WAR OF CROWNS, the hundred

eight: where you come from

"I'm gonna stand here in the ache
until the levee, until the levee on my heart breaks."

until the levee by joy williams

"How the hell is she still alive?" Avery asked no one in particular as they sat in the rover.

They were driving back to Arkadia, where Farm Station was set to meet them. They would have enough beds, even if it was a pretty tight fit. Raven, Wick, and Monty had planned the compound to accommodate a lot more people than they had. They just hadn't exactly planned for so many to come so quickly. They figured it would be a multiple generation population growth type thing.

"No idea." Kane answered with a sigh. "Probably the same way we are."

"I hope not." Monty said with a shiver. He didn't want to think about his mother enduring any of what they had.

Bellamy shifted closer to Avery, putting a hand on the small of her back. He leaned his head down to rest on her shoulder as she leaned back to put her head against the side of the rover.

"We'll figure this out." He whispered, sure that no one else could hear. "I love you."

"I love you too." Avery whispered back. "Sorry you had to meet my mother like that."

"Do you think she'll like me?" Bellamy joked, his face forming into a grin.

"I think Hannah will." Avery said, loud enough for Monty to hear. Monty cracked a smile bigger than Avery had seen from him in a while. "Harper too."

"I think so too." Monty said, and despite everything, Avery smiled.

***

Their rover led the convoy back to Arkadia. There were about 5 vehicles in total. Avery and Marcus weren't sure how they'd gotten them, but assumed they'd found them the same way the Arkadians had found the rover. Avery spent the majority of the ride making a plan with Marcus, both Miller's, and Indra.

There was always a chance that this was a trap.

They took the trip in one go. There were too many people to stop. Marcus tried to protest, but no one would argue with Indra, Avery, and Miller. So they didn't.

When they finally got back to Arkadia, Avery could hear the lull of voices as soon as they pulled into the camp. She jumped out of the rover first, making eye contact with Monroe, who's eyes showed complete confusion. She stood with Sarah at her side.

"I take it you found Farm Station." Monroe had to project her voice over the chaos.

"Yeah," Avery sighed. "We did."

"What's the plan?" Lincoln appeared beside Monroe.

"We get the children settled and show the guard around." Avery said as Bellamy appeared beside her. "Then we meet with the leaders to decide what's next."

"Who are their leaders?" Monroe asked. Avery felt her jaw clench.

"You'll see."

***

They gathered in Abby and Marcus' office. Pike, Amy, Hannah, and two others stood on one side of the table. The other side was mostly delinquents and Lincoln, who seemed very unsure about the whole thing. Abby, Marcus, Miller Sr., and a few other guards stood with them.

"So what the hell happened?" Pike spoke first, looking directly to Avery King.

"Where should I start?" Avery clenched her jaw, trying to avoid eye contact with her very much alive mother.