After being brought back to shore the group had no idea what their next action would be. Their only current course would be to go back to Arkadia and figure it out among their friends. But as they waited for the Rover to charge Clarke had still been set on unlocking the Flame and she would do what it took to accomplish that. After her initial idea had been shot down by not only Octavia but Fox as well she wondered off to hopefully calm down and think of another way.
With everyone occupied with something else Jade had taken that moment to pull something from her pocket. Wrapped inside a cloth was the Flame. She had taken it when they had first landed. She had been the first to wake and taken the Flame from the container in Clarke's hand. Her only intention for it was to give it to Nia.
Since Clarke had announced Lexa's spirit was inside, the information had never left her mind. After Alec's dead Jade had taken the small details about Nia. How she never wanted to eat but did so for the baby's sake. How she had taken on more training and how she had distanced herself around others. These were not good signs and although Jade had only heard stories about Nia's dark path she felt it was where Nia was headed once more. She thought that if she were to bring Lexa's spirit to Nia then it would help save Nia from losing herself completely.
What none of them knew was that in the forest Clarke had been followed by an Azgeda king looking for the Flame to instill in his commander. Bellamy had gone to check on Clarke only to see the Grounder king in front of her. His guard was up as he thought this was a potential attack.
As they stood there facing off one another, Clarke had realized a solution to their current problem, not thinking of the long term affects it might have. They would put the Flame into Ontari. Bellamy was able to knock out Roan while Clarke retrieved the Flame. It was then that the blonde looked into the container and realizing it was gone.
They scanned around the area before they went back to the Rover thinking it might've fallen out there. Clarke offered the other no words as she headed straight for the Rover and began to look for the Flame.
"What is it? What's happening? Who is that?" Octavia asked as she watched Clarke tear the Rover apart and her eyes settled on Roan.
"I'll explain later, right now we need to help Clarke locate the Flame."
"It's gone." Fox asked aloud surprised to hear the news.
"We're not sure." Bellamy offered himself.
The others didn't question anything else as they went to help Clarke look. After much searching they gave in, the Flame didn't seem to be anywhere.
"Maybe Luna kept it." Bellamy offered a way where it might've disappeared.
"No, it makes no sense for her to keep it. If it isn't here then someone must've taken it on the shore." Clarke reasoned trying to figure out how the most important thing they had vanished.
"Who would take it? We were the only ones with you on the shore." Bellamy clarified.
Clarke looked around them trying to figure out who might've taken the Flame most of them would have no use for it. It wasn't till her eyes landed on Jade that she had her answer.
The girl had been making small fidgeting movements with her eyes on the ground.
"Jade." Clarke said hesitantly while still watching her closely. Jade shifted anxiously around at the sound of her name. "Did you take the Flame?"
"Wait, Clarke-" Bellamy went to oppose Clarke's accusation thinking she was trying to accuse them all.
"It wouldn't make sense for someone to take it without reasoning but Jade would." Clarke pointed out her reasoning for accusing the small girl taking a step toward her.
"Clarke, back off." Fox said defensively with her hand on her sword handle. She wasn't about to let Clarke accuse Jade and if she had to fight her then she would.
"I just, I just wanted to give Nia something back." Jade blurted out her reasoning as she pulled the small chip out of her pocket.
It wasn't a second later that Clarke ripped it from her hand. Clarke could understand the girl's reasoning but for her the chip meant something too and she wasn't about to give it up so easily, and now they had an opportunity to defeat ALIE with it. They needed with them more than ever.
Not wanting to feel the accusing gazes on her Jade left them where they stood and walked into the forest. She would rather be alone then to be among others who would judge her actions.
"Nice, Clarke." Fox retorted before heading toward the Rover. She retrieved their packs before following after the girl. She wouldn't put Jade into an uncomfortable position and if that meant leaving then they would go with the plan they had originally set in place with Nia.
Clarke didn't want to seem like an overbearing bitch but they were facing a war and if she found a way to defeat it she would. She could only hope that they others would be able to understand that.
Bellamy looked at Clarke in disbelief. He could understand each of their reasons but Jade was only a child, a child wanting to help the person she looked up too. After a minute he followed after the girls, he wouldn't allow them to wonder the forest with a threat posed against them. He would protect them until they would be back with Nia.
"Jade. Jade." Fox called out before grabbing ahold of the girl. But seeing the look on her face made her feel sadden.
Tears were being to make their way down Jade's face as she tried to walk away from it all. Her whole life she had been scared of what her future entailed. Her sister fought so that she didn't have to but now she was thrust into a world where fighting was a way of life. The fear she held in her heart seem to fade the moment she met Nia. Instead of sheltering her and keeping her from fighting Nia took her under her wing and taught her how to become a strong fighter. But now that the death toll began to add the fear began to creep back in.
"I just, I just-" Jade tried to further explain her actions but Fox didn't allow her to continue as she pulled her into a hug and held her tight.
"I know. I know." She comforted as she thought of how being away from Nia had deeply affected the young girl. "We'll get back to her and it'll all be okay." She promised hoping she was right and they wouldn't have to worry about anything else once ALIE was defeated.
"Jade, Fox." Bellamy spoke up once he had found them. He didn't want to disrupt their moment but the clock they were running against wouldn't allow them much time.
"No, Bellamy. We won't go back. Nia may not be here but I am and I wouldn't let Jade face ridicule-" Fox stated standing for their option to leave.
"She won't, I promise. I know you don't want to come back but I can't just let you both walk off without protection. The actions I have made might make you stand off with me but I can promise you that I will get you back to Nia, you just have to stick with me for a little bit longer." Bellamy commented not backing down from letting them go. He was determined to make up for all he had done and getting them back to Nia was the first step to it.
Fox was hesitant to accept the offer but right now they were the furthest they had ever been from anything they knew, going with them would help them navigate their way back. Slowly, she nudged Jade in the direction and sent her a comforting smile which allowed the girl to begin their walk back to the Rover.
The whole ride back to Arkadia was silent as no one wanted to comment on anything that had just happened. When they arrived, Fox and Jade distanced themselves from the others as they tried to wait for an opportunity to leave and get to Polis. It wasn't long till the opportunity presented it self as Bellamy announced their newest plan.
In order to get a nightblood, they would need to get into Polis and get close to Ontari. Then they would have to disconnect her from ALIE from her so that they can get her to access the kill code. But that would also mean that they would create an Azgeda commander.
Out of the whole plan the only thing Fox and Jade stuck to was the fact that they would be going to Polis. They would be able to find Nia. Without questioned the two began to gather their supplies as the others began to prepare.
Once they were done they loaded into the Rover and ready to execute their plan. When they exited outside of Polis, Fox and Jade shared a hug before they followed the rest into the tunnel. It wasn't long till they were set up where they should and ready to strike.
While setting up Miller and Bryan began to speak about a future where they would be able to live a life of peace. This made Bellamy once again think about the future that might've been if he hadn't followed Pike. How his newfound family might've been with him now. His only comfort was having Fox and Jade nearby, giving him a sense if Nia with them. He glanced around to ensure that they were both nearby but was only able to locate Fox.
"Where's Jade?" He questioned aloud hoping to spot her somewhere among them.
Everyone glanced around them but there was no sign of the little girl in sight.
Bellamy was searching around the whole room ready to tear the place apart when he noticed how Fox was acting as if nothing was wrong. He knew that she had positioned herself as a protector for the girl so why wasn't she looking for her now.
"Fox, where is Jade?" Bellamy asked directly waiting for a response.
"Finding Nia." She answered simply still not moving her gaze from outside.
"That wasn't the mission." Miller addressed not liking the turn of events and the consequences that might come of it.
"Not yours. But ours." She said taking the time to look at them now. "Nia has been there for us in everything and we won't leave her behind to fight an enemy on her own."
"But Jade is just a child-" Bellamy tried to speak out against their idea but was cut short by Fox.
"She may be a child but she knows what she's doing. She's small and Nia taught her to use it to her advantage. She'll get through this place undetected and find Nia. We're not leaving her behind." Fox finalized before looking back out the window. Bellamy wanted to get her to tell him where she went exactly so that he would go and bring her back but Fox called their attention back to the situation at hand.
It was time for their plan to fall into place. Getting Jade and Nia would have to wait but hopefully they both might be back before they leave the city. But what none of them knew was that ALIE had an inside mole letting her know about all that they had planned.
Jade maneuvered the halls trying to find any clue that might lead her to Nia. Her time was limited and she would need to move fast without getting caught.