𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 · 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘥 ²

𝟐.𝟏𝟒

-    "There's a mine entrance closer to where the Reapers hand us over." –he glanced back at me- "We go into the underworld when we have to, not before."

He started jogging again and I had no other option than to for after him; after all, he was right. A couple of hours later, Lincoln stopped and I took the opportunity to check Clarke's map one last time. Once I had memorized it as best as I could, I turned towards Lincoln.

-    "The Mountain has many eyes between here and the tunnels." –he explained as he carved a branch- "From now on, details must be exact."

-    "What if we run into real Reapers? Wouldn't they wonder where you've been?"

-    "All they see is the Red. Once you've taken it, nothing else matters, just how you'll get more."

-    "How much do you remember from when you were on it?"

-    "Everything." –he stood up- "Turn around."

I took a deep breath knowing fully well what I had gotten myself into. As Lincoln placed the branch over my shoulder and tied my hands to it, I started to think. This is what we do, we risk our lives to save those who can't save themselves. I thought of Sam and O and what they'd be up to.

At least they both are safe back at camp and that's the only thing that matters. That, and getting alive out of this one.

Once Lincoln was content with how everything had turned out, he started moving, pulling me after him. When we finally made it to the entrance, Lincoln stopped and looked at it.

-    "Come on. Let's do this."

Lincoln took a deep breath and we walked into the darkness. The tunnels all looked the same, but thankfully Lincoln knew where he was going. He suddenly stopped.

-    "Why are we stopping?" –I asked turning around; he was looking at the ground: an empty bottle of the Red liquid was standing in front of him and he had his eyes focused on it. He stepped his foot over it, crashing it-    "You okay?"

-    "As soon as they open the intake doors, we attack." –he informed me- "Do not let it close. Once they're all dead, you go in. I'll make it look like you escaped. Once you're inside..."

-    "I know." –I cut him.

Shouting started to be heard in the distance as a firelight approached us.

-    "Another raider party." –Lincoln approached me to free me- "We have to go back."

-    "Go back? No way. There's three, maybe four, we can fight our way through."–I argued- "We'll never get a better chance than this."

-    "Look, I thought I could do this but I can't, okay? It's over."

-    "No, it's not. We can join them. Listen to me, when they bring out the Red you grab it and you run like hell." –I explained- "The Reapers will go nuts, the Grounders will run and the Mountain Men will have to deal with it. No one will be looking for a Grounder running into the mountain."

-    "I said no."

Lincoln grabbed the branch from my shoulders and threw it away. I threw myself at him and punched him.

-    "Fight back. They'll think I'm trying to escape."

Said and done; Lincoln wasted no time and I was on my knees with a knife to my neck in less than two seconds. Just then, a Reaper approached us and Lincoln spoke to him in Trigedasleng. The Reapers answered him and soon Lincoln raised us both from the ground and moved with me towards where the other prisoners had been tied up together; my eyes were covered and my hands tied up, forced to walk like the rest of the prisoners had been doing: in the darkness.