Reckless ~ Sequel to Shameless {Bellamy Blake}

14~ Audacious

The hard eyes of the Grounders stare into me as Clarke and I enter the Grounders' territory. I feel a certain detachment as I see my weapons lying yards being me. The Grounders stripped us of all possible harmful items before we entered. 

I turn my glance back to forward, hardening my stare. I learned a while back that if you make yourself look mean, intimidating, the less likely people are to bother you. Clarke walks next to me, stare equally as hard. I'm suddenly taken back as I stare at her semi-wavy blonde hair bouncing slightly with each step she takes. 

Clarke and I grew up together. As kids we were best friends, nearly inseparable. Who would have guessed that we both would have been thrown into the Skybox and then sent down to Earth, essentially to die. Now, here we stand, or walk, the leaders of our people, walking towards some of the most dangerous things we've ever faced, head on. Our weapons stripped from us, but no fear showing on our faces. My dark hair falls down my back as I squeeze my hands into fists and watch the lights surrounding a large tent grow larger. 

The Grounders behind us usher us towards the tent, staring coldly at us. A huge Grounder stands at the entrance, his weapons out, ready to strike at any moment. "If you so much as look at her the wrong way, I will slit your throat."

I swallow hard, remembering what Bellamy said to me not too long ago. He can't lose me. Which means, I will survive this. 

We enter the tent. Sitting upon a throne made of bark is a female. Her brown hair wavy and falling on her shoulders, the upper half of it pulled back. She has dark black paint painted around her eyes, giving her a more intimidating demeanor. She rotates a knife, with a brown leather handle, around in her hands. Guards line beside the throne, weapons out. 

"You're the ones who burned 300 of my warriors alive." The girl says, her head rolling backwards as she eyes both of us. 

I feel my blood boil. I don't know whether it was because I was already on edge from the Grounders surrounding us with weapons and us being weaponless or not, but I immediately react. "You're the one who sent them there to kill us." The Commander's eyes tear from Clarke and dart towards me, hardening. "Commander." I finish, trying to put some kind of pleasantness into my sentence.

"Lexa." The female says, "Commander Lexa."

Clarke goes to tell her who we are but Lexa holds up a hand. "I know who you two are. Believe me. Clarke," Lexa nods to Clarke, "and Tatum." Lexa rotates the knife in her hand again. "So, do you, Clarke and Tatum of the Sky People, have an answer for me?"

"We've come to make you an offer." Clarke says, speaking for the first time since we entered the tent. 

Lexa's eyes go cold. "This is not a negotiation."

I see our side of the deal faltering, so I speak. "We know how to defeat the Mountain Men."

Lexa looks to her left at a darker skinned Grounder, her hair cut shorter. They meet eyes and the Grounder nods, Lexa turns back to me. "Go on."

"Hundreds of your people are trapped inside Mount Weather. Kept in cages. Their blood is used as medicine." Clarke says.

"How do you know that?"

"Because we saw them." I answer. "Our people are prisoners there too."

Lexa looks at us skeptically, eyeing both of us. "I'm still waiting for an offer."

Clarke speaks up first, "The Mountain Men are turning your people into Reapers."

"We can turn them back." I finish.

"Impossible." Lexa scoffs.

"We've done it. With Lincoln." Clarke says, urgently.

Lexa stands from her throne, her body language questionable. "Prove it." She looks between Clarke and I. "Show me Lincoln."

***

I can't help the pit of nervousness in my stomach grow bigger and bigger with every step closer to the drop ship we get. We sent Abby to the drop ship to help Lincoln, not knowing whether or not she could do it. Now, we have an entire Grounder clan following us to see Abby perform the impossible. I look to my right at Clarke and see her eyebrows furrow and her eyes hard on the ground. I not dare speak a word, knowing Lexa is standing only a few short feet behind us. 

My combat boots click as I step up onto the drop ships door and try to listen closely at what is happening inside before we get there. A muffled cry comes from inside, followed by a voice whispering "He's gone, he's gone."

I look over at Clarke, worriedly, before grabbing the tent covering the entrance to the drop ship and pulling it back, entering. Bellamy's face is the first thing I see. His head lifts up as we enter. His eyes look at me then advert to behind me, staring at the Grounders. Immediately he pulls up his gun. Abby is standing a little to Bellamy's left, shaking her head and looking at the ground. Octavia is kneeling over Lincoln doing chest compressions. The sound of metal against metal fills my ears as every single Grounder in the room retrieves their weapons. Bellamy looks at me and notices that I'm weaponless. He lurches forward and in one swift move, grabs my arm and pulls me into him, backing up and aiming his gun at the Grounders. 

"You lied." Lexa hisses, her voice full of venom. "And you're out of time."

"Please you don't have to do this." Clarke begs. 

To my left I see Abby pick up the Shock Baton and hold it out in front of her.

The Grounders close in on us, Bellamy pulling me in tighter with every step they take. 

Abby looks at her surroundings, pulling the switch of the Shock Baton. Electricity sparks fly from the end of it and her eyes go wide. She then runs over to Octavia and pushes her out of the way, pushing the Shock Baton into Lincoln's chest and pulling the switch. The Grounders watch in awe as Lincoln lurches up, breathing heavily. 

"Lincoln." Octavia gasps. 

Lincoln's eyes find Octavia. "Octavia." He breathes. 

Bellamy's grip releases me slightly as he looks down at me in relief.