Shallow Valley

41.Face To Face

41.

Face to face with the devil
Pray, it's not too late
My past will not define me
(Citizen Soldier-Face To Face)

Lexa was holding her breath. Next to her, Wick was shaking like a leaf. The woman looked for some wounds, only to realize that she wasn't the one supposed to be hurt. In front of her Nia and her men were lying on the ground, dead. In a corner of the cave, Ontari was threatening Madi, pointing a gun to her head.

"You brought the cops, you bastard! You're a traitor!" she cried, but Lexa knew the truth. Whoever attacked them, they weren't cops.

"Let her go, Ontari!" a voice ordered. This voice, Lexa thought. It was so familiar.

"Show yourself!" Ontari replied. Madi gazed at Lexa, in tears. She was terrified.

"Lexa." the girl muttered.

"Ontari, please." the woman pleaded.

"No! Whoever you are, show yourself, you fucking bastard!" the Azgedian kept crying. It was a matter of seconds. The bullet hit Ontari's head and the woman fell on the ground, dead. Madi screamed, terrified.

"Lexa!" she cried. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"Madi, you did nothing." the woman reassured the girl. "I'm here, I've got you sweetheart, I've got you.". Lexa closed her in a soft embrace.

"I don't want to interrupt you, but I think we're better to go away from this cave." Wick said, serious. Lexa nodded and looked at Madi, in order to understand if she was wounded.

"Can you walk?" she asked. The girl said yes with her head and stood up on her feet.

"Okay, let's go girls!" Wick exhorted them.

"Don't you dare!" someone told them. This voice again, Lexa thought. She froze. Yes, that voice could belong only to a person, only to someone that Lexa knew really well.

"Titus! Show yourself!" she yelled. She was torn in two. The man had helped them with Nia and Ontari, but at the same time Lexa knew what he really wanted. Or, better, who he really wanted. And she wouldn't have allowed him to take Madi away from her. She took the gun from her pocket and put herself between the girl and the shadow of the cave, to protect her.

"I won't tell you again! Show yourself, Titus!" she said again.

"Okay, okay, keep calm." the voice replied. "I'm here, just in front of you.".

________________

"I told you that I heard shotguns, they need our help! Lexa needs my help!" Anya said, desperately. She was running to the caves, but Roan stopped her, grabbing her arm.

"What are you doing? They need us!"

"Yes, they need us to stay here." the man told her. The detective wriggled her free and glanced at Roan, who sighed.

"Anya listen, I understand that..." Octavia tried to say, in vain.

"No, you can't understand!" the blonde interrupted her. "She is my sister. I still need time to forgive her completely, but I love her. She is flesh of my flesh, I can't leave her.". Indra put a hand on her shoulder. Anya raised her head. The federal agent was looking at her in a tender and caring, almost motherly way.

"I know that you want to help them, I'd like it too. However, Lexa and Wick told us to intervene only if we hear the signal."

"But they are risking their lives!" Anya replied, tears in her eyes.