Lightning Only Strikes Once - Clexa

Chapter 29: I Vote For Televisions

It's time to leave.

Raven's made two new radios, neither powerful enough to call up to the Ark like the one she came down with, but powerful enough to reach each other and it. Clarke's decided the one sent by the Ark should be left at Polis – that way the members of the 100 there will be able to talk to their families. She and Lexa will take one of the Raven-made ones with them north, so if anything happens up on the Ark her people in Polis can radio and let them know. The other radio made by Raven will be left at TonDC – she held a brief training session with Nyko and a couple of the others to teach them how to use it – so that way if anything happens at the Mountain they'll know about it too.

In other words, they have everything prepared and set up, and everyone protected. So why the hell is Clarke so goddamn nervous?

She thinks it might be Lexa, rubbing off on her. Even now as they set up to start the walk to Polis, Lexa's got scouts around in every direction and glances regularly at the sky, looking for missiles or other threats. Her nerves don't show on her face of course – it's Lexa – but Clarke's seen her this way enough to recognise it. And she understands. Clarke and Lexa, stationary, surrounded by an army of gonas, would be a very tempting target for the Maunon. (If they know who Clarke and Lexa are. But at some point she's just accepted it as fact that Emerson remembers.)

"Griffin? Griffin!"

Clarke jerks back to her surroundings, blinking. Judging by the scowl on his face, John's been trying to get her attention for a while. She notices that while the rest of them have packs and are wearing as much clothing as possible to protect against whipping branches and the wind, he's dressed normally and has no pack. "What is it?"

"I'm staying," John says, looking very decided. "I'm not leaving this place. If we're gonna have any chance of rescuing Murphy -"

We don't, Clarke thinks. She doesn't say it though. Let him have hope. Besides, what does she know? If Emerson doesn't remember, Murphy could still be being treated as an honoured guest. If Emerson does remember, he might think Murphy and Drew could make good hostages – Murphy's pretty good at talking his way out of trouble. It's just her instincts that tell her the two boys are dead, killed to give fourteen Mountain Men the ability to go wherever they want to.

"- well, I should be here," he finishes. "I'm the only one who gives a damn about him."

"It won't be safe here," Clarke warns.

"It won't be safe anywhere," he points out. "This is the ground, it's not a safe place anytime. I can stay here, help work the radio. Maybe I'll notice something the Grounders miss."

Clarke considers this. She doesn't believe he will, but she doesn't think the Maunon will storm TonDC for the chance of capturing one Skaikru either – well, unless the Skaikru is her. "You stay out of the forest and in TonDC as much as you can," she starts, holding up a finger to silence him when he tries to speak. "Stay indoors whenever possible so you can't be seen. Go ask Nyko for some Trikru clothing so that you blend in more. If you do anything stupid, like trying to get inside the Mountain on your own, the Mountain Men won't have to shoot you because I'll have done it first. Understood?" If they have any element of surprise at all she wants to keep it.

"Understood," he says gruffly. But there's something in his tone that makes her quirk her brow.

"Right, you understand. But will you do what I said?"

"Maybe," he says. At her look, he adds, "I don't plan to get killed by the Mountain, alright? So I'll be careful. But if I see a chance to do something, don't expect me not to take it."

"Fair enough," she says, resigned. She can't drag him with her if he wants to stay.

"Move out," Indra yells, and all the gonas raise their weapons and give a quick shout. Then they're moving forwards. John gives her a little wave goodbye and weaves his way back through the crowds towards the village, out of her sight in seconds. She hopes he doesn't get himself killed.