Her Weakness

Chapter 10

"Sorry. She's a doctor." Maya jerks her thumb at Clarke, who acts bored.

"A doctor? Really. What's your name, doctor?" He sneers. I make sure to keep emotions off my face, but these days I am finding that to be getting more and more difficult. Especially when such an arrogant man is insulting Clarke.

"Claire. That's my first name, if you can't tell. Let us pass before you piss me off." Clarke crosses her arms and gives him a look that has him fidgeting and fighting to maintain his tough exterior. He was already failing miserably at that before Clarke intimidated him.

"Yeah, she's definitely a doctor." He chuckles even though no one else finds him the least bit amusing. He clears his throat awkwardly and shifts on his feet. "Go ahead."

We walk past him and Clarke turns to me and explains. "Most soldiers have high respect for the doctors that heal them, but when I was here, I noticed that unless the doctor was Tsing herself, they clearly didn't like them. I can hardly blame the soldiers with what the doctors are doing here. Plus, they're rude to the soldiers who fight for them. There's none of the usual mutual respect." She shakes her head.

We walk in silence until I ask a question that has been haunting me. "What's with Maya? Why is she helping us? Isn't she one of them?"

"She is, but she likes Jasper. I think that's one of the reasons. Plus, she doesn't agree with what they're doing. I trust her."

I nod and choose to respect that she has faith in the girl. I will continue to be skeptical of her true intentions and loyalties, but I will not betray Clarke. Not again.

"Are they in here?" Clarke asks as we stand outside an unmarked door.

"Yes, but be careful. There are doctors and soldiers in there. They won't hesitate to kill you if they think you don't belong in there." Maya gives us what I assume is supposed to be an encouraging smile and goes in the direction we came from.

"She isn't going in there with us?"

Clarke shakes her head, but notices my doubt in Maya. "She hasn't gotten bone marrow yet. She's still vulnerable to radiation. If she goes in there, she will labeled a traitor. And she can't come with us."

"As long as she does not become a traitor to us as well," I murmur under my breath and stop Clarke from pushing open the door. "Do you have a plan?"

"No plan, we're winging it."

"They will kill us and we are not much use to your friends dead. How about this. You really are a doctor."

"Sort of, yeah. So?"

"Go in there and act like one. Scope out the place and come back to me and we will plan our next move accordingly. Okay?"

"Okay." She takes a deep breath and gives me a sidelong glance before pushing open the doors.

The door swings shut and I cannot make out what is being said in there. I can hear muddled voices and I can tell one of them is Clarke's. I would know that voice anywhere, even as muffled as it is.

Once it has been long enough for me to consider saying "to hell with this plan" and going in to make sure she is okay, the door opens a crack and I see Clarke's familiar hand.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" A voice calls from within the room.