𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭︱raven reyes, book 1

l. submerged

She's smiling, chin hooked over Jasper's shoulder. Clarke's gaze lands on Maya and she mouths the words; "Thank you." Maya nods back.

Suddenly, the tank attached to Maya's back started beeping, catching everyone's attention. Jasper hurried to check it, eyes widening. "Thirty minutes," he read aloud. "And we just changed it. That can't be right..." He panicked, circling around to face her. "Uh, sh - um, it's her last tank."

"Hey, we'll find you another one," Clarke stated surely, taking a step forward.

"All the supplemental oxygen is on Level Five," Maya told them, her lower lip wobbling.

"Then we have to get you to Level Five."

"Five isn't safe for any of us."

June shakes her head. "Nowhere on this mountain is safe for any of us," she argued. "We're going to find you one."

"We'll take the trash chute again," Jasper suggested in addition. "It'll work."

"To get in, maybe," Bellamy guessed. "Maya's right. Every soldier in this mountain is there. We'll never make it out."

"We can do this," Jasper said confidently.

Nodding, Octavia reached behind her again and pulled at the handle of her sword, unsheathing the blade. "Okay. You guys go for Dante," she instructs, pointing to Bellamy, Clarke, Monty, and June. "We'll help Maya." June nods, remembering the place where her and Bellamy last saw Dante, knowing he was the last person who would want to help them but was the only one who could.

━━━━━━━━

As it turns out, June is right. Dante isn't pleased to see them when they enter his room. He's sitting on his bed, bony hands on his knees. She wonders if he's more stressed by the actions of his son by the tired look in his features and more visible wrinkles. Dante's dark blue eyes first meet Clarke's gaze, recognizing the girl who escaped the bunker, and in distaste as she approaches him. "Hello, Clarke," he drawls out in greeting, flatly.

"Sir, we need your help again," Bellamy requested.

Dante glances to the camera in the room. "It's okay," Monty reassured him. "I took out the camera from the junction box in the hall. We can talk freely."

"No one's watching, anyway," Dante replied. "Thanks to you, they're all on Level Five."

"Good for them," June says tightly. "But we're running out of time."

Knowing June was right, Bellamy nods, stepping forward. "Please. We need a way to get our people out of this mountain without killing everyone."

The former president presses his lips tightly together and looks away from them. June hates the look on his face, knowing what it meant. "He's not gonna help us," Clarke says, voicing June's thoughts, but more in disgust, considering these were his people.

"You cut the power, risking the lives of everyone in this mountain. My people, even the ones who helped you," Dante accused harshly.

"We knew they'd be safe on Level Five. We made sure not to destroy the turbines so you could repair them," Clarke fires back angrily. "We're the good guys here, not you!"

Gently resting her hand on Clarke's shoulder, June tugs her back and warns her with a whisper to calm down. "Clarke."

"Tell me. If we released your people and theirs, what would've happened to mine?" Dante asked. June bites her lower lip when she realizes that he's right. Dante only did what they all did. Worry about their people.