Final Journey to the Ground: A Bellarke Reunion

VI. Nero

"Nero?" I scoff. "Like the psychotic Roman Emperor?"

Nero smirks and nods his head at guard who presses a button. The most intense pain radiates through my body as the electricity from the collar pulsates. Madi and Abba squeal but make no attempt to run to my aide as Tiberius holds them back. Through the pain as I twist and convulse on my bed, I see Abba hide her face in Tiberius's side and the shocks hurt 10 times as more because of the simple fact that I can no longer be the one to comfort my children. Nero continuously presses the button and all I can do is focus on his condescending as I lose count of how many shocks before I am left gasping for air. Oh this psychotic ass is going to pay

"Well now that we are properly introduced, Griffin," Nero says in his odd clipped accent. "You are correct. I am planning on using the Nightblood as a cure."

I nod, as this news is nothing new and more pieces of the blacked out week begin to come back to me. I look back to my girls and suddenly realize that one small face is missing. Jude! Where is Jude? My panic must have been evident on my face as Nero chuckles.

"Just now realized that one of your terrible brats are missing? My, my, guess who won't be winning mother of the year." Nero states darkly, no trace of humor in his voice.

"Where is he, you son of a-?"

"Nuh uh uh, Griffin," Nero scolds condescendingly. "Not in front of your last two remainings brats."

"Nero!" I snarl, straining against the cuffs. Nero nods at a guard and once the electricity pulsates through my body, causing me to twitch and strain even more against the cuffs. I pant and grasp at the air. Abba is tightly drawn into Tiberius's side and Madi is standing stoically as tears run down her face. Jude is safe, she mouths. He went home. My heart bursts at that moment, my love for Madi consuming me and I burst out laughing, despite the pain that shoots thru my head. "You'll never find him, Captain. He got away," I say smugly, my heart beating wildly despite my calm mannerisms. Nero smirks back. "I know you don't have the faintest idea where your ginger freak of a son is, but you do have two more children I can pick from." My eyes narrow and I feel my heart harden. Nero's eyes narrow in response and he shifts slightly to look at Tiberius and my girls.

"Maybe I should be asking the girl where her brother is," he says cooly. "Madi, is it?"

She nods, fear in her eyes but she remains standing as strong as ever. Nero looks over her and I wince in my bed as another spear of pain shoots thru my skull.

"Where is your collar, Madi?" Nero asks softly, his clipped accent allowing for his disapproval to show thru. Madi looks him in the eye and shrugs stoically. That damn shrug, I think to myself and allow myself to smile.

"WHERE IS THE DAMN COLLAR?" Nero screams suddenly, his face bright red and spit flying from his ugly grimace. "WOULD ANYONE CARE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS BRAT DOES NOT HAVE A COLLAR AFTER I EXPLICITLY DEMANDED THEY BE COLLARED?" The guards on either side of Nero barely even shift with the outburst and the one on the left narrows his eyes as he sees me looking at them. Murray- the asshole from the field. My eyes narrow and I feel myself go numb. If it wasn't for him, my family would never be in this mess.

As no one answers Nero, he turns redder and redder, matching the color of dried blood on dirt. He grabs something from the guard on his right and suddenly I am twitching and gasping for air again. He slams the button again and again; I lose count after four. I distantly hear a small scream and someone sobbing. Finally, the torture stops.

"Remove the cuffs from Clarke's arms and legs," Nero states calmly as if his outburst never happened. I am still trying to catch my breath as Murray steps forward and begins to unshackle me from the bed. I don't know if it is the pain from the latest shocks or what, but I swear there is a slight look of pity in his eyes. "But leave the collar, Murray." Murray nods in reply and continues to remove the handcuffs from my legs. I stretch and rub my wrists, look at Nero the whole time. What is this psychopath planning?