ASCENSION: BOOK 2 - SHADOW BLOODS.

Chapter 18: Emerson.

Two Skaikru guards led by Octavia dragged me to the holding cells. They were purposely heavy handed to enforce the illusion that I was a prisoner just like Emerson.
I caught his eye as they threw me to the floor of the barred cell next to him. Octavia keyed in the security number to lock me in there.
"Don't think because you were once Skaikru that'll hold any sway with me. Be thankful your mother showed you mercy, if it were up to me I'd have let you bleed to death, Shadow Blood!" She spat at me before storming away.
I hoped she'd managed to convince Emerson that I was still an enemy of The Clans.
"Wanheda?" He asked with curiosity and suspicion.
As I still lay upon the cold ground I turned my head to look at him, black blood still running from the cuts on my face.
"Emerson? You're the last person I thought I'd find in a Skaikru cell."
"Lucky me. At least I'll have company before they execute us both." He said in anger.
I sat up from the ground and leaned against the wall of my cell.
"It'll be a while before they kill us. First they'll question us about our war strategy, then they'll use my mother to try and reach her beloved daughter. When they realise none of that will work, then they'll torture us until we break or die."
Emerson still seemed unsure about my allegiances, "How do I know you haven't already told them everything?"
I reached into my boot and pulled out the small case containing the Reaper Drug. Opening it and pulling out one of the red phials, I smiled at Emerson before swallowing it in one go, "Wanheda belongs to The Mountain and The Shadow Bloods. Skaikru has no hold over The Commander Of Death."
Cage's Lieutenant smiled back, convinced of my loyalty.
"I don't know about you, Lieutenant, but I'm not about to sit here and wait for them to come for us. We have our orders and I intend to return to The Mountain to see them through."

I convinced Emerson that I could lead us both out of Arkadia. This is where I grew up, I knew every inch of this place, even down to the hidden passages leading out into the woods. He believed every word I said, never once thinking this escape was already planned out.
To get the attention of the guards, Emerson allowed me to grab a hold of him around his neck through our cell bars. The noise of the faked attack brought the two Skaikru men rushing to separate the two of us.
As soon as they keyed in the security number to unlock my cell, I let Emerson go and fought off the guards, taking their swords and beating the security code out of one of them before knocking him out.
I unlocked Emerson's cell and handed him a weapon.
"We have to move fast. As soon as they realise what's happened they'll change the security code for this area and lock it down," I urged as I led us into the main corridor.
Cautiously, we moved through two more security doors until we came upon the section of that area I knew that had a hidden escape tunnel behind the wall.
Removing one of the wall panels I motioned for Emerson to climb in just as three more security guards approached. They were right on time as planned. Our escape couldn't seem too convenient, an element of confrontation was needed to make this plan credible.
I fought them off, protecting Emerson as what would have been expected of me if still under the effects of The Reaper Drug. After knocking out all of the guards, I climbed into the tunnel and followed it until the exit point led to another security door at the back of Arkadia.
Once outside we were able to move undetected towards the treeline and through the woods. Stopping briefly to catch our breath, Emerson grinned at me.
"What?" I asked.
He continued to smile, "You're about to help to end the very existence of The Thirteen Clans. How's that feel, Wanheda?"
I looked at him and then back in the direction of what was once my home, "I don't feel anything."
I lied, I felt everything.