The Boy from the Bunker - Season 3

Episode Four, Part 4:

Episode Four, Part 4:
A l t e r a t i o n

May the melody surround us when the cracks begin to show. 

Everyone sat around the couches in the Sovereign's Quarters: Joren, Aeryn, Bianca, Fenn - everyone from the the Bunker - they were all there, crowded around Sol and Dreea as they waited to hear their plan to save Elara and Kodiak. 

But Wynn was separate from everybody, leaning up against the back wall, devising a plan of his own as the Sovereigns spoke.  

"So, until we know more, we're not going to tell Basilisk that Kodiak, and Elara, are missing. " Sol added her name as if she were an afterthought, or not a priority as much as Kodiak was. 

"Bianca is his Nominated, so until they're back, she will continue his duties as Sovereign." 

"What are you doing to get Elara back?" Quill spoke up. His voice was a little nervous, softer than usual, not wanting anyone to take his tone the wrong way. 

"We've sent a few groups of Trackers out to see if they can find out where they took them to. Two Watchers to surround Riders to investigate if they had any part in this." 

"Watchers?" Quill inquired. 

"Like...spies." Sol scrunched her nose up, debating if that was the right term to use. "They're watching Riders from outside - keeping an eye on who goes in an out in case Rhea or Kane are spotted." 

Quill nodded, sinking deeper in the couch at the reminder of his father being the reason that his sister was gone. Beside him, Aeryn rested her hand on his knee, squeezing tightly for comfort as his own moved to overlap hers. 

"It's," Sol looked down at her watch, figuring out how long she had, "49 hours until the march. If Targo have them, then our only hope is that they avoid being caught up in the war. Targo have no position in it, so if there's one thing we can hold onto, it's that maybe they'll be safe when the rest of Basilisk is under attack." 

Wynn shook his head at the back of the room, scuffing his feet across the ground, almost betrayed that Sol would plea it as a distraction - that she would give them false hope so she could lead everyone through the war. 

Sol glanced around, taking in everyone's reactions, but only really concerned about Wynn. His distance felt far greater to her than anyone else in the room, and she hated the thought that she had let him down, praying that he would realize soon that she was doing everything she could think of to get Elara back when she didn't even know where she was. 

"If there's no news on them in 15 hours, then I'll go myself. I... I want you all to know that this isn't nothing to me." She looked up at Wynn as she spoke, their eyes meeting for a moment, but he looked down at the ground again, as if he wasn't interested in what she had to say to him anymore. 

"Elara is your family, and she's a part of Basilisk, so that means she's our family as well. And Kodiak's my best friend. I know that since you all came to the Ground, it must feel like someone is always missing, and I'm sorry. But like every time before, I won't stop until we're all home." 

Sol sighed, dropping her head, as everyone accepted her speech. She didn't even wait for Dreea to finish speaking before she slipped away and disappeared from everyone without having to face them. 

After a few moments, everyone of Wynn's family began walking over in his direction to reach the door, all wondering the same thing: why he hadn't been there - front and centre - to hear what Sol had to say.