𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭︱raven reyes, book 2

xxi. 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙣.

The accusation made Clarke stop suddenly as if Raven's word had struck her physically. She even seems surprised by it. "Raven," June whispered in a scolding tone. She can't believe those words left Raven's mouth. It was cruel, and so unlike her.

"You think I've forgotten that?" Clarke asked. Her voice cracked a bit.

"Okay," Bellamy cut in, treading carefully with his decision. "We'll tell everybody the truth as soon as we have a viable solution. Without one, it'll start a panic."

June shakes her head. "You don't know that," she tried again before her lecture. "Listen, when our people heard about the Culling, they offered their lives to keep their loved ones breathing. They were afraid, but they didn't panic. They were brave. They didn't tear apart The Ark because it's our home. And we have to honor that sacrifice."

The rain's patter picks up onto their home as there's a clap which June thought was thunder, but turned out to only be Monty's hands. He burst out of his seat. "That's it!" He exclaimed. He had been wordless every minute they were in the room so his shout caught June by surprise. It was like an electric bolt coursed through him.

"What are you talking about?" Clarke asked him in confusion.

"Think," Monty urged. "Alpha Station survived ninety-seven years in space through elevated radiation levels and extreme temperature fluctuations. Sound familiar?" June's heartbeat sped up as if there was a hint of relief that Monty was supplying them. "All we have to do is patch up the ship." Monty's eyes are wide with seriousness. "We're standing in our viable solution."

And with that, Monty grinned so widely that it causes dimples to crate deeply in his cheeks before his head tilted back to smile at the ceiling as if the sun had shone on them once again because they were lucky enough to know a genius like Monty Green.

━━━━━━━━

The trip they plan to take, courtesy of Monty's amazing brain, is for a hydro-generator that should be powerful enough to keep Alpha Station standing through the radiation. When The Ark fell from the sky and landed in a crash on Earth, one of the pieces from Farm Station may have survived. But it's in Ice Nation territory. So, June, who is endlessly graceful for her friend Monty, helps a few of the other guards carry bags of supplies to the rover. She's colored surprised when she's helping Harper who is sat in the back as she organizes the firearms when Raven appears in the open backdoor.

"Raven?" June straightened in surprise and hopped off the ledge. "What are you - "

"You're not going." It's not a question. It's a firm demand if by the way her arms are crossed over her chest says anything. "June, you're out of your mind if you think you can cross Ice Nation territory."

June stops in her tracks. Roan was their ally, wasn't he? It couldn't be too dangerous. "Raven, this is important to me." She looked over her shoulder to the guards who offered to take the risk. Harper, Bellamy, Monty, Miller, and Bryan. Her friends, people she cared about. "I can't ask them to go and take a risk that I wouldn't take myself."

It seemed Raven had all the answers. "June, you're too important." June's eyebrows furrowed. Me? She thinks in disbelief. Raven and Monty were important. They were smarter than anyone she ever knew. Bellamy and Clarke were important. They were leaders, the best they had. And Harper, Miller, and Bryan were ranked highly on the guard because of their amazing shooting skills. Raven's expression turns grave as if she could read what June was thinking. "You're kidding me, right? You're smart. You're brave. You're one hell of a shot, and all that is why we need you to stay here. You don't realize it, but you're dangerous."