FLARES ━ BELLAMY BLAKE ( 1 )

chapter twenty-two

"Bellamy, you were right," she started, ignoring Octavia and whatever she happened to be snapping at him about this time. "There's a loose panel at the back. If I can pop it, we can get in through the floor."

This made Taylor extremely thankful that there was a plan in place, making it seem even more possible that they could help Jasper from getting harmed. "Good, do it," Bellamy told her with a nod, Raven turning around to head to the back of the ship immediately.

"Sorry," Octavia apologized sheepishly before walking away, realizing that Bellamy really did have the situation under control. Bellamy looked at Taylor for a second, almost like he was urging her to follow his sister.

"I'm staying," Taylor decided and Bellamy nodded in a reluctant sort of way, but agreeing nonetheless. Bellamy raised the radio to his lips and pressed down on the button.

"Murphy, I know you can hear me. All our ammo and food is on the middle level, you know that. You're leaving us vulnerable to an attack. I can't let that happen," he spoke seriously. Taylor felt all of the rage she felt toward Murphy bubble back up, and the only thing she could imagine was when she had punched him. It was the only thing that prevented her from grabbing the radio from Bellamy and giving him a piece of her mind. Either way, she knew that might not end well for Jasper.

"Yeah, well in case you haven't noticed, you're not exactly in control right now," Murphy drawled from the other side, his smug voice making her blood boil.

"Come on, Murphy. You don't want to hurt Jasper. You want to hurt me," Bellamy countered confidently, Taylor's eyes widening at his words. She nudged him in the arm and gave him a bewildered glance.

"Don't. Don't be a hero. We just need to stall until Raven can get in through the floor," she said, giving him a warning look. What she truly didn't want was Bellamy getting hurt because of Murphy when there was potential for everyone to get out of it unscathed.

"That's what I'm doing," he replied, pressing the button of the radio before continuing, "So what do you say? How about you trade him for me?"

Octavia had wandered near and stepped forward to voice her disapproval as Taylor did in the form of a 'no', but Bellamy ignored it.
"All you have to do is let him go, and I'll take his place," Bellamy offered yet again, waiting patiently for a reply from Murphy. His eyes met Taylor's and all she did was shake her head slowly.

"How?" Murphy responded immediately.

"Bellamy, if you do this, he'll kill you," Octavia cautioned as soon as Murphy had quit speaking from the other side.

"She's right," Taylor let out, unable to comprehend that might actually be the case. Murphy wouldn't just hurt Bellamy, but he would kill him right then and there. And he would not be merciful, not after all that had happened.

"If I don't, he'll kill Jasper," Bellamy justified. Taylor looked down and thought it was incredibly brave of him to be doing that, but also wanted to yell at him because of how stupid it was. He was practically walking right to his death. He pushed down on the radio button once again.

"Simple. You open the door, I walk in, he walks out," Bellamy explained concisely. There was a deafening silence before the door creaked open and lowered to create the ramp leading into the ship.

"Just you, Bellamy! Unarmed!" Murphy shouted from the inside of the ship, his voice loud and echoing. Gunners that had gathered in the area all pointed their weapons at the open door, prepared to shoot Murphy if he appeared.

Bellamy handed his gun to one of the gunners while pressing his radio into Taylor's hands. "Raven will find a way to get you out," Octavia assured, walking with both of them to almost the very edge of the ramp.

"I can handle Murphy," he dismissed. Taylor was still in a stupor as what she desperately didn't want to happen, happened. He turned to her and gave her a reassuring look. "Get everyone back to work. The Grounders are still coming."

Murphy had been counting down during their entire conversation, Bellamy finally stepping up to the ramp and shouting, "I'm here!"

Octavia and Taylor had stepped back to their previous spots and watched as Bellamy entered the dropship, disappearing behind the tarp. Jasper came rolling down the ramp, gagged with his hands bound behind his back. He made muffled sounds behind the rag while he squirmed around in the dirt.

Leaning down, Octavia and Taylor both helped free him from his bonds while the mechanical sound of the door shutting sounded in front of him. Taylor's head shot up and she stared at the metal door that was closed once again. Octavia had finally heaved Jasper up and all three of them exchanged glances when the door finally shut.

"Murphy...you don't have to do this. Don't do this...please," Taylor spoke into the radio, her eyes still glued to the door. It wasn't like she expected him to be that moved by her pleas, but it was the only thought her mind could conjure up to do in that moment.

"I told you this was how it had to be. It was how it always had to be," Murphy spat back. "But I sure am glad you're joining the party, Taylor." And then the other side cut out.

"Murphy! Murphy? I swear I am so past bargaining right now and I promise that you won't live through this if you do anything to him, you hear me?" she hissed through the device, meaning every word she said, her hands shaking around it slightly. There was no response.

"That's it," she mumbled, shoving the radio into Octavia's hands before turning to the spectators that gathered behind her. "Back to work! The problem won't get solved with you watching, so move along! Yeah, back to work!"

"What are you gonna do?" Octavia questioned, cutting her off when she made to walk off.

"I'm going to help Raven get in," she responded curtly. Octavia gave her a wary look before nodding slightly and moving aside so she could get past.

"I'm coming with you," Jasper spoke up, a determined look in his eyes. Taylor could only guess the amount of guilt he felt with Bellamy being in there instead of him.

"Okay. Let's go."