the orphan king

Bitter promises

Kane grunted as he shoved the makeshift shovel into the dirt and removed it from the ground before tossing it slightly to the side. He did the action one more time before nodding to himself. With a sigh he fell to his knees near a small potted plant. The same one that had lasted all this time on the Ark and survived the reentry. The one his mother made him recite prayers too in the hopes that they would make it to the ground someday. He had hated it then. He was always thirsty because his mother sacrificed their water ration to it. At the time it didn't make sense and he never understood his mother's fanaticism until he himself had stood on top of Mecha Station and felt the wind blow on his face. Finally it was home. The Arkers, were home. Kane reverently pulled the Bonsai tree from its container and lowered it into the fresh soil. With care Kane used his hands to push the loose dirt over its roots and sighed as he patted it down. He wished his mother was here to see this.

"Sir." A soft call came from his right and he turned to see one of the trio of guards looking at him expectantly.

"Are the Blake siblings here?" Kane asked and the guard nodded. "Alright. I'm coming." He said as he grabbed his pack and stood up before walking over to their small group that consisted of three guards and Bellamy and Octavia.

"Councilor." Bellamy acknowledged and Kane nodded respectfully at the young man.

"Alright. This is the briefing. The five of you will move into Reaper territory near Mt. Weather. We need to see if this device." Kane paused as he removed the cylinder from his pocket and handed it toward one of the guards. "Can actually do what Clarke claims it does which is to scare the Reapers away. You all know how important this mission is. It's the difference between life and death for ours and the Grounder's army as we move in. Bellamy will be leading this operation as he is more familiar with the terrain. I expect each one of you to follow him as you would me." Kane said and everyone nodded in agreement as the heavy responsibility fell on their shoulders.

"Alright. Let's move out." Bellamy ordered as he turned toward their mission objective and led the way with his rifle loosely in hand.

Kane watched as the small group jogged into the woods and he hoped that each one would make it back. Still, he knew hope could only go so far. If the Reapers were as deadly as Anya's claims then there would be deaths. Someone or all of them would not make it back. With that glum thought he turned back to Camp and began walking.

***Mt. Weather***

Lincoln struggled against his bonds once more but all it did was reopen the cuts on his wrists and legs. He had been captured to his horror by the Reapers as he led the 100 and Octavia away from the battle. When the ambush struck he had forced Octavia to run as he tried his best to save the remaining 100 who had come with him. But he was only one man and was swiftly knocked out. When he came to it was by a vicious kick to his stomach and he was pulled onto his feet and forced to carry a log with another group. When they arrived at the tunnels all he could do was plunge into the deep. To his surprise the Reapers led them to a metal door in the tunnels and cut them loose before forcing them to kneel. Then they came. Mountain Men. They had chosen him as part of something they called "Cerberus Project." That day he was injected with the Precious Red and then pain. Pain like he had never known before wracked his body and he was left like that for who knows how long.

When he had awoke he was covered in sweat and shivering. His body wanted something he couldn't give and he felt his body reject his will. It was the first time he had ever felt so powerless. No matter what trials he faced, battles he participated in, or things he had seen, his body had always been something he could rely on. Now it betrayed him as he yearned for the Precious Red. It was everything to him now. It was water, it was air, it was food, and it was life. He...had killed for it. Killed another man just to get that sweet nectar. Now as the door opened once more and the man, who had first injected him with the Precious Red in hand, walked inside he found himself docile and begging for another dose. It sickened him. He had become weak.