Experiment of Fate ~ A Bellamy Blake story

Chapter 13 - Raven

The air inside the cave was heavy, thick with the weight of what had happened. Isla limped to the far side of the cavern, every inch of her body screaming in protest from the torture she had endured under Pike. Her muscles trembled as she sank to the ground, leaning against the rough stone wall. She didn't have the energy to hide her pain anymore. It radiated off her in waves, visible to everyone, but only Octavia crossed the space to sit beside her.

Without a word, Octavia let Isla lean into her shoulder, offering quiet support. Isla let out a shaky breath, eyes half-lidded as the others began to talk in low voices across the cave. She watched as Sinclair, Monty, and Bellamy gathered near the entrance, their heads bent together as they discussed what had happened and what was to come. Her body ached, but for the first time in days, the weight on her chest felt a little lighter. Pike was gone.

The sun was setting, casting a golden hue through the mouth of the cave, bathing everything in a soft light. Isla flickered a small, tired smile. Despite everything, the sky was still beautiful. Plans were being formed for Arkadia, for a future without Pike. For a moment, Isla allowed herself to close her eyes, the warmth of the sun and Octavia's steady presence lulling her into a rare sense of calm.

But the peace was shattered when the radio crackled to life.

"Sinclair, do you copy? Kane? Monty? Anyone?"

The voice sent a ripple of shock through the cave. It was the last voice they expected to hear.

"Jasper?" Monty stepped forward, grabbing the radio. "Is that you? What's going on?"

"Arkadia isn't safe," Jasper's voice came through, strained and urgent. "Allie's taken over. She chipped everyone, and they've gone crazy. I have Raven and Clarke, but Raven's chipped. She said she knew how to fry it before Allie took complete control."

Isla's heart sped up as her tired mind tried to make sense of Jasper's words. She hadn't been present for much of what had happened lately, but she caught one word: Clarke.

She reached out for the radio, and Monty passed it to her. "Hi, Jasper. It's Isla. Are you and Clarke okay?"

"Oh, thank God, Isla. You're alive! Clarke's fine, the Commander of Death is fine," Jasper replied quickly. "But if you don't tell us where you are, we won't be for long."

Isla handed the radio back to Monty, her head spinning. She felt a wave of exhaustion as Monty and Sinclair began discussing coordinates with Jasper. She leaned her head back against the stone wall, closing her eyes just for a second, but Miller's voice pulled her back.

"We don't know what we're getting into," Miller was saying. "So Bryan, Harper, and I will manage security." He turned to the others. "Raven will need Sinclair and Monty to help her get back." Both nodded.

Then Miller's eyes landed on Bellamy, Octavia, and Isla. "We'll need you three too."

Octavia abruptly stood, walking to her bag and pulling on her jacket. Bellamy was quick to follow, his voice tense. "O, wait! You can't just leave."

"Watch me," Octavia snapped, not even looking back.

Isla struggled to her feet, limping after them. "Please, O," she called, grabbing Octavia's arm. "I need you. Jasper said Arkadia isn't safe."

"What Jasper said sounds insane," Octavia said, shaking her head.

Isla saw the storm brewing in her eyes. "Pike's gone, and the grounders burn their dead," Octavia added, her voice hard.

The words struck something deep within Isla, triggering a memory she'd tried so hard to bury. Her brother, the sound of the gunshot, his body falling. The flames of her heartbreak that had burned so fiercely afterward. She squeezed her eyes shut against the memory, feeling the tears prick at the edges.