black bird, raven reyes

40. airlock

"Becca's journal is amazing. At twenty-six, she found a pathway to access a human mind. That same year, she had to lock up Alie because her answer for what was wrong with the world was too many people. She was twenty-seven when it launched the bombs."

"What did she write about the flame?" Clarke asked. "Alie 2.0. She saw it as a way to atone for her signs. She designed it to not just access a human mind, but to merge with one. It could never wipe us out because it would be one of us. She would put it in herself first, and altered her genes so her body wouldn't reject the transplant."

"Bekka pramheda, the first commander. The gene therapy made her blood black, didn't it?" Raven nodded. "How did you know that?" Octavia asked.

"Nightblood. That's where it came from. Somehow it became hereditary. Luna has it. That's why we have to find her. If she can access Alie 2..." "she can tell us how to stop Alie 1." Octavia finished.

"Bekka pramheda gets her second shot at atonement." Sinclair said.

"Get back to the mind pathway. If Alie uses it to upload our minds to the City of Light, then there's a chance my moms still alive." Monty said.

"That depends on your definition of 'alive.'" Raven said. "Eyes sharp. Weapons high. We're almost home. Miller come in." The radio gave no response. "Harper you there?"

"Let's start." Jasper said. They exited the rover, and enter a deserted Arkadia. "We left two days ago, why haven't they fixed the gate?" Clarke asked. "Maybe because no ones there to fix it."

"It's like a ghost town."

"Miller, where the hell are you? I don't like this." Eden heard someone come up beside her, and saw Raven. Eden gave a small smile to her, which Raven returned. "Maybe they got chipped."

"If they got chipped, they'd be waiting for us at the cave." Bellamy said. "Maybe they saw the open gate, and went in for Lincoln's book." Jasper said. "Maybe you should stop saying 'maybe.'"

"If they're chipped, Alie already knows we're coming." Octavia stopped, seeing a blood spot on the ground, and knew it was Lincoln's. "let's get his book, and get the hell out of here." Octavia said. "That's a plan I can support."

They entered the hangar bay. "Close it up, and turn it around. We need to get out of here quickly." Bellamy said. "It's like they got up, and walked away."

"were in and out. Have as much gear as you can in the rover."

"I'll get the map." Octavia said. "I'll go with her." Eden said, following her.
—
Eden and Octavia entered Lincoln's former quarters. Octavia grabs a guard jacket, and throws it, and a few other things. "Hey." Eden said. "What?"

"He told me to tell you he loved you." Eden saw tears fall. "He told me to look out for you, and that's what I'm going to do." Octavia turned to her. "I miss him so much."

"I know, Octavia." Eden said softly, hugging her, as Octavia cried into his shoulder. "But he wants you to go on. It's okay to fall apart."

"A warrior doesn't mourn the dead until the war is over." She mumbled. "Octavia, it's okay to grieve. I'll wait in the hall. Let me know if you need anything." Eden said, going into the hall. Minutes later, Eden felt a sharp pain in her head, and fell to the ground.
—
"Everyone finish what you're doing, meet me at the armory!" Bellamy yelled. "Why, what's going on?" Clarke asked.

"You'll see when we get there. We just got lucky."

"On our way."

"Wait!" Raven yelled, making Clarke walk back over to her. "Leave Alie 2."