Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 26

Bellamy offers to trade himself for Jasper.

There's a new light around him, Ethan thinks. Using his words instead of violence, something he should have done dealing with Murphy the first time. Though he isn't lying, this leaves them in a sticky situation. If the grounders attack, they have nowhere to hide.

Ethan. . . Ethan doesn't know what he was thinking. 

Murphy remaining at camp, starting to get along with those around him all while ignoring everything that happened? Not a chance. He still wants revenge.

Ethan's seen the look in his eyes sometimes, completely shattered, open and wounded. When he looks at those that hurt him.

And now he's hurting them back.

Ethan thinks that somewhere deep down Murphy'd tried to play along. Tried to put it past him. After yesterday, somehow the most relaxed Ethan's been in forever, he'd hoped.

But here he stands, staring at the dropship. 

Murphy's pissed, but killing isn't the answer.

The ugly voice rears in his head. Hypocrite.

Bellamy pushes down the button to talk, "All you have to do is let him go and I'll take his place." 

"How?"

"Bellamy." Octavia pushes the radio away to get his attention, "If you do this. He'll kill you."

"If I don't, he'll kill Jasper." He pulls his eyes away, lifting the device to his lips. "Simple. I walk in, he walks out."

The three of them crowd the device, waiting for an answer in uneasy silence. It takes a second, but it comes in the form of the dropship doors hissing open, touching the dirt for only Bellamy to enter. Once he's swallowed up, they won't know what's going on. That's the problem.

Bellamy holds his gun out to Ethan, shoving it into his hands when he doesn't reach for it. He takes a deep breath.

"Just you, Bellamy, unarmed!" Then, to add on, "Ethan walks you inside!"

Ethan tears his eyes from the dropship to Bellamy, lips parted.

"Ten seconds or I'll put one in Jasper's leg."

Ethan nods to Miller, passing the weapon off to the gunner waiting beside him. He's glad to get it out of his hands. Miller sends him a small, almost comforting smile and pats him on the arm. Good luck.

"One!"

Octavia holds her brother's arm tight to keep him there a second longer. "We'll find a way to get you outta there."

Murphy's already at four, testing them.

"I can handle Murphy. You get everyone back to work, the grounders are still coming." He says to her, turning to Ethan. He nods. 

Side by side they step onto the lowered door and hold their heads high in front of the delinquents watching. 

"Six! Seven!"

Ethan clears his throat, "We're here."

He steps past the curtains first, looking up to see Murphy with the gun in his hands. It lowers upon seeing him but comes right back up when Bellamy enters. "Murphy, come on, man-"

Murphy nudges the gun towards the brunette tipped over on the floor, not looking at him. "Take Jasper."

Ethan drags a tongue across his teeth, narrowing his eyes. "After what we've done you still wanna go through with this?"