Fallen

Chapter Thirty-Six: A.L.I.E

Roan walks with Clarke, pretending she is his prisoner. Hopefully this plan works. He agreed to this because Ash was involved. They swore to never lie to each other and he has started to trust her. The fact she thinks it may work is enough for him. The two walk down the blood stained street. It is so different than the last time he was here. Men and women are nailed to boards, groaning in pain. Probably people who won't take the Key. Soon him and Clarke are stopped by two different people. A woman and a man. 

"Tell Ontari I brought Clarke and the Flame," Roan boasts. 

"She already knows," the woman smiles. Another man walks out of the building with Ontari. The man looks like Ash. Roan soon realizes it's Marcus Kane, Ash's father. He pulls out a gun, firing it. Roan, once again, feels a bullet cut through his flesh. The impact hits him and he falls to the ground, blacking out.

*****

Ash hears the gunshot echo through the town. Shit. She doesn't know who fired the gun or who got shot. But there is a good chance it was Roan. She's the one who convinced him to help, and now he may be dead now. The plan is starting to go sideways. She is in the tunnels, waiting for the others. Her job was to clear a path. Octavia was to then stay with the others to get them from behind. They agreed they need to try to avoid killing people. They are not in full control of their actions, so why should they punish them for it. 

She hears footsteps and turns, ready to fight. However, there is more than she was expecting. They go straight for her. She tries to fight them off, but is struggling. There are too many of them. One kicks her in her bad leg, causing pain to shoot through her body. 

After a bit, they mange to pin her down and drag her into a room where chains hang from the ceiling. They tie her hands together, hooking the rope to the chains. The course material digs into her skin. The toes of her shoes barely scrapes the ground. 

Not again. She is tired of being captured. She pushes herself to be stronger and shit like this keeps happening. A warrior from Azgeda steps towards her.

"We know the plan," he tells her. "We knew that you were going to try and use Roan to get to Ontari." Her heart starts picking up. He holds out the Key. "Join us, Ash."

"No," she tells him. "I won't take it."

He lets out a sigh. 

"You will," he tells her. He presses against the stitches and she yelps in pain. Another person punches her in the face. He keeps hitting her and hitting her. Yet she won't give. Even if they know the plan, she is going try and hold out.

"It won't work," she hears a familiar voice state. She looks to see Marcus enter.

"Dad?" she quietly cries. He takes the Key from the warrior and holds it in front of her.

"Just take the Key, baby girl," he requests.

"I can't," she tells him, tears starting to well in her eyes. "I don't want to forget Mom."

"You won't," he promises. "Just only the bad memories." 

The warrior walks behind him, holding a gun to the back of his head. 

"Please don't do this," she requests. 

"Take the Key and I will be fine."

Ash starts running through the possible scenarios. The thing is, she knows A.L.I.E will let people die in order to get what she wants. Raven slit her wrists open and dislocated her shoulder under the AI's command. She hears a clicking noise. 

"Fine," she responds out of fear. She's weak. Her dad is the last family member she has left and she can't lose him. She doesn't have the time to think of another plan. "I'll take it."

The warrior grabs the Key from Marcus and puts it in her mouth. She swallows it and the ropes are untied. Soon all the pain fades away. Both physically and mentally. She feels almost free. A dark hair woman stands in front of her in a red dress. She smiles.

"Nice to meet you Ash. I need your help."