The First On The Ground

Exit Wounds

(AUGUST POV)

With the threat of the eye in the sky and with Octavia's and Indra's conditions we all returned to Polis. With my shattered heart, I focused on Madi, Clarke, and Octavia. I was avoiding Bellamy and Echo at all costs. Currently I was with Clarke and Madi as Clarke looked at Octavia's arm.
"Gross," Madi says in excitement as she watches Clarke take care of Octavia's arm.
"Madi," I scold her from my position beside Octavia. I knew she was excited because Octavia had always been her favorite from the stories I told her.
"The infection's passing, but this is gonna hurt," Clarke says as she gets ready to clean Octavia's arm. "Are you sure you don't want Jackson?"
"Jackson's tending to Indra and the others in medbay. Just do it," Octavia answers her. Clarke starts cleaning Octavia's wound and Octavia doesn't even flinch causing Madi to smile. I send Madi a small smile before turning to Octavia.
"Madi's a big fan. She's heard every story about the girl under the floor who saved the human race," I explain to Octavia.
"I can't take all the credit for that," Octavia says giving me a small flash of a smile before it's gone again. She then turns to Madi. "Now what's your story? You survived 6 years of radiation? What's your secret?"
"Synthetic Nightblood, like Clarke," I answer for Madi not wanting anyone to know she is a nightblood, especially since I don't know what traditions Wonkru has. "I took her to Becca's lab and shared my bone marrow to keep her alive."
"You're lucky August found you," Octavia says as me and Madi share a smile. I was really the lucky one since Madi found me.
"Ready to move?" Cooper asks as she walks into the room.
"She needs another day's rest," Clarke answers her.
"She needs to be with her people," Cooper argues.
"I'm done licking my wounds. Let's go remind the others what we promised them," Octavia explains as Cooper helps her put in her armor. Octavia then turns to Madi before grabbing her arm. "Kom folau, oso na gyon op." Octavia and Cooper then leave the room as Madi and I share a smile. From the ashes we will rise.
"Octavia's such a badass. I wish we didn't have to lie to her," Madi says causing me to frown. I hated lying to Octavia but Clarke has convinced me it is the best way to keep Madi safe.
"Hey. We've talked about this. We have to lie to everyone to keep you safe. If the Grounders find out what you are, some of them might try to replace Octavia with you. I can't have you caught up in a power struggle, especially during a war," I explain to her before she nods and I pull her into a hug. "Stay with Clarke." I leave to catch up with Octavia to talk to her about the Echo situation. "Octavia, what do you plan to do about Echo?"
"The traitor was banished six years ago and her banishment remains," Octavia answers before we walk outside.
"Hundreds are still refusing to come out of the bunker, afraid they'll be bombed in the streets," Cooper explains to Octavia as we walk through the people. I could see some of them looking at me in hope.
"You said they needed to see me, but they can barely look at me. What aren't you telling me?" Octavia asks as we stop walking.
"Word has spread about our defeat in the wasteland. Diyoza's firepower has crippled us. The soil here is dead. I don't care how much it rains, it won't be arable for years. And, as you know, the hydrofarm can barely produce enough..." Cooper explains as she slowly raises her voice.
"Stop it," Octavia orders her. "We have faced worse odds than this."
"Yes, but now we know the warning signs of rebellion. I once betrayed you when you were vulnerable, when Wonkru was living in fear. Look around you. It will happen again unless you take control," Cooper explains causing me to shake my head in disagreement.
"Octavia," I hear Bellamy call out and could feel my heart break a little more. "Glad to see you back on your feet. She tried to get in to see you, but they wouldn't let..."
"What is she doing here?" Octavia asks as she interrupts her brother.
"I just wanted to thank you for saving my people," Echo says causing me to roll my eyes. I was the Queen of Azgeda and the one who saved them.
"They were not you're people, they were mine because if I remember correctly I was the Queen of Azgeda," I tell her with a glare causing her and Bellamy to look at me in shock while Octavia nodded in agreement.
"Azgeda is a memory. There is only Wonkru, and there is no place in it for you," Octavia says as she glares at Echo.
"I know you three have history, but Echo is on our side. She proved herself dozens of times on the ring," Bellamy explains as he looks between me and his sister with a pleading look.
"This isn't the ring, Bellamy," I say with a straight stone cold face, causing him to look at me in shock.
"Wonkru," Octavia yells getting everyone's attention. "Keryon Gona and I banished this murderer from the bunker 6 years ago. My judgment still stands." I nod my head in agreement.
"O, Aug," Bellamy tries and I send him a glare as he uses my old nickname.
"She has 24 hours. If she's still here by then, she fights in the arena," Octavia explains as she walks towards Bellamy and Echo before she walks off.
"I'll be right back," Bellamy tells Echo before glancing at me then following after his sister.
"So much for my banishment being lifted," Echo says as she glares at me.
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm no longer in charge," I say as I go to walk past her. "Besides you disobeyed orders anyways." I start walking towards Octavia and Bellamy when a horn is heard.
"Diyoza's ship," Octavia says as her guards begin to help people inside. "Move, move, move! Bellamy. Bellamy, get in the bunker."
"Not without Echo," Bellamy says as he heads to find Echo. I pass off an old man to Octavia as Cooper tries to get Octavia inside. The next thing I know, I'm being pressed into a wall as something drops from Diyoza's ship.
"Blodreina, look," Cooper says as we look to the sky to see parachutes on several crates. One lands not far from where we all are before I turn to see who had shoved me toward the wall in attempts to protect me. I feel my breath be sucked out of me as I come face to face with Bellamy. I immediately get lost in his brown eyes.
"People of Wonkru, this is Colonel Diyoza offering you a chance for peace," Comes the speaker on the crates causing me to snap out of my trance. I shove him away from me before going to stand by Octavia. "I know you all suffered, I know you're hungry, and so many of you are weary of Octavia's rule, but now you have a choice. Abandon your weapons, leave Wonkru behind, and join us in Shallow Valley. We have plenty of food and shelter for those seeking a better life."
"She's recruiting," I tell Octavia.
"When our ship returns tonight, head for the wastelands. Anyone waiting for us outside the ruins will be rescued. But come unarmed. If Octavia attacks our ship, we will retaliate against your city with lethal force. We're watching everything, always. There is a place in the valley for all of us, so please choose wisely." Octavia quickly takes out the speaker on the crate. Octavia, some of her guard, and I all gathered to discuss what to do next.
"I know you're hungry and..." We listen to the message again before Miller turns it off.
"That might be Diyoza's voice, but those are my father's words," I say as I look at Octavia.
"He knows where we're vulnerable and he's sharing it with the enemy," Miller states causing me to look down.
"We need to assume others will be willing to do the same. In the arena, Kane openly defied you to stir dissent, and dissent spreads like any virus," Cooper explains and I couldn't help but be proud that my father had done that in the arena but now I'm not as proud because this could sacrifice me, Madi, and Mika.
"I want patrols along the perimeter around the clock. When that ship comes back, anyone caught beyond the ruins..." Octavia starts explaining before she is interrupted by Clarke, Bellamy, Harper, and Monty barging in.
"This is a private meeting," Miller says as he stands in front of them. I notice Clarke and Bellamy look at me in shock because of me being there. I was doing whatever it took to keep Madi and Mika safe.
"It's fine," Octavia tells Miller.
"We all have people in that valley that need our help," Clarke says before Octavia interrupts.
"If you're talking about your mother, I am not interested in rescuing traitors. I'm trying to prevent more of them," Octavia explains.
"Your people are hungry and you're worrying about defectors?" Bellamy asks her. "We should stop wasting time looking for enemies in Polis, and we should start trying to find a way back to that valley."
"Last time I checked, Diyoza can see our every move," I say as I stand beside Octavia.
"That's where Monty comes in," Harper says as she gives me a hurt look.
"Lasercom," Monty says as he pulls out a radio and steps forward. I raise my eyebrows in shock as I think of where this might go. "It's dialed right into their mother ship. All I need is a relay tower on the ground that we build out of scrap and a computer."
"Then you should be able to blind the eye from right here," I finish for him causing a small smile to come to his face.
"Good plan. Once it's down, we can attack," Miller says in agreement.
"Fine. Miller set Monty up. Cooper, shoot anyone who tries to defect. We're done here," Octavia orders before looking at me. "Time to train." I give her a smirk before following her out of the room. Clarke stops me as I walk out of the room before we are joined by Bellamy.
"That is not my sister," Bellamy says causing me to roll my eyes at the obvious. I then catch Madi and Mika walking into the arena with Gaia.
"August?" Clarke asks.
"I'm sorry, I I have to go," I say before walking down into the arena with Clarke following after me. "Madi, Mika."
"Hey, August," Madi says with a smile as Mika gives me a hug. "Gaia and Mika were telling me about Wonkru combat tactics."
"According to Madi, she's encountered our enemy. Perhaps she could train with our novitiates, like Mika and tell them about it," Gaia says causing Madi and Mika to smile at me. I was disappointed that Mika had became a novitiate but she is a nightblood.
"Thank you, but Madi's not Wonkru. She's Shallow Valley," I tell Gaia with a shake of my head.
"So that's how you survived. Is it true that Praimfaya missed the entire valley?" Gaia asks Madi.
"Yes, but that's not how I survived. August used her bone marrow to make me a Nightblood," Madi explains causing Gaia to look at me in shock. "I owe her my life."
"Gaia, if you'll excuse us," I say before I leave with Madi and Clarke. "I need you to stay with Clarke. I'm going to try to reason with Octavia." Clarke nods before I head to train with Octavia.