Eden | Raven Reyes (s.u)

Chapter Seventeen

Blaire Stone followed Diyoza and Raven down the corridor, Raven dressed in the suit from the dead body while Blaire followed out of sight, her stolen gun held out in front of her. Although she didn't agree with the circumstances they had been forced into, but Blaire wasn't going to leave everyone in the mess, Raven would never forgive her if she did. 

"Don't say a word. We just need to buy some time." Diyoza ordered, pushing Raven forward into the Bridge as Blaire remained tucked out of sight around the corner. 

"Where's Daniel? Did you kill him?" The voice from the radio called out urgently.

"I gave you a chance. You can still save your husband." Diyoza continued, jabbing her gun into Raven's upper back. 

"Why is he wearing a helmet?" The woman continued to demand. 

"Why are you wearing a helmet?" Diyoza countered. 

"In case you use the gas. Take off his helmet."

"You take off yours." Diyoza returned calmly. 

"I said, take it off now! Let me see his face!" The woman called again, her voice rising in pitch as her panic took over. 

Blaire stepped forward, sensing the situation going out of hand as she slowly clicked the safety off her gun, the slight click ringing in the air. She cursed in her mind as the woman questioned the source of the noise. 

"You need to calm her down." Diyoza continued, ignoring the woman's question, her hand gesturing for Blaire to stand down.

"That's a bullet hole!" The woman concluded. "Vent the mess hall! Do it now."

Raven moved to grab the gun from Diyoza and flipping it around in her own hands until she pointed it at Diyoza forcing her to surrender on her knees. Blaire moved back further as one of the figures brushed by the open door, moving to remove Raven's mask. 

"Nice try. Take off the mask. Kaylee, push the damn button!" The woman cried.

"Where are the bodies? Tell us now!" Another voice added, another woman. 

The roof above Blaire clanged harshly, a gunshot ringing out not too long after. She stepped into the bridge where Madi stood below the open trap door, her gun still pointed at the body on the floor. 

"No!" The second woman screeched as she looked down at the body writhing on the floor with pain. 

"See? One's alive. Happiness?" Diyoza asked, her gun still pointed before turning back to where Raven and Blaire stood. 

Blaire shook her head in response although she knew that it was inevitable, following Raven over to the woman removing her gun from her hand. 

"Go to her," Raven added softly. 

The shot woman's cries echoed through the air, each as heartbreaking as the last. "The bodies. . . you must. ." The woman trailed off with pain. 

"I know. I'll take care of it." The second woman assured as the cries ceased, her final breath taken from her. 

"Nightblood," Madi said, observing the body below. "I have questions." 

"Get in line, kid," Diyoza added. 

"I wasn't talking to you." Madi continued, her eyes snapping up to Diyoza before landing on Blaire and Raven. "First, tell me what happened to Clarke."

Blaire Stone had finally found her way back onto the Gagarin transport ship after her 125-year sleep. Although everyone stood around the Bridge, watching as Raven piloted the ship down to the unknown planet, eager for exploration although still terrified at what they would potentially find down there. 

The prisoner that Blaire, Raven, Madi and Diyoza had collected had been sparing in the details she had shared, the loss of her entire family still weighing heavily on her mind. No one really knew what they would potentially be walking into or if the others were even still alive. 

Blaire was leaning against the wall of the Bridge, gripping tightly onto the side to prevent from slipping and sliding around despite Raven's smooth piloting, she just didn't fancy a concussion from hitting her head on the side of the ship if things ended up going south. The usual echo of conversation had faded in the background, her surroundings unfocused as Blaire stared at the patch of red that still decorated the far wall. Blaine's blood. The blood she shared and could've prevented from spilling.  

Although she was temporarily grateful for the distraction of the hostage situation presented to her from the second Raven woke her up, even Raven couldn't keep her from the thoughts and the grief that still plagued her. 

Although Blaine's death should be a distant memory considering how much time had passed, Blaire had been denied the proper chance to grieve and considering the crazy nature of her life, it didn't seem like she would get that opportunity. 

Her words to Shaw that day still rang true, her brother was a terrible person but even Blaire who had potentially suffered the worst at his hand could still somehow miss the brother she had loved, not the maniacal puppet he had become. 

Blaire was so caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't even witnessed the vibration cease beneath her, the view out of the bridge window showing lush vegetation. 

"Are you alright, Blaire?" Raven's voice called through the haze, as she gestured to the others to give the two of them a moment. 

"Peachy, just peachy," Blaire added, her eyes stuck on the view from the window, refusing to meet Raven's concerned eyes. It wasn't hard for even people who hardly knew her to know what was the source of what was bothering Blaire. 

"Why aren't you standing up then? We've arrived. I thought you would be itching to go explore."

"Well, to be honest, I'm just really enjoying this view," Blaire admitted sarcastically with a slight smirk, gesturing to the window. "New planet, new plant life, whole new vibe."

"Come on," Raven returned, holding her hand out for Blaire to take, pulling the girl off the metal floor, traces of her concern refusing to retreat fully. 

"Thanks," Blaire muttered, ignoring the familiar sting of a blush coating her cheeks as Raven slung an arm over her shoulders, leading her towards where everyone else stood waiting for the two of them.