Love At First Sight (1)

Chapter 9: Rescue

A hazy fog surrounds the camp's gate. Mackenzie can hardly see through it, bravely standing on Bellamy's side with a gun cocked in her hand. Her green eyes were locked on the outside, waiting until she saw a familiar figure strolling through. Clarke had left after Lincoln's revival to speak to the Commander once more, adding the finishing touches to their truce, if it could be granted. Mackenzie felt like her heart was beginning to pound out of her chest when two grounders approach as well, leading Clarke to the shut gate.

"Hold you fire! She's back!" Bellamy called to the guards. Mackenzie took her finger off the trigger. He signaled to one of the guards, "Open the gate"

With east, the gates slides open, allowing Clarke access. Mackenzie's gut immediately tells her that something is wrong. Clarke isn't smiling like everything went right, instead, she's tense as she marches inside, "Clarke?" Mackenzie called in concern while lowering her gun, causing their gazes to connect. Mackenzie can see how frightened her is in her features, and it settles a feeling of distress in her.

Finn came running, pushing through the crowd to come to Clarke, "You okay?" He asked worriedly

Without an answer, Clarke shakily called out, "Shut the gate!" At her command, the doors of the gate sling shut, leaving the grounders that guided her on the other side. Clarke tugs Finn's arm away, Mackenzie and Bellamy on their tail, "Is there a chance for a truce?"

"Yes" Clarke whispered

But she isn't alright. Something isn't right, "What's wrong?" Finn questioned her, forehead creasing with worry

"They want you" Clarke lifts her head to look at Finn, "If we want a truce, we have to give them Finn" Mackenzie's jaw dropped into a gape as she processed what she told. She hadn't liked Finn recently, not after the massacre, but there was a part of her that still cared for him. She's known him since her first day on Earth, but hearing they'd have to give him to the grounders for peace, Mackenzie felt nauseous, "That's their offer" Clarke finished more quieter

"That's not an offer!" Raven exclaimed. Mackenzie could almost feel how tense she was from the distress at the delivered news

"It's punishment. For what happened at the village" Finn finished for her. His eyes shift, realization of his possible fate settling in, "Blood for blood"

Pressing her lips together tightly, Mackenzie shakes her head as Bellamy spoke the words in her head, "That's insane"

"Insane?" Mackenzie repeated, "Violence for peace isn't right" Everyone on both sides would be haunted forever, no matter what.

Shaking her head, Abby held Clarke by the shoulders, "If we refuse?"
"They attack" Clarke explained
A sharp exhale came from Mackenzie. She wanted to panic, shout that this couldn't be right, or they'd be in a never ending cycle. Though, the few residents in the camp who overheard Clarke didn't agree, "I say we give him up!" A man calls. A few more comments like that follow, and Mackenzie whirls, wanting to warn them but stopping. She could see how frightened they looked, scared of the grounders. It was just human instinct.

"Easy, people!" Major Byrne cautioned everyone that started circling them, passion filling the crowd as the chants grew louder

"Give him to the grounders!" A man with curly hair shouts, daring to step closer

Raven spun on her heels, lower lip curling, "Back off!" She snarled, shoving his chest. He went to lunge at her, but Mackenzie grabbed her arm with one hand while Clarke grabbed the other, pulling her back as Bellamy and another guard held the man away, calming him down.

"Hey, Raven" Clarke tried to grab her attention, "Listen to me. Nothing is gonna happen to him. I promise, okay?" She vouched

"I'm not dying for him!" The man shouts over Clarke, angering Raven who seemed to start to calm down, "Spacewalker burned three months of oxygen from The Ark! We should've floated him a long time ago. Throw him out!"