Homecoming

“Whatever it is, it’s a good thing,” said Wells to Bellamy’s surprise. “We’re going to need it.”

At Max’s nod, Wells stepped to the front of the room, which quickly fell silent, although the tension was so thick, the air practically buzzed with it.

“Friends,” Max began, his tone grave. “We have news that there are about two dozen Colonists approaching Mount Weather. In just a moment, we will go to our appointed positions and prepare to fight. They have arrived much more quickly than we expected them to, but rest assured, we’ll meet them with all our might. And remember: Our goal is not to inflict harm, but to prevent them from committing senseless acts of violence against others. If we need to use strength to protect ourselves, then so be it. But that is not our purpose.”

He turned to nod at Wells, who cleared his throat as he prepared to address the crowd. “As we expected, they’re carrying guns… lots of them, so be careful and don’t take any unnecessary risks. But although they might have firearms, they’re not infallible.” He went on to explain a little about how the guards trained, the formations they used, and the tactics they were most likely to employ—it was a good thing they had insider information from Wells’s days as an officer, Bellamy realized.

“The thing to remember,” Max said, “is that we’re not just fighting to protect these young people who’ve turned to us for help, we’re fighting to protect our way of life. We’ve tried to reason with our new neighbors, but it’s become increasingly clear that peace and cooperation is not their priority. If we don’t deal with them now, there’s no knowing what they’ll try next time.” He paused, scanning the room. “I’ve already lost my daughter… I couldn’t bear to lose any of you.” He took a breath, and a new fierceness crept into his voice. “Our people have struggled against enormous odds, but we have persevered. Others might’ve left Earth to burn, but we stayed behind and fought to keep it our home.”

A few shouts rose up from the crowd, and Max smiled.

“This is our land, our planet, and now’s the time to decide how much we’re willing to risk to protect it.”

Wells grinned and reached to shake Max’s hand. The older man clasped it in his, then pulled Wells toward him and clapped him on the back.

“Is everyone ready?” Wells asked, turning back to the crowd.

A battle cry shook the rough stone walls as everyone raised their fists in the air and gathered up their spears, arrows, and knives. They headed for the exits, growing silent as they slipped outside and took their positions in the darkened woods just outside Mount Weather.

Clarke slung a bag full of medical supplies over her shoulder and reached for a long knife. “Where are you going?” Bellamy asked, his excitement giving way to cold fear.

She raised her chin and gave him her most determined stare. “People are going to get hurt out there. They need me.”

Bellamy opened his mouth to protest but shut it when he realized how selfish that would be. Clarke was right. As the person with the most medical experience, it made perfect sense for her to be on the ground. “Just be really, really careful, okay?” he said. She nodded. “You promise?”

“I promise.”

Bellamy put his hand under her chin and tipped her face up to his. “Clarke, whatever happens, I just want you to know—”

She shook her head and cut him off with a kiss. “Don’t,” she said. “We’re going to be fine.”

He smiled at her. “You’re getting the hang of this arrogance thing.”

“I learned from the best.”

He kissed her again, then grabbed his bow and started walking toward the stairs.

“Bellamy,” Wells called, jogging over to him. “Listen, I know you’re not going to like this, but we think it’s best for everyone if you stay inside.”

“What?” Bellamy narrowed his eyes. “You can’t be serious. There’s no way in hell I’m staying in here. I’m not afraid of Rhodes, or any of them. Just let them try to bring me down again.”

“That’s the thing. You’re too much of a target. You’ll endanger everyone around you. I know you’re a great fighter, one of the best we have, but it’s not worth the risk.”

Bellamy stared at Wells, fighting the anger and indignation bubbling up from his stomach into his chest. What the hell was Wells thinking, trying to keep him out of the battle? As if dating the Earthborn leader’s dead daughter somehow made him Max’s second-in-command. But the vile thoughts taking shape in his brain disappeared as quickly as they’d arrived. Wells was right. This was about a lot more than Bellamy and his revenge. He needed to do what was best for the group, and in this case, it meant lying low.

He shot Clarke a rueful smile as he set his bow on the floor, then turned to Wells and held out his hand. “Be careful out there, man. And give Rhodes hell for me.”

Wells grinned as he took Bellamy’s hand and pulled him in for a hug. “I’ll see you soon.” Wells stepped back and glanced at Clarke.