WILD HEART • COMMANDER LEXA [1]

viii. SPACEWALKER

The trio of leaders and Finn were gathered in a dark corner of the Ark, plotting how to save the Collins boy's life.

"Finn, you need to get as far away from the Ark as possible." Erica pleaded.

"She's right," Bellamy agreed.

Clarke was quick to protest. "Where would he go? You know that this is the safest place for him.

"Clarke, please lower your voice. He has to go to the dropship. The leaders of the Ark are beginning to turn on him. We are the only ones who can protect him until this all blows over." Erica grabbed the sleeve of Finn's jacket, softly pulling him around the corner as the others followed.

"Grab your gear, meet at Raven's gate in five. She's already working on cutting the power for the fence." Bellamy continued to divulge the plan to the others, but Finn wouldn't go that easily.

"Fine, but I'm going alone."

"No," Erica was starting to get annoyed with Finn. "Stop trying to be the hero, Finley. I am so tired of you thinking we are going to just sit back and let you die!" She slapped him on the chest, just to emphasize how mad she was. "I'm freaking tired of it! So we are going to go to the dropship, all of us, and we are going to keep you there until we figure out what the hell we are going to do!"

By now she had run out of breath, and the other three were completely flabbergasted and could not think of anything else to say.

"Got it?"

Just as Finn was about to respond, a voice came from behind Erica's turned back.

"There he is! You are gonna get us killed," a menacing man holding a metal pipe approached the group, pointing it at Finn.

"Stay away from him, please." Erica stepped forward.

The man was shorter than she was, but that didn't stop him from shoving her out of the way like she weighed nothing.

The man brought the pipe behind his head, and just as he was about to swing Erica grabbed it, twisting him around and head butting him in the nose, knocking him to the floor.

She turned to the other men who had followed him, and they all stepped back a bit. "Anyone else?" She waved the pipe in their direction.

"Come on, we have to go now," Clarke grabbed the back of Erica's jacket and pulled her away, causing her to drop the metal pipe with a loud clang.

Erica pulled away for a moment to say a few last words to the men. "On the Ark, compared to you we may have been nothing. But on the ground, we are more than you will ever be. This is our home, and it has been since long before you got here. Do not forget your place. We will always come out on top."

The five had escaped from camp, and Finn, Clarke and Erica were en route to the dropship when they were attacked by a grounder.

He jumped out of the trees, hitting Clarke with his weapon and knocking her out cold. He had thrown Erica to the ground, causing her to hit her head on a big rock, and Finn next to her, when Finn pointed a gun at him.