[OLD VERSION]Sinners And Saints

Chapter Thirty-Eight: We Will Heal

"Bellamy!" Athena wailed, jolting up with a cold sweat soaking her skin.
"Athena! Athena, calm down," Clarke crooned, cupping Athena's face.

Athena scanned her new surroundings in confusion. Clarke and Lexa were kneeled before her, looking at her with worried gazes. The three young women were sitting by a fence with barb wire strapped to the top and dark red lighting beyond it. The wide and long hall they were in was made of gray concrete walls, ceiling, and floor.

"What is this?" Athena grumbled, grasping the fence to pull herself up.
"A firewall," Lexa answered, stepping beside her.
"You'll never get to the kill switch."

Athena, Lexa, and Clarke whirled around to see John and Jasper striding toward them. Lexa glared at the two boys as she whipped out her swords. Athena reached for her own sword, but she grasped nothing but air. She looked to see her sword was gone. Athena wondered what's this meant for her life; if Alie had killed her. But it didn't matter if she had a heartbeat or not. She wouldn't stop until Alie was destroyed.

"Lexa, don't," Athena pleaded before she strode forward. "Jasper. John. What are you doing here?"
"We're trying to stop you," John replied. "The City Of Light is perfect. We're happy here. Why do you want to deny people of that?"
"Alie's torturing people to get them here, John. She may take away painful memories, but she also takes away good ones. She controls us," Athena snapped.
"She's doing what has to be done," John defended.
"She took away our choice," Athena exclaimed. "Human beings have free will. We get to decide how we live."
"Human beings are the only species that act for our own self interest," Jasper said. "We torture each other. We fight and hurt each other. We break each other's hearts."
Athena and John exchanged a sad glance.
"None of that exists here. Alie is protecting us from ourselves," Jasper finished.
"Clarke, there's still time to find another sign. Lets go," Lexa stated.
As Lexa took a step forward, John blocked her path. "We can't let you do that."

Athena clutched her single pearl necklace as she watched Jaha lead hundreds of people into hall. Athena and Clarke exchanged a nervous glance. There was no way they could get past all of the people under Alie's control.

"Athena. Clarke. Just give up. You have nowhere to run. The second AI can no longer protect you," Jaha called.
"If I remove the flame. . ." Clarke turned to Lexa. "will it stop the update?"
"Yes, but no one has ever done that by choice before," Lexa responded. "Regardless, you'll be one of them. Alie will get the flame either way."
"Then stop fighting," Jasper remarked.
Athena's eyes slightly widened as she watched a large circle glow blue on the wall and a gray circular door form in its place. "Clarke." A moment later, a large white bird appeared on the door, and Athena smiled with relief. "Raven."

Jasper sprinted to the door, and spread out his arms to block it as the three young women ran toward him. Lexa punched Jasper across the face, knocking him to the floor. The hundreds of people behind Jaha ran forward.

Lexa whirled around and grasped Athena's forearm. A light blue light glowed brightly around their arms as the light hummed loudly. Athena gasped as a sudden breeze blew up her hair and a refreshed feeling coursed through her. Athena turned her arm over as she rolled up the sleeve of her jacket to see her veins had turned black. Athena looked at Lexa with wide eyes.

"I once told you that you would make the best commander if you had the blood. Now you do. I know you'll save our people. You're their hope in the darkness, Athena," Lexa said. ". . . I have to go."
Athena sadly smiled. "Don't be too long."
The smallest close lipped smile bloomed on Lexa's face as sorrow gleamed in her eyes. "I'll be by your side again before you know it."
Athena and Lexa embraced for the last time, and separated a moment later as Athena blinked away her tears. "Goodbye, Lexa."