atomic man, john murphy.

Pandora's Box

Clove trailed behind Indra slowly, wiping her sweaty palms against her black pants. They stopped in front of a door and Indra gestured her head towards it. Clove nodded and took a deep breath before she pushed the door open. "Papa," She spoke. 

Caesar looked up and smiled at her. "Clove."

"Indra worked it out so you won't be fighting in the pits with Kane today. You'll go after," Clove got right to the point. "That's good. You can win this. You're strong." 

"Mi querida," Caesar sighed. "We can't keep living like this. Killing each other for the smallest of mistakes or crimes..." 

"Octavia is doing what she must to keep us all alive down here," Clove defended. "And talking like this is what got you locked up in the first place." 

"I don't want this life for you, Clove," Caesar pointed to the warrior's tattoos on her face. In her years in the bunker, she had gotten two marks on her face. They were two slanted triangles on either side of her face that thinned out as they neared her temples. "If it takes making myself a martyr to do it..." 

"You aren't--" Clove sighed and rubbed her face. "You won't be making a martyr of yourself. If you don't fight, Wonkru will see you as a coward. A treasonous coward. You will die in vain, Pa." 

Caesar smiled sadly and shook his head. "I know we've all sacrificed a lot to survive. But I hope one day you are able to do more than just survive," He leaned over and kissed her forehead. 

"Please," Clove whispered as tears threatened to fall from her dark eyes. "Please fight. I can't lose you, too." 

"I love you," He responded. "I know things have been tense between us these last few years and I understand why. But anything I've done... it's always been for you and your brother." 

"Don't say goodbye," She shook her head. "Please." When Caesar didn't answer and only stared at her, Clove gulped. "I love you, too," She choked out before heading for the door. 

Clove pounded on it, signaling that she was ready to come out. The door creaked open and she glanced back at her father one more time before she sighed and left. A guard slammed the door behind her. "I'm sorry about your father," Indra spoke up. "I hope he makes it out of the pits alive." 

Clove nodded silently, acknowledging her kind words. "You know, Indra," She said. "I'm getting tired of people killing themselves and claiming it's for my benefit." 

It was Indra's turn to nod slowly, unsure of how to answer. "We should get to the pits. Kane should be up any minute now." 

Clove followed Indra once again. When they got to the rotunda, they both walked up the spiral walkway to get to Octavia's side. The red queen was already sitting in her makeshift throne, leering over the bloodied pit. Indra took her spot directly next to Octavia and Clove stood just a step behind the throne on the opposite side of Cooper. Clove looked down as the combatants were brought in, Kane being amongst them. He had already fought, and won, in the pits yesterday but Octavia had decided he needed to do more to earn his freedom. Unfortunately for Clove, Kane's useless victory was what caused Caesar to speak out against Blodreina's decision. His treason had gotten him locked up, despite Clove being one of Octavia's most loyal soldiers. She couldn't make any exceptions and Clove knew this. 

"As we invite death into this hall, we honor it," Gaia's voice boomed throughout the rotunda. "All of me for all of us." Everybody repeated after her. "And, as always, be the last."

This commenced the start of the fight. Two of the combatants fought off to the side, but Kane stood still in the center of the pit. The other man urged him to fight, but Kane only stared at Octavia. The man sliced his cheek and his leg, causing Kane to keel over. Kane looked up at him but turned his gaze back to Octavia. "I will not kill this man." Octavia stood up and shrugged her cape off. She started walking down the spiral towards the pit and her followers trailed closely behind, Clove being one of them. "Somehow we allowed justice to become vengeance and vengeance to become sport, and I allowed that darkness to rise...but my complicity ends today."