyes. "This is my village. You're the Chief Second. Save...our...people."

"But we're pinned down. And the other Seconds won't follow me."

"So make them." The warrior responded between breaths, before slowly losing consciousness.

"She's losing too much blood." Lincoln stated, and Octavia looked around aimlessly.

"We have to do something!"

"Thanks, Sky Girl." Caris, one of the other female seconds sarcastically commented. "But there's nothing to do until the sniper is dead."

Octavia sighed and looked out into the trees as another gunshot fired. She could only hope that for everyone's sakes, Dakota would manage to take down the monster that was wreaking havoc on the people of Tondc.

➳ ➳ ➳

"It'll be light soon." Lexa informed the blonde as they wondered around the woods in search of the shooter. "We won't have the darkness to hide us."

"Neither will he." Clarke responded, dryly.

"I feel your anger, Clarkeβ€”"

"β€”Do me a favor." She cut her off. "No more lessons."

"You need to focus. We do what we must to survive. The enemy does the same. It's not personal."

"It is to me."

"You think killing the shooter will make you feel better, but it won't." Lexa stated, matter of factly. "The only thing that will, is winning this war."

"That's enough." Clarke whispered harshly, just as the leaves rustled in the other direction. They both turned to look, just in time to catch a figure running by. Quickly, they ducked down, and Clarke pulled out her handgun, while Lexa unsheathed her sword.

"Is it him?" The Commander questioned, referring to the spotter.

"No." The blonde sighed, as they moved closer to the figure. Eventually, the person recognized her as well, and decided to show themselves.

"Dakota?"

"Clarke?" The grounder girl questioned in disbelief, as she walked closer. As she approached, Lexa also decided to show herself, causing Dakota to gasp slightly. "Commander, wh--?" She couldn't even form words to describe her confusion at seeing the two. And really, they didn't know what to say either, upon seeing the blood, sweat, and ash covering the girl's face.

"Octavia and Lincoln said you guys were missing."

"You've seen Octavia?" Clarke asked, hopeful, and Dakota nodded.

"Yeah. The few that survived the explosion are being pinned down by a sniper. That's why I'm here."

"Stealth has always been one of your greatest attributes." Lexa complimented her. "I'm not surprised they sent you."

"They didn't send me. I volunteered." Dakota remarked with one of her eyebrows raised at the duo.

She was still confused, and a bit skeptical, as to what exactly they were doing in the woods, especially in the odd disguises that they had on. But before she could even question them further, another gunshot echoed in the air. "Come on," She ordered them. "We need to get to higher ground."

With that, she walked away and left the two leaders to follow her commands as they trailed behind her, no questions asked. They knew good and well that they were in no place to be making demands of their own right now...

_________

"We can't wait anymore." Athol said, as they continued to hide from the sniper, even as the sun came up. It was now daylight, and they had yet to retrieve the people who were still stuck under the heaping piles of rubble and debris. "Our people are dying down there."

Octavia looked over to the rubble, and took a second to form a quick plan. "Okay. If we can get to the crater, we could tunnel in from the side."

"There's no cover." Caris stated the obvious, making the brunette rethink her options.

"I'll do it." Atohl offered, after picking up his bottle of alcohol and drinking one last gulp of courage from it.

He then threw the bottle to the ground, before jumping up and running out into the open. Unfortunately, he didn't make it very far before being grazed by a bullet, which led him to immediately fall back behind the wall.

"Any other bad ideas?" Caris chastised.

Octavia looked over to the pile once more, and this time, took notice of the burning flames that were near it. She then picked up Atohl's bottle, and took a swig before cringing at the aftertaste. "Just one." She replied, while placing the cork back in the top, and chucking the bottle over to the flames.

The reaction was just as she planned. The makeshift Molotov cocktail instantly exploded, becoming a diversion to the sniper. Not only that, but the thick layer of smoke created a source of invisibility for them, so that they cold finally make a run for it.

One by one, with Octavia in the lead, the grounders made their way across the field, before sliding into a ditch right next to the pile of debris.

"Now what, Sky Girl?" Caris asked, smirking in approval of her quick thinking skills.

"Now, we dig." Octavia smirked back, triumphantly. "Remember to stay low."

_________

The trio that consisted of Kota, Lexa, and Clarke, all made their way up the nearest mountain in search of the spotter from Mount Weather. Soon enough, they didn't have to walk much farther before the gunman found them first, and began shooting in their direction. Dakota, taking it upon herself to protect both leaders of the alliance, quickly pulled Clarke and the Commander behind a huge boulder.

"So much for the element of surprise." Lexa sighed, the frustration and exhaustion clearly evident in her tone.

"I'll draw his fire." Kota stated, but the blonde quickly shot down the idea.

"No. I will." Without wasting anymore time, she raised her gun and immediately began shooting in Whitman's direction, causing him to turn all of his attention towards her. While he was distracted, Lexa nodded for the grounder girl to take him by surprise from the opposite side. Once Dakota was out of sight, Clarke stopped shooting and took cover back behind the rock.

This caused confusion and a slight tad of worry to emerge within Whitman. He stood up out of his hiding spot and cautiously moved forward, aiming his gun in every direction while trying to find out where they had disappeared to. Finally, when his back was finally turned, Dakota jumped off the cliff from above himβ€”in a rather dramatic wayβ€”and brought her sword down on him, slicing a gash across his face, and causing him to drop his gun.

She instantly landed on the ground and went to swipe his feet from under him, but the man was also very skilled in combat, and saw it coming. He caught her leg and jabbed his elbow into her thigh several times, most definitely allowing bruises to form later on, while the girl cried out in pain.

But Dakota was known to be resilient, and she was not about to lose this fight. She quickly twisted out of his grip, kicked up from the ground

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