Her Loyalties

Chapter Thirty-Three

With that, the President sat back in his chair and folded his arms.

"Thank you Clarke." Wells put his hand on my shoulder. "For saving them." I smiled sadly and then tapped the screen again, bringing up the camera system. From here, I could see a steady stream of people flowing into a massive hall, with every doctor and guard elsewhere.

We waited a long time before the level five doors sealed and there was no longer anyone walking around the hallways. I looked at the President, who had been silent the whole time.

"Will this room be secure if I open the main doors?" I asked. He merely nodded, displaying no emotions except boredom. "Good, so what opens the doors?"

I knew he hated to do it, but he pointed at a lever that was mounted on the wall. Wells caught my wrist as I made my way towards it.

"Clarke, before you do this." He talked so the President couldn't hear him. "Why aren't Lexa and her warriors here to help you? I thought you had an alliance."

"Lexa? Are you talking about the earth leader?" The President asked. Wells turned and reluctantly nodded. "Oh, don't expect her to help you. We killed her."

I froze and looked at him in disbelief. No, he had to be lying. Lexa was alive.

"How...?" I asked, trying to make sure.

"A search team found her yesterday. Shot her on sight. Do you think I wouldn't know who she was?"

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"I know her tattoo." He said confidently. "The infinity symbol on the back of her neck and the really big on down her back." He traced circles and lines in the air as he spoke. So it was true, Lexa never showed anyone her tattoo.

She was dead.

"No!" I cried, and fell on my knees to the floor. Wells leaned down and put an arm around my shoulder. I shook him off gently and got up again. Striding over, I lifted my gun and smashed it across the Presidents face. He fell off his chair, landing with a light thud. Before I hit him again, I strode across the room to the lever.

I watched the Presidents eyes as I placed my hand on the lever. Wells made no move to stop me.

"These people deserve to die." I growled before gathering my courage to pull the lever.

My hand didn't move.

I didn't know why.

All of a sudden Wells was there, his hand on the lever over mine.

"Together." He said, and I nodded. Together, we pushed on the lever, and opened the doors. Nothing happened for a second, and then I saw sudden light on two of the cameras. The doors had opened.

I clicked one camera to where the doctors were assembled, and another to the gaurds. Nothing had changed, but them they started to drop to the floor. I looked away, not wanting to see what I knew had happened. The same thing that had happened to the guard I had fought before. 

The radiation.

Wells pushed a button on the screen and it turned black. After a minute of silence, I raised my head and looked at the President. He gazed back, seeming unbothered by what I had just done.

"You deserve to die." I whispered to him. He shrugged and merely played along as I took his arm roughly and headed to the door. We stood in front of it for a few seconds.

"I knew you were going to kill me anyway." The President said. "As soon as I told you the Commander was dead. I saw it in your eyes."

"Shut up!" I twisted the doorknob but didn't open the door. "Any last words?" That was the silliest thing ever to say, but I believed that every person deserved to say what they wanted when they were going to die.

The President looked at my dead in the eyes.

"Not for you." He said, and then I opened the door. It took a second, but then he dropped to the floor shaking. I stepped back into the room and closed the door on the President. 

Then I slumped to the floor and wrapped my arms around my legs. Wells sat next to me.

"How is she dead?" I asked, seconds away from crying. "She can't be."

"I'm so sorry Clarke." Wells murmured, rubbing my shoulder. "I know she was your friend."

Oh right. Wells didn't know. But I couldn't tell him now, not after everything that just happened.

"I can't do this anymore." My voice broke. Wells looked at me, confused, but I had already started moving. Standing, I moved a few steps away from him and pulled out my gun.

I held it to my head.

"Clarke!" Wells shouted even though I could hear him clearly. "Please, no. Stay with me." He begged. I shook my head and felt tears drip down my cheeks.

"I'm so sorry Wells."

And then I pulled the trigger.