OUT OF MIND² ━━ Bellamy Blake

𝐗𝐕: Bleeding Out

     "You're right," muses Lyra. "We need her alive."

     There is an arduous beat, and then Roan releases Clarke. "Run!"

      They break through the group easily, taking off in the opposite direction. Lyra watches them go with the beginnings of an amused smile. They hardly make it more than a half a dozen feet before Kane is striding across the streets and cutting them off.

     "But we don't need you," says the former peacemaker shortly.

     Roan whirls around as if trying to find another escape route. Unfortunately, it's the wrong move.

Lyra swiftly takes the handgun from her waistband and shoots him square in the chest without even blinking.

     His entire body heaving as blood spurts from the gaping hole in his armor, Roan slumps to the dirtied cobblestone. There is some semblance of horror on Clarke's face as she staggers back. Roan continues to choke on his own sticky, callous red blood as Clarke is hauled away by a great number of guards, writhing and screaming the entire time.

     In the meanwhile, Lyra approaches Roan's fallen body and kneels beside him. She always hates seeing anyone in pain.

     "There is no pain in the City of Light," Lyra informs Roan softly. She holds out the chip in the palm of her hands. "If you take this, all the pain will go away. You'll feel happy."

     Though he's clearly in agony, he manages to regard her with some sort of disdain.

"Even after everything, you are still taking the coward's way out."

Something like hurt flashes across Lyra's face. She manages to keep herself calm and collected as she steadily rises to her feet. Taking one of his quivering hands in hers, her attention briefly drawn to the great number of scars and callouses littering his rough palms, she places the chip into his hands. He looks mildly surprised as she curls his fingers over it.

"In case you change your mind," she explains kindly.

Then she goes for the Flame and for Clarke and Ontari, back to the throne room, and leaves him there to join or to die.

"You cannot make everyone think and feel as deeply as you do," Alie tells her gently. "This is your greatest tragedy, Lyra Jupiter. Because you understand them, but they will never understand you."

*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ 　　.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙

          ALIE WASTES NO time.

     They had dragged Clarke to the topmost floor of tower, hauling her into the throne room. Clarke yelps in pain as the guards, Costa and Briggs, thrust her forwards. Lyra follows dutifully behind them, squinting against the incessant sun that blazes through the open balcony.

     "Clarke," greets Abby softly. She wraps her arms around her daughter. "I've missed you."

    "I won't take the chip," insists Clarke shortly. "Ever."