SOLDIER
book one
It's been 97 years since a nuclear explosion radiated life on Earth and life support on The Ark is now failing. In a desperate attempt to grant the citizens of the SpaceCraft more time, 100 juvenile delinquents are sent down to the...
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A FACADE of confidence concealed Vivienne's fears as she followed Bellamy into the depths of the woods, with Murphy keeping his pace beside her. The trees loomed eerily around them, their creaks and the rustling of leaves heightening Vivienne's unease and every twig that snapped underfoot sent a shiver down her spine.
Meanwhile, Clarke and Wells pressed on, guiding the way to where Jasper had last been seen with a wooden spear pierced through his chest, a grim reminder of their new brutal reality.
"Since when are we in the rescuing business, huh?" Murphy asked, quickening his pace to match Bellamy's stride.
"The Ark thinks the Prince is dead," Bellamy explained, recounting the events of the previous night when they removed Wells' wristband. "Once they think the Princess is too, they'll never come down. I'm getting that wristband, even if I have to cut off her hand to do it." He bore his eyes into Clarke's back, brimming with determination.
As they ventured deeper into the woods, Vivienne couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Her gaze darted nervously around the shifting shadows, mistaking harmless tree stumps for threats. Each beat of her heart echoed loudly in the silence, her eyebrows furrowing with the pressure building in her forehead.
"Relax, Kane," Bellamy advised, his pistol lazily held in his hand with a cocky smirk playing on his lips. "Even if a Grounder attacks, they wont be able to outrun a bullet," he quipped, seemingly reading Vivienne's thoughts.
"I'd rather not find out," Vivienne replied, her voice trembling slightly. Bellamy chuckled, finding amusement in her unease.
"Hey, hold up," Bellamy called after Clarke, lengthening his steps to catch up with her and Wells, who raced ahead in their eagerness to find Jasper. "What's the rush? You don't survive a spear to the heart," he remarked casually, still flaunting his gun lazily.
Standing between Bellamy and Murphy, Vivienne watched them intently, her nerves and curiosity entwined, her heart still racing.
"Put the gun away, Bellamy," Wells stepped forward, but Murphy's hand on his shoulder forced him back.
"Why don't you do something about it?" Murphy taunted, positioning himself as a barrier between Wells and Bellamy, acting like a guard dog.
Clarke turned, unimpressed. "Jasper screamed when they moved him. If the spear struck his heart, he'd have died instantly. That doesn't mean we have time to waste," she asserted, her voice authoritative.
Bellamy, however, was less than pleased. "As soon as you take this wristband off, we can go," he shot back, his grip tightening on Clarke's wrist but she quickly snatched her arm back.
"The only way the Ark is gonna think I'm dead, is if I'm dead. Got it?"
Caught between two boys she barely knew, on a planet that filled her with fear, Vivienne couldn't help but feel envy toward Clarke. She longed for the simplicity of right and wrong choices, the clarity that guided Clarke effortlessly towards doing the right thing.
But for Vivienne, it wasn't so simple and her choices made sense to her in ways Clarke struggled to comprehend. Every decision she made came back to the same priority; keeping Charlotte safe.
"Brave Princess," Bellamy's voice hummed, his eyes narrowed at Clarke.
"Why don't you find your own nickname?" Finn Collins interjected, emerging from the shrubbery behind the group. He walked past them, his tone dismissive. "You call this a rescue party? You gotta split up, cover more ground. Clarke, come with me," he ordered and Clarke quickly fell into step beside him.
•••
CLARKE and Finn strode ahead, disappearing into the forest together, leaving Wells behind in a swirl of emotions. His gaze lingered on Clarke, his eyes a mixture of longing and a sense of regret, knowing Clarke may never forgive him for an act he didn't even commit.
However, as Vivienne passed him, Wells' focus shifted to her, his eyes trailing down her arm and lingering on her bare wrist. The regret and longing he felt was quickly replaced, feeling a wave of betrayal wash over him as Wells struggled to understand how Vivienne could jeopardise the safety of their people.
Quickening his pace, Wells passed Bellamy and Murphy. "Are you seriously okay with all this?" He asked the blonde girl, falling into step alongside her.
Nervously, Vivienne glanced at the two boys trailing behind them, their eyes fixed on the pair. "Not now, Wells," she pleaded, her wide eyes as she looked back at him.
"No, Kane," Bellamy interjected, bringing the small group to a halt. "If Wells has something else to say, he can say it," he declared, his gaze piercing as he faced the dark-skinned boy.
Wells' words sliced through the tension. "You're putting all of us at risk by removing those wristbands. We need the people on The Ark if we're going to stand a chance down here," he retorted, frustrated evident in his tone.
Bellamy's jaw clenched. Deep down, he knew the truth; they did need the people on The Ark to survive. But after everything he'd gone through just to make it onto that dropship, Bellamy couldn't bring himself to take the risk. He was willing to bet on his chances without The Ark.
"Of course you'd agree with the Princess, Chancellor," Murphy taunted, standing defiantly at Bellamy's side.
Wells then turned to Vivienne, hoping there was still a chance she'd understand. "How could you not want your family to follow us down, Viv? Your Grandmother? Your Father?" he questioned, the words slipping from his tongue before he could consider the weight of them.
With her arms crossed tightly over her chest, Vivienne scoffed. "Really?" she shot back, unable to fathom why he would assume she'd want Marcus Kane here, encroaching on her newfound freedom.
Wells faltered, regret washing over him. "I didn't mean—" he began, but Vivienne turned away, not hesitating to continue her way through the woods, with the boys soon following behind.
Unable to tear his gaze away, Murphy watched as the enigmatic blonde walked away from, while Bellamy walked confidently beside Murphy, a cocky smirk on his lips.
As long as he could keep Vivienne Kane on his side, Bellamy should have no problem keeping The Ark away.
