Atlantis

Chapter 101

Faye opened her eyes and saw Gaia kneeling in front of her, staring up.

"I won't let you take this woman." She said to Sheidheda through Faye.

"Get the hell out of my sight before I wrap this chain around your throat for disobeying me!" Faye jumped out of her chair, scaring Gaia back.

"Oh, for God sakes, just take the damn Flame out of her head." Abby said.

"I can't. She changed the passphrase." Gaia told her. Even if she hadn't, Gaia would still be hesitant, not knowing what that would do to Faye's mind.

"What happens when we get back to the mothership and she wakes her sleeping army?" Jackson asked, keeping his voice low.

"We can't let her lead them."

"H-How was Sheidheda stopped in his time?" Miller asked, watching Faye sit alone in the corner, the evil look making her seem older than she was.

"Killed by his Flamekeeper, or so the story goes." Emori said.

"His fourth Flamekeeper actually." Gaia corrected. "He murdered the first 3."

"Hold on. If you think for one second I am gonna let you kill that girl—" Abby said, standing up for Faye.

"What would you have me do?" Gaia questioned. "If we let that thing command Wonkru, he'll make us long for the days of Blodreina."

"What happened to the other Commanders in the Flane?" Raven asked.

"Tell that one nothing." Sheidheda instructed quietly.

"They're still in there, aren't they?" Raven walked over to Faye. "He isolated them somehow, manipulating the A.I. to do it. If the code from the minds of the Commanders can be isolated, it can be deleted. Where's Becca's notebook?" Raven looked towards Gaia.

"Back in the machine shop, but—" Gaia stopped when she heard voices from outside. "It's time. Remember, the execution is only a distraction."

"Morality not immortality, huh?" Murphy said.

"Times up. Let's move."

"Well, looks like I'm the lucky winner." Murphy stood.

"Change of plans." The guard said. "Russell Lightbourne VII, Savior of Sanctum, has issued a new order. The child and her mother are spared, but the rest of you will burn at the stake for your crimes."

"What?" Gaia looked at everyone.

"Let's go." The guards began to empty the cell.

"Goodbye, Fleimkepa."

"Faye, we have to do something." Madi said, looking back at Faye with wide eyes. "Please." Madi pleaded. "The Faye I know wouldn't let her friends be executed."

"Madi..." Faye's voice faded. "I'm not a monster, Madi." She said, shaking her head.

"But you're acting like one."

- - -

"Jackson?" Faye said when she woke up. The room was bright and smelled of cleaning products.

"I'm here, Faye." She heard Jackson said from across the room. The guilt of draining her blood still weighed on him, but at least they were all alive.

"I can't feel my hand. Something's wrong. Please help. I can't feel it. I can't breathe." Faye began to struggle breathing as Jackson ran over the undo her restraints.

"Faye, it's okay."

Faye grabbed a scalpel from the nearby table and slashed at Jackson's arm. Faye began undoing her other restraint but was quickly tranquilized.

Faye heard Jackson calling for the others as Faye drifted away.

"Why didn't you let me go for the throat, like we talked about?" Sheidheda asked. "I thought you wanted revenge." He moved his pawn. "Your move."

"Jackson is innocent. He's one of us." Faye said, moving her knight forward.

"One of you?" Sheidheda demanded. "He's draining your marrow as we speak."

Faye was trying to keep him at bay. "Let's just play the game." One moment of control and soon she would be just a thought, watching her body destroy her friends.

"Chess isn't a game. A lesson in strategy, and you're not paying attention." Sheidheda stood, moving one of his pieces across the board. "Checkmate. Jackson is a pawn. If you had killed him, we'd be free right now and on our way to the palace to kill the people who had murdered Clarke. Instead we'll now likely die with her, so well done."

Faye stood in rage, throwing all the pieces off the board. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to rule this world as I did the last. I want you to kill everyone who gets in your way. I want you to get revenge for Clarke."

Faye knew any death would be better than this tortuous hell she was living in, but she was the Commander, and Sheidheda offered something better than death.

"Tell me what I have to do."

Faye didn't need him, but this was the Flame. Now she was simply stalling. She didn't need him for revenge, but having someone support her need for death was better than every one of her friends trying to stop her.

She had no weakness, she needed revenge.