Raven and Jaycee were working on the Ark, making improvements. While working, Bellamy and Clarke walked in.
"Two meals a day for people working as hard as ours, we won't make any friends." Bellamy said putting rations on the table.
Clarke walked behind him "Well, if there's one thing our people understand, it's rationing." She looked at him, "Besides, once we close those doors, it'll be one meal a day for the next five years."
Raven climbed down for the ladder as she pulled off the mask from face, "Try one meal every other day. Hunting parties are coming back with less and less.
Thanks to your friend Niylah, we're preserving more meat than ever. But it's still not enough." Raven told them.
Jaycee walked next to them, standing between Bellamy and Raven, "Yeah, I mean without a way to make water, growing our own protein like we did on the Ark is not an option. Remember that when we're starving." Jaycee told them.
Bellamy looked at Clarke "I won't be starving because I won't be inside." Jaycee looked at him, "fine, then I won't be either,"
Bellamy looked at the girl, before he could respond to her, Clarke interrupted him.
"Yes, you will." She looked at Jaycee "you both will, Nova needs you guys, more than ever since Lincoln and Lily, are gone..." she hesitantly said.
"Yeah, and whose fault is it that Lily died." Jaycee mumbled.
Raven changed the subject "Does that mean you made the list?"
Clarke shook her head, "No. What about drinking water?"
Raven rolled her eyes, "Clarke, don't change the subject. We need to know who's gonna be on the inside of these doors when the radiation comes."
Clarke sighed, "We don't need to know now."
All of a sudden, a man on the P.A spoke "We need some medical help at the front gate. Looks like we got some sick people here."
Jaycee looked at everyone as she was one of the first people to leave the room.
•••
Jaycee finally made it out, she started to push the guards out of her way, once she did she saw Nyko and Luna.
Clarke walked passed the guards who were pointing guns at them, "Nyko" Clarke walked up to them slowly.
Jaycee was next to Miller and Bellamy, "What if it's a grounder attack like they did with Murphy?" Miller asked Bellamy quietly.
"I don't think this is the same. They would have been bleeding from the eyes and nose" Jay told him.
Clarke stood her distance but was still concerned "What happened to them?" She asked Nyko.
Nyko looked at her "The sickness. We lost more than 40 on the way."
Bellamy and Jay walked next to Clarke. Jay heard someone cough, she then saw someone she hadn't seen in a while "Luna?" Jaycee asked in confusion.
Luna looked at her as she finished coughing. "Please don't turn us away because of what I did to you."
Out of the blue, Abby came out to help them, "Out of my way. Please let me through."
Clarke looked at her mother "Mom. What is this?"
Abby went to go check the little grounder girl, to see what they had. She looked at Clarke "Fever, lesions, vomiting...It's ARS." She said.
Bellamy looked at the older Griffin "What's ARS?"
Abby looked at him, "Acute radiation sickness."
Clarke stood up to stand next to the others.
Abby looked at the sick girl once again and asked them, "When did the symptoms start?"
Luna shook her head "Not sure. Right before the fish started dying."
Raven looked at her, "The fish are dying?"
Nyko nodded his head, "Floating on the sea to the horizon in every direction."
Once Abby checked them more carefully, she was sure it wasn't going to pass to anyone, "It's not contagious. Let's get them to medbay. Come on." Abby said to the others.
Raven helped one of the other female grounder while Jay, Clarke, and Bellamy check the female that didn't make it.
Clarke didn't look at them, all she said was "It's already here."
Jaycee felt sick, not the ARS sick, but the sickness that gets someone feeling when they know something bad is going to happen. She didn't like it, she didn't like it at all.
•••
Jaycee had been trying to help around the sick grounders, Bellamy walked in and stood by Luna, he could still hear Clarke, Abby, Jackson, and jaycees conversation.
"They're getting worse. There's got to be something we can do."
Jackson looked at the three females, "Delactivene might help, but Raven's got the meds on lockdown."
Abby looked at Jackson, "Leave Raven to me. What, exactly, do the tests show?"
Jackson told them that, "The exposure is acute. Without treatment, there's little to no chance of recovery. It looks like the radiation is internal, ingested from irradiate fish. None of the outbreaks appear to be from airborne exposure. That's the good news."
Abby sighed, "Not for them." She said quietly.
"We need that medicine, I get we need to ration but these are people's lives we are talking about," Jaycee reminded them.
Jaycee walked away and joined Bellamy with Luna.
Luna looked at Jaycee, "This is all that's left of my people. Can you save them?"
Jaycee looked at her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "We'll do everything we can. You have my word."
Clarke walked up to them as she pulled the two away from the sick woman, "Tell us something good."
Bellamy looked at the two, "Raven's looking for us." He then walked away. With Jaycee behind him.
•••
Raven was doing her thing, trying to figure out how all the sickness started. Bellamy, Jay, and Clarke finally walked in and that's when Raven began to speak. "So Luna's rig is here, and if the fish in these waters are dying, well, basically, we're screwed."
Bellamy didn't get it, "I don't understand. A.L.I.E. said we had six months."
Raven didn't look at them, she only looked at the computer, "We don't."
Clarke looked at the screen as well, "Well, then how long do we have?"
Jaycee walked up next to Raven to read what she was seeing. "It's hard to say. Radiation is dispersed by jet stream and carried by ocean currents, so it's not an exact science, but the leading indicators are small species die-offs -- fish, insects." Jaycee looked at Raven, it wasn't going to be six months. It was going to be less.
Jay looked at Clarke and Bellamy, "Based on the new data, i'd say we have... two months of survivability... maybe less."
Bellamy knew this was bad. "The Ark won't be ready."
Raven tried to be optimistic, "It'll be close. If we triple the man hours and work round the clock, we should be able to achieve a hard seal before the black rain comes. We just have to decide who gets to live here."
Raven was really all for the list. Jaycee didn't want her to make it though. Because deep down, she knew that Clarke would probably not put Nova on that list.
Clarke looked at the Reyes girl. "Raven, we're not talking about the list again."
Raven looked at her, she was upset that she wouldn't want to talk about it. "Clarke, we are running out of time. We have to make a plan for the day we close the doors, drill for it, make sure only the survivors have guns, agree on protocols for dealing with the people who are pissed off they're not chosen." She sighed, "You asked me to be in charge of rationing, and I am doing it, but choosing who gets to live or die is your specialty."
Clarke looked at her and closed her eyes. Even if she was right, Clarke didn't want to pick who lives or who does. Because she knew that it was going to be a hard decision. What got her out of thinking to herself was that an engine starts.
Raven looked at the three, "No one's scheduled to take the rover."
Everyone walked outside to where the rover was. Bellamy went to the door and knocked on it as he opened it, "Out of the vehicle."
"I need to make a run." Was all that Jaha said.
Raven scoffed, "All supply runs go through me"
Jaycee looked at the bald man, "and shouldn't you be working on the patch to sector 5?" She said to him.
He then stopped the engine and gets out the rover.
Jaha looked at the two mechanics, "A patch for a ship that can only save a hundred people?" He asked. Jaycee and Raven looked at each other, they never told him about the situation.
He looked back at the two girls. "Why are you surprised? I am an engineer. We have no way to generate water. The harder number is 400. Can you really sentence 400 more of our own people to death?"
Clarke looked at him and shouted, "We don't have a choice."
Jaha looked at the Griffin girl, "What if you do?" He asked her, "What if I told you there might be a fallout shelter less than a day's drive from here, a fallout shelter built to sustain thousands?" He continued.
Raven didn't believe him, "Jaycee and I have been through the chancellor's files. All the bunkers you considered for the hundred were listed as compromised or unviable, and now Mount Weather is, too."
Jaha looked at her, "Those were government bunkers" he opened the rover door and hands them a tablet with a news article on it.
Bellamy read it, "A doomsday cult?"
Jaha nodded, "That's right -- the second dawn."
Clarke didn't believe it either, "They built a bunker?"
Jaha nodded once again, "Their whole theology was based on riding out the end of the world"
Even if Jaha was right, she didn't believe it still, "And why didn't you consider it?"
Jaha looked at the girl, "We couldn't prove it existed."
Bellamy stood by Jaycee as he asked "So why are you considering it now?"
Jaha kept his eyes on Bellamy, "Because before now, we didn't need it."
Clarke looked at him, with a shocked expression, "You found it, didn't you?"
Jaha looked around, before looking back at the teen leaders, "We can't be sure unless we check it out."
Clarke was actually considering it right now, if it can save more people, then she thinks that they should do it. Clarke and the others looked at Raven.
Raven didn't buy it, she didn't want to waste any more days that they didn't have, "No. No way. We need that rover for hauling pieces of a 3-ton patch we're build-"
Clarke interrupted her, "Yeah, but if he's right we don't need a patch."
Raven looked at the three, "Can I talk to you guys for a second?" Raven, Jay, Clarke and Bellamy walk away from Jaha.
She looked at Jaycee, "Can you please remind Clarke what happened the last time Jaha went looking for salvation?"
As much as it pained Jay to say this, she kind of wanted to check out this secret bunker, "Raven, if that bunker is real, we can save a lot more than a hundred people."
Raven scoffed and looked at her 'friends' "If it's not, we've lost another day."
Clarke finally caved in, "Hey, look. If it's not, I'll make the list... ok?" She told her.
Raven rolled her eyes. "Oh, do what you want. I've got a ship to seal." She goes inside.
"Raven!" Jay tried calling her out but she continued to leave.
Bellamy looked at Jaycee "I'll drive."
Jaycee sighed. She needed time away from Arkadia.
"I'll come with," she said. "Tell Nova I won't be long," she said to Clarke as she went into the passenger side of the rover.
Bellamy, Jay, and Jaha leave with the rover.
•••
Jaha sat in the back while Bellamy was driving and Jaycee was in the passenger seat. Jaha then gives Jay the tablet and tells her that, "He gave this speech two weeks before the bombs."
Cadogan was the man on the screen, before the bombs took out earth, "The world is dark and getting darker all the time. Everything we once trusted has turned on us-- government, religion. Even technology has become a weapon in their hands used to poison our minds. I know you're in pain. I know you're afraid, but it doesn't have to be like this. There is a way out of the darkness. I can show it to you. You can be saved. Join me. Join us, and together when the horsemen come, from the ashes, we will rise." Jaycee would glance at Jaha for a bit of time but then would look back at the man on the screen.
Jay handed the tablet back to him, "Please tell me you have more than this."
Jaha leaned against Bellamy's chair as he drove, "In the two years before the bombs, Cadogan sold off most of the Second Dawn's real estate holdings, generating tens of millions of dollars, but there was one thing he didn't sell."
He hands tablet back to Jay. "I found this in his autobiography. It's his childhood home. His father built a bunker there to save his family. I think Cadogan used the church's money to expand it." He told the teens
Bellamy continued to drive as he spoke, "He grew up there. Maybe he kept it for sentimental value."
Jaha nodded his head, "Hmm. His father beat him almost daily in that house. He hated living there."
Jaycee looked at Jaha as she asked, "Why keep it if you're liquidating everything else?"
"Because that bunker is there. I can feel it." Jaha answered her.
Bellamy took a deep breath in, "Guy sounds like a religious fanatic to me."
Jaha agreed slightly, but remained hopeful, "Maybe, or maybe he was just a leader willing to do whatever it took to save his people."
Jaycee and Bellamy took one finally glance at one another before Bellamy focused his gaze on the road and Jaycee continued to look at the reading and photos on the tablet Jaha gave her.
•••
After hours, the rover finally pulled over, every one of them had a flashlight, looking around for the bunker, as they were walking, Jaha kept talking.
"Cadogan learned how to survive from his father. They hunted in these woods. Huh. This is it."
"Well, if anyone's entitled to a lucky break, we are." Bellamy said.
Jaha was looking around "You hear that? No insects." Jaycee looked at him, "What?" He asked the girl.
She just sighed, "Luna said the fish were dying."
Bellamy looked around as well, "What are the things that eat the fish and bugs gonna eat now?"
Jay looked at the older Blake, "What happened to us deserving a lucky break?" She then turned to Jaha, "So what are we looking for?"
Jaha looked around for a second before stopping at Jaycee, "The Bunker would have been at the lowest point."
"Anything structural. Be careful." Bellamy said, mainly to Jaycee. He didn't care about Jaha
Jaycee walked away, trying to find anything. Now it was just Jaha and Bellamy talking. "She's lucky to have you. Leadership is a lonely pursuit, but you-you keep her centered."
Bellamy disagreed though, "You got it backwards." He continued to walk.
Jaha continued to talk to him, "Still blaming yourself for killing that army. You made mistakes - it's true - but your intentions were pure. Every choice you made you made to save your people...even shooting me twice. As long as that's the truth, you don't need redemption."
Bellamy sighed, "You better hope so"
Jaha then looked at him, "What's that?" He asked, not understanding what Bellamy was trying to say.
Bellamy looked at him, with a cold voice, "Well, if you're wrong and there is a Hell, then I guess I'll see you there."
Jaha looked out in the open, "How many people do you have to save before you forgive yourself?" He asked the man.
Then Jaycees voice was heard, "Over here." She shouted.
The both of them walked over to her, Bellamy went in front of Jay as she said "Huh. Stay behind me."
He then clear a way, "Watch your head." He told Jaycee. He bagan to swipe away all the spiderwebs in their way, he hated spiderwebs, so gross.
Bellamy bends down over a skeleton. He picks up a medallion from it.
Jaycee hated seeing bones. But she didn't say anything about it.
Bellamy read what was on the medallion. " 'From the ashes we will rise.' Not this guy. Hmm." Bellamy thought to himself.
Jaha looked at it, "The 11th seal. Their faith was based on 12 seals. Followers could level up by unlocking them one at a time. Only those who reached level 12 could achieve salvation."
Jaycee looked around, "Huh. Maybe that's why they didn't let him in."
Jaha saw where Jaycee was going, "I was right." He walked to the door.
Jaycee looked at the two men, "What if they're still in there?" She asked them.
Bellamy knocks on the door 3 times. "Hey! Is anyone there?"
Jaha took a closer look at it, "It's still sealed."
"There's no locks, no handles." Jay said.
"That's because it was designed to be opened from the inside." Jaha told her.
"Or from the outside by somebody with a Rover." Bellamy said as we walked away.
Bellamy was revving the engine, then the rope was holding the door and the Rover breaks.
Jay looked at Bellamy, "What happened?"
Bellamy looked at it, "Let's go find out." He said as he got out.
Jaha smiled, "It worked." Bellamy then lit up a flare. The three of them looked inside "This can't be." He said with an unbelievable expression.
Jaycee gasped at the sight. Skeletons lie everywhere throughout the room
Bellamy shook his head, "It wasn't sealed. The radiation would have killed them in days"
Jaycee sighed as she put a hand on her head, "This won't save anyone."
•••
After a very disappointed journey with Jaha, they went back home, told Clarke that it was a 'no go' and that she needed to make the list for Raven and her.
Since it was dark, Jaycee went to her room, Nova was there, sleeping. Jaycee smiled at the girl and then she got ready for bed.
Once she was done, she was going to lay down but then heard a knock on the door.
Jaycee groaned as she went to the door and opened it.
She saw Bellamy, "hey can we talk?" He asked her.
Jaycee looked at Nova then walked out the door and closed it.
"Clarkes making the list right now," Bellamy said.
Jaycee nodded, "it's not easy,"
Bellamy looked at her, "I told Clarke to put your name on it," Jaycee shook her head, "I'm not going into the ark unless Nova is with me, I know she's not from the Ark, but I am not abandoning this child" she told him.
"I know," he sighed.
"So I want her to take my place," Jaycee said.
Bellamy shook his head, "no, I'm going to convince her to put you both on it, alright?"
Jaycee smiled at him trying to be hopeful.
"You can try, but if it's my name and not hers. Then she's going and not me," she told him.
Bellamy nodded, "I'm going to try my best," he smiled
"Thank you Bellamy, I know I've been cold to you since polis. But I'm starting to like this Bellamy that thinks with his heart too," she said, placing her hand in his chest where his heart was.
Bellamy smiled.
"Goodnight Bell," Jaycee smiled as she walked back into her room.
•••
Sorry I haven't been writing, I just got back from being sick 😭
Anyway, enjoy this episode and this cute moment with Bell and Jay.
🤷♀️
(Word Count 3332)