Taming Chaos // J.M // The 100

Chapter 31

"Holy. . ."

Ethan's eyes lift further and further, what's left of the Ark almost soaring into the sky. He feels so very far away when he looks at it, stuck in a strange moment of nostalgia. Every time he glances at the structure reaching for the clouds, he's amazed. The Ark was a prison in space, but here it's a sanctuary. The people of Alpha Station are finally free.

". . .shit."

Guards are forcing him and Bellamy downhill towards it, but Ethan doesn't even try to resist. He's in shock now that the adrenaline is wearing off.

Levering himself onto his elbows to take it all in, Murphy almost tips off his cot. He's quickly steadied by Jackson, who tries not to react.

Ethan, on the other hand, "Nice one." He snorts.

Murphy sends him the middle finger.

The people of Alpha Station gather at the front of the wreckage, quick to greet their leaders and pass on information.

That awe Ethan was feeling is gradually being eaten away with annoyance. While those people are happy to see the council and their soldiers, seeing the delinquents isn't as welcoming.

Ethan lowers his gaze from the tip of Alpha Station, closing his jaw with a resounding click. There's a lot to unpack. A variety of disgusted stares and curious glances. It isn't exactly how he saw the Ark's return going.

They were sent as sacrifices hurtling towards the Earth and yet the privileged refuse to see them as anything more than criminals.

The only reason the Ark is even down here is because of us.

Ethan keeps a straight face despite his inner turmoil, tempted to flip the passing eyes a specific finger.

They're forced inside, past multiple rooms and down the main corridor. It gives Ethan the cold-sweat, the idea of being trapped in the Ark again. He tries to shake it out of his head, focusing on not losing Bellamy past the outrageous amount of soldiers walking back and forth through hallways.

Stopping at an intersection, Kane whispers to his right-hand guard, looking at Ethan.

Ethan glances at Bellamy, then back to Kane, trying to read his lips. He sees "another room" and it's all he needs to make his hackles rise.

He widens his eyes at Bellamy, then tries to look for Finn or even Murphy but they've already been taken in different directions, one with Raven and the other to medical.

Kane pulls Bellamy to the right.

Ethan's guard forces him left.

"Hey, take me back to Bellamy!" He pushes back into unbudging hands, twisting his head to see Kane. "Hey!"

Kane ignores him.

"Why are you separating us?" Bellamy demands, glaring at the Councilman. He drags his feet, just to annoy them.

Ethan's guard struggles when he throws himself to the side, almost tipping them both over, and slamming into the wall. He hasn't been without the other delinquents in a long time, and now it's unfamiliar territory.

The guard forces him upright, tugs him into a room nearby and throws him away from the door. He leaves without another word.

"Fucking pricks." Shaking his head, Ethan blows out a quick breath. He looks around, cataloguing the four walls, the chair tipped over in the corner, the door and, well. . . that's it. He heads to the exit, turning his back to the door to grab the handle and twist.

Locked. He isn't surprised.

Ethan searches for weak points, kicking at the surfaces surrounding him, and shoving his shoulder against the door. Nothing. He feels like the guard outside is getting a kick of entertainment out of this so he moves away, glances quickly for cameras - realises they probably wouldn't work - and slips the yellow and grey blade from his belt into his fingers. He keeps his eyes on the door when he works at the zip tie digging into his skin.