chapter 16 - deals with devils

➳ ➳ ➳

"Welcome, Skaikru." Lexa greeted everyone, as they entered the tent. "Join us."

The army was only a few miles away from the Mountain at this point, however, they deemed it a good enough place to stop and relay the plan of the mission. The Commander had the important team leaders gather in her tent, where they all stood around a large table that had a mini display of Mount Weather set on top of it.

"Package from Raven." Sergeant Miller stated, as he handed a fairly large device over to Clarke. "Hydrazine. She said it would do the job."

"Good." The blonde replied, taking it from his hands.

"And, uh, your mother wanted to be here too. But—"

"—I know." She cut him off. "But the wounded from Tondc need her more." Miller nodded, before stepping back, which allowed Lexa to begin with the meeting.

"Field Commanders," She declared. "Today's the day we get our people back. The enemy thinks it's safe behind its doors, but it's not. When it realizes that, it will fight back. Hard. We need to be ready." She then turned it over to Clarke, with a simple nod.

"This is a rescue mission." Clarke specified. "We are not here to wipe them out. There are people inside that mountain that have helped us. Children who have nothing to do with this war. We kill their soldiers. Their leadership if we have to. But we are there to rescue our people. Is that clear?" Everyone silently nodded in understanding, causing the blonde to continue on. "Good. Then let's begin."

"There are four teams." She stated, as she moved closer to the miniature model. "Two of them at the dam and in the mine, are moving into position already. The third, inside the mountain, is freeing the grounder prisoners as we speak. It is our job as the fourth team, to keep the eyes of the enemy off of them for as long as possible. To do that, we have to be in position at the main door with our entire army. The Mountain Men believe the door can't be opened from the outside, so they leave it unguarded. Only, it can be. And thanks to our source on the inside, now we know how."

"According to Maya, the electromagnetic locking system has one flaw. When the power goes out, it disengages. And that's where Raven's team comes in. The mountain's electricity is generated at Philpott Dam. By now, they've taken the turbine room. It's their job to blow the power. Once they do, we blow the lock. There is a catch. A backup generator inside the mountain. If the lock is still functioning when that backup power kicks in, we'll never get that door open. We'll never get our people back."

"How much time do we have until the backup power kicks in?" Miller asked.

"...One minute. That's the window."

"Small window." He mumbled. "Why don't we just take out the backup generator too? Bellamy's inside. Have him do it."

"Leaving them without power that long would kill them all." Clarke replied. "And as I said, that's not the mission. Besides, we lost contact with Bellamy."

"What? We did? When?" Monroe questioned, with worry in her eyes.

"After he took out the acid fog."

"Bellamy's a warrior." The Commander cut in. "He'll be fine.

"As the Commander said, once the door is open, the shooting will start. And they'll throw everything they have at us. But that's what we want. We want them looking at us. Because while we're fighting at the front door, Indra's team will be escorting the prisoners out the back, right through the Reaper tunnels. Once all our people are free, they'll sound the retreat. We'll be back home before Mount Weather even knows they're gone. And that's it." She concluded. "That's the plan."

Lexa then spoke up once more, as she addressed her people. "The mountain has cast a shadow over these woods for far too long. They've hunted us, controlled us, turned us into monsters. That ends today! Thanks to our alliance with the Sky People, the mountain will fall. As Clarke said, we spare the innocent. As for the guilty..." She smirked, before restating the never ending words that her clan lived by. "Jus drein jus daun."[Blood must have blood.]

At that, all of the people joined in, and together they chanted the same words as they all hyped themselves up for what was about to come.

"JUS DREIN JUS DAUN! JUS DREIN JUS DAUN!"

___________

"According to Dakota's map, we're getting close." Octavia spoke, as her team made their way deeper into the Reaper tunnels. Indra and the others looked around the area, and noticed all of the possible directions to go in, which confused them greatly. "It's a maze." The brunette sighed. "Kota should be here to show us the way."

"She wasn't ready." Indra instantly replied. "Even if she wasn't wounded, she still wouldn't have been able to come back to this place. And I wouldn't have expected her to."

"You know, it really meant a lot that you forgave her."

"She earned that." Indra brushed her off, before they all proceeded to walk in the correct direction. "I've known Dakota since she was a child. She always questioned our ways. But if she ever chooses sides against the clan again, not even her bravery can save her."

Before Octavia could respond, a distinct sound came from behind them and one of the guards from camp began shooting his gun aimlessly. "Stop shooting!" She immediately demanded.

"The Reapers are not the enemy!" Indra bellowed, quickly pushing the guard's gun down.

When it was silent once more, and nothing appeared from where the noise came from, Octavia then turned to face the guard. "We don't kill them unless—" But before she could finish her sentence, Reapers had caught them off guard and came rushing over to attack them.

"NOW!" Jackson shouted, and the team instantly lifted up their homemade tone generators—courtesy of Raven—and clicked on the frequency, causing the Reapers to immediately fall to the ground. While they were distracted, the young doctor then ordered them to take out their tranquilizers, and aim for the Reapers' jugulars.

Once all the the crazed grounders were unconscious, Octavia then told everyone to secure their hands and feet.

"Well done." Jackson commended everyone. "They'll be out for a while. We'll come back for them."

"Let's go." Indra stated. "We have to find that door."

➳ ➳ ➳

Meanwhile, Monroe was just finishing drilling a medium sized hole into the front doors of Mount Weather. Clarke and Lexa, as well as the rest of the army, were all watching and waiting for her to do so. "That should do it." The redhead stated, once it was complete. "Bombs away."

At that, Miller then knew that it was his queue to walk up to the door, and slide the hydrazine device into the hole.

"Be careful." Clarke warned him, and he nodded slightly.

As he approached the door, Lincoln walked with him up there, so that he could watch his back. Miller's hands shook nervously as he pulled the device out from his bag.

"Hey." Lincoln calmly spoke, as he placed his hand on Miller's. "You can do this." He assured the older man.

"What if we're too late?"

"What if we're not?" Lincoln replied. He then leaned in closer to the man, so that only he could hear. "Draw strength from your son." He whispered, referring to one of the mountain's hostages.

Miller nodded, and slowly slipped the glass container of pink, chemical fueling liquid, into the slot on the door. He then quickly turned the device on and walked back to the group, where everyone proceeded to wait for Raven and Wick to shut the power off.

_________

Once night had quickly fallen, and torches were being lit, the army was still waiting for the power to shut off so that they could blow the door.

"It's taking too long." The blonde whispered anxiously, however, Lexa was unfazed.

"It takes as long as it takes." The warrior stated, remaining calm. There was a moment of silence between them, before the Commander spoke up once more. "What will you do when it's over?" She questioned her, referring to the war itself.

"I have no idea." Clarke shrugged.

"Well, what do you want?"

"...Nothing." She replied after a moment, before facing the brunette. "My people back. I can't think past today."

"You should come with me to the capital." Lexa uttered, and looked over at the blonde. "All this will change the way you think about us."

"You already have." Clarke assured her, before gunshots were heard in the distance.

The two looked at each other in worry, before Lincoln appeared next to them. "It's coming from the dam." He informed them.

"They know we're going for the power." The blonde concluded.

"They know we're going for the door." Lexa gritted.

"As soon as those lights go off, you push that button." Miller told Clarke, referring to the remote in her hand that will trigger the bomb on the door.

"We'll do the rest." Lincoln added.

Clarke nodded and gripped tightly onto the remote.

Not too long after that, the lights did indeed go off, causing the blonde to sigh in relief. "She did it."

"One minute starting now." Miller stated.

Clarke quickly lifted the device and held it out for Lexa. "For those we've lost." She recited, and the Commander placed her hand on the remote as well.

"And those we'll soon find."

Together they pushed the button, and braced themselves for the explosion.

However, it never happened...

"What's wrong? Why isn't it working?" Lexa questioned her frantically.

"They're jamming us." Clarke sighed. "I have to get closer." With that, she walked out from the rock where they were hiding behind, and tried to get a better angle of the door. However, Mountain Men immediately started shooting at her, causing Lincoln to grab her and quickly push her back behind the rock.

"Forty-five seconds!" Miller shouted over the gunfire.

"Swap emo triga op! Gyon au!" [Flank the shooters! Go!] The Commander ordered some of her men, and the warriors instantly obeyed. However, they didn't make it very far before they were shot down.

"If I can get there, I can trigger it manually." Miller stated amongst the chaos.

"No," Clarke stopped him. "You can't get there."

"For Nate, I have to try."

Clarke nodded reluctantly and Lexa quickly ordered some warriors to cover him.

"Bloka wo! Nau! Teik em gon dou!"

They immediately obliged and set up a makeshift shield, with each one of them using large pieces of metal as shields from the bullets. Miller got in between them, and they all covered him as they slowly made their way closer to the door.

"Thirty seconds!" Clarke called out.

Sadly, one by one, the warriors were shot down. Somehow, the gunmen either shot at their exposed feet, are at any other open area on their bodies. Eventually, all of them were down, including Miller, and Clarke grew anxious.

"We'll find another way in." Lexa tried calming her, but she shook her head in denial.

"There is no other way in. You know that!"

"We don't need one." Lincoln cut in, as he lit one of his arrows on fire.

Clarke quickly caught on to what his plan was, and she quickly alerted him of the time. "Ten seconds."

Lincoln shot up from behind the rock, and pulled back the arrow in his bow.

"Five seconds!"

The grounder took his aim and held his breath...

"Four...three...two..."

Lincoln released the arrow before she could even say one, and it instantly hit the target, causing the bomb to explode and blow the lock on the door.

"It worked!" Clarke rejoiced, though slightly out of breath from worrying so much.

"We need to get to that ridge and take out those shooters." The Commander noted. Lincoln stood up without hesitation but Lexa pulled him down. "No! You stay with Clarke. When the shooting stops, you get that door open!"

When Lincoln and Clarke both nodded at her words, the warrior quickly shot up, and ordered her men to follow her.

➳ ➳ ➳

"We found it." Octavia sighed, once the back door to Mount Weather was in their line of vision.

"You found it." Indra corrected her. "It appears we didn't need Dakota after all."

"...Thank you."

"You've done well, Octavia.." The warrior complimented her. "...kom Trigedakru." [...of the Tree People.] She added.

"What does that mean?" Octavia wondered, but Indra gave her a look.

"What you think it means."

"I think I wanna hear you say it."

"You're one of us now." Indra clarified for her, and the brunette was truly at a loss for words. She had finally felt like she proved herself, and it was a big moment for her. She appreciated the fact that Indra strengthened her skills, more than the warrior women could ever know.

__________

"Lincoln..." Clarke warned, as the man cautiously stood up from his hiding spot. At this point, the gunfire stopped, and the flying bullets were no more.

"Lexa did it." Lincoln realized, causing the blonde to stand up also.

"Clarke, look." Monroe said, upon seeing Sergeant Miller move around on the ground.

"Make sure he's okay." Clarke ordered her, and the girl did just that. She then glanced over at Lincoln. "They'll be waiting just inside the door."

"Good." He instantly replied, before addressing the waiting warriors behind him. "Mafta ai op! Tu tayon! Ge yo ogud na pul klin!" [Follow me! Two lines! Get ready to pull!]

The warriors all gathered around the door, and began hoisting their grappling hooks up onto it.

"Train your fire on the door." Clarke ordered the others.

The men pulling the door grunted out with struggle, yet they refused to give up until it was open. Eventually, they were finally able to crack open the heavenly ironed door.

"Attack!" Clarke shouted, however her words were quickly deafened out by the sudden sound of the Commander's voice ordering them to stand down.

"Chil yo daun!"

Everyone halted in their tracks, including Clarke, as they watched the Commander walk back over to them. However, what took the blonde by surprise was when she saw a restrained Emerson next to the warrior.

"What is this?" Clarke immediately questioned, but before Lexa responded, grounders were limping their way out of the recently opened doors. "They're surrendering?"

"Not quite." Emerson smirked cockily, and Clarke quickly looked towards the Commander with suspicion, once she realized that only grounders were coming out.

"What did you do?!"

"What you would've done." Lexa stated calmly. "Saved my people."

"Where are my people?" The blonde gritted.

"I'm sorry, Clarke. They weren't part of the deal." She then took out her dagger and freed Emerson from his restraints, causing Clarke's heart to drop deeper into the pit of her stomach.

"You made the right choice, Commander." Emerson arrogantly stated, before glancing at Clarke and casually walking through Mount Weather's front door.

"What is this?" Lincoln wondered, as he approached the two.

"Your Commander's made a deal." Clarke informed him, though she had trouble believing so herself, as she never took her eyes off of Lexa's.

"What about prisoners from The Ark?"

"They'll all be killed." She answered, as tears formed in her eyes. "But you don't care about that, do you?" She directed the last words to Lexa.

"I do care, Clarke." The Commander stated. "But I made this choice with my head and not my heart. The duty to protect my people comes first."

"Please don't do this..." Clarke whispered in a begging tone.

"I'm sorry, Clarke."

"Commander, not like this!" Lincoln pleaded. "Let us fight!"

"No, the deal is done." She cut him off, just as the doors to Mount Weather were pulled shut."Teik oso rowenes laud." [Sound the retreat.] She ordered one of her men, and he instantly did so.

Even though the majority of them were slightly confused, the army slowly turned around and retreated back home at the sound of the horn.

"You too." She told Lincoln. "All our people withdraw. Those were the terms."

"They'll be slaughtered. Let me help them."

"Sis em op." [Take him.] The Commander ordered the warriors beside her.

"No!" Lincoln shouted, as they rushed to grab ahold of them. "They tortured my sister! They tortured Dakota!" He tried to appeal to Lexa, but the girl just blocked out his words. She couldn't let the idea of her younger sister stop her from keeping her end of the deal. No matter how badly she too wanted the mountain to fall.

"May we meet again." She uttered, giving Clarke one last look before retreating with her clan...

➳ ➳ ➳

Octavia and her team quickly glanced at each other in confusion once they heard the horn being blowed.

"We're retreating." Indra informed them with skepticism.

"That can't be right." The brunette mumbled, but the woman ignored her.

"We have to go, now!" Indra ordered them, as she placed her sword back in it's sheathe.

"Indra, wait." Octavia stopped her. "They're still in there."

"And our Commander's out there, under attack for all we know!"

"I don't trust her." Octavia admitted, shaking her head. "Not after Tondc. And neither should you."

Indra looked it her in disbelief. "I gave you a direct order."

"Please. This was the plan. If we're not here with the tone generators when they come out—"

"—Plans. Change."

"Octavia, let's go." Caris spoke up.

"I'm not going anywhere without my brother." The brunette told them both, causing Indra to frown and aim a knife at her throat.

"...You are no longer my second." The warrior seethed, and cut into the girl's skin lightly, before pulling back and walking in the opposite direction.

Everyone quickly followed her, yet, Octavia remained still. Her focus only on the door as tears built up in her green eyes.

"Octavia, please. "Jackson requested, kindly. "Come home with us."

"...I have no home." The brunette replied, slowly realizing it herself.

Jackson sighed, and set down his backpack. "You'll need this." He stated, before following Indra and her team.

_______

"Dad?" Cage greeted the older man, as he walked into the solidary confinement. "You were right. She took the deal. You're a hero to your people. We've won."

"No, we haven't." Dante Wallace gruffly responded, with a shake of his head. "Not yet. Peace with the savages isn't enough to make the grounds safe for us."

"I know." His son nodded. "The Ark."

"They'll never stop. No parent ever would."

"You're right. Twenty minutes ago, we picked up a small group on the radar. I already have a team on the way." He smirked,