13The Thirteenth Level
This is the sequel to "The Twelfth Level". Bellarke, Mackson, a post-Praimfaya earth, and an underground cult.
Thank you to Penguin of Prose and Lexxaven - two phenomenal beta-testers! You both made this fic so much better.
Chapter One
Bellamy was overdue.
It was a fact that Clarke could no longer ignore as she looked at Raven's tablet. Her own fingers, she observed, shook just slightly. Clarke knew exactly how long it had taken their group to arrive at Arkadia II (as they called their bunker) and thus she knew how long it should have taken Bellamy to drop Monty off with the Second Dawn and return here.
"Four hours," Octavia said, walking into engineering.
Clarke turned her gaze from the tablet and faced the sister of the man she loved.
"If he set out from the Second Dawn when we think he should've set out, then he's about four hours overdue," Octavia continued, frowning.
Clarke nodded in agreement. "And it should be taking him less time than our last trip here. He's traveling lighter and doesn't have to help Monty walk the last few hours of the journey, like we had to do the first time." She noted that her own voice seemed higher-pitched than usual, and the words came out quickly. She silently chastised herself for letting her anxiety show. She was here in Arkadia II as their leader, but when it came to Bellamy and wondering about his whereabouts, she was struggling for any semblance of calm.
She and Octavia continued to hold each other's gazes. Their relationship had had its ups and downs since they'd first landed on earth, but lately Clarke would describe their dynamic as being "at peace". They weren't friends, but they definitely were not enemies either – and ever since Octavia had been back on speaking terms with Bellamy, it had helped. Clarke knew that many found Octavia intimidating – the grounders had called her Skairipa after all, the assassin from the sky – but fortunately Clarke was not easily intimidated.
"Maybe he's being extra careful to avoid stepping in bear traps, "Clarke speculated. "And he does have that terrible rash he got from the anti-radiation meds. But I don't think that would slow him down too much."
"So how long before we go out and search for him?" Octavia asked flatly. "I just checked the hazmat suits. We don't have a lot of air left for them, but with them and the meds, we can be out for a while."
Clarke nodded and took a breath. "Let's give it two hours," she responded and took a moment before adding, "I think we give it two more hours, then we go out and look for him."
"Okay," Octavia nodded. "Two hours."
Clarke's rationale for waiting two more hours was based on several factors. One, every time they left Arkadia II, they faced some degree of risk. They also had limited supplies for a search party. And although a four-hour delay was less than optimal, it likely was nothing; there could be dozens of legitimate reasons for Bellamy's delay, reasons which Clarke had been turning over and over inside her head. All of these factors added up to the idea of giving Bellamy just a bit more time before going out and searching for him. It was the logical and reasonable decision to make.
Yet Clarke still found herself wanting to run towards the nearest hazmat suit and burst out of the bunker so she could go find the man she loved.
The decision to wait those two hours was one that Clarke would regret for a long time.
Bellamy sat inside his old room at the Second Dawn bunker. Mercifully, one of the guards had brought him a book along with one of his meals of bread and water. But other than Cadogan's initial visit, he'd spent the 48 hours since he'd awoken alone. Bellamy had rushed the doors every time they'd been opened to provide him with a meal, but the guards had always been ready for him. He now had several throbbing injuries from their nightsticks, along with the painful rash he'd been experiencing since taking the anti-radiation medication.
Each moment sitting there alone felt like an eternity in hell.
Finally, at long last (though it truly had been only 48 hours), he heard a friendly voice. Marcus Kane. "Bellamy? It's Kane and Abby. They're going to let us in. Don't rush the door."
Bellamy grunted in ascent and got to his feet. He knew both the room and his appearance were grimy at best. He'd been given a bucket to use for waste, but was too worried and heartbroken to care much about the smell.
The door was quickly opened, two figures entered, and it was closed again. Bellamy took in their appearances and gasped in horror.
Abby was wearing a dress. The same dress that the Second Dawn women wore.
The sight, and what it had to signify, was truly appalling.
"It was this or starve," Abby said flatly.
Bellamy just looked at her, his mouth gaping. He finally managed, "Tell me everything."
Clarke decided that she would lead the rescue mission alone. She didn't want to risk any of her people, and besides, they had limited supplies. Octavia had wanted to go, but had listened to Clarke when she insisted that she stay. "You know the hydrofarm better than anyone, Octavia," Clarke had maintained. "I don't want to risk anything happening to you. Please stay here."
The inhabitants of Arkadia II stood around as Raven performed the final checks on Clarke's suit. Miller, Jackson, Niylah, and Niylah's girlfriend Anne rounded out the meager list along with Raven and Octavia. They didn't speak much as Clarke went through her final preparations. They all hoped Clarke would return and that there was a good reason for Bellamy's now six-hour delay.
"Maybe he spent the night inside the bunker and overslept," Miller said.
"And then maybe they made him attend service," Niylah speculated as Raven continued to perform her checks. "Maybe he's gathering up a few more supplies to bring back."
"His rash was pretty bad," Jackson added. "I bet Abby's keeping him for a bit so she can treat it."
Clarke mulled over the suggestion. Here at Arkadia II, they had medicinal plants but until they began to produce, the group was reliant on only the medical supplies they'd been permitted to bring with them. Those supplies were minimal and only to be used in case of emergencies.
They had all voiced different theories over and over again. But as her helmet was fastened, Clarke summed it up with, "There are a hundred things that could be delaying him. But now's the time to get out there and find out more."
Octavia heard the noise first. She gasped and looked upwards. Clarke heard it last, the helmet diminishing her hearing a bit. "Wha—" Clarke began.
A loud, booming crash. Over and over. Muffling, suffocating sounds. The ground shook slightly. Miller and Jackson reached to hold each other and the group exchanged frightened looks as more loud noises were heard above them. It took them a few seconds to process it, and when they did, they all felt chilled to the bone. The tower was crashing down on top of Arkadia II. They had no way to open the door now.
"A lot has happened since you left, Bellamy," Kane said.
"That's obvious," Bellamy replied, still shocked at Abby's attire. "But it's only been a few days! So what the hell happened?" He still could not absorb the sight of Abby clad in one of the Second Dawn's shapeless shifts.
Abby took a breath and crossed her arms over her chest before speaking. "My theory is that Anne's departure was the spark that lit the flame. For the first time in this generation, the Second Dawn saw one of their own people – their own women – act with self-determination and make a bold move. To leave here. So that caused….something of a revolution in the past few days."
"That, plus five months of living with people who think differently and have different beliefs," Kane added. "That also gave people ideas. And then once they absorbed the fact that Anne left, they acted on their new ideas."
"So what exactly did they do?" Bellamy asked, trying to process the information and what it might mean for himself and the rest of Skaikru.
"Groups of Second Dawn members started speaking up," Kane said. "Asking questions during their religious services – or just not attending. They spoke up at meals and demanded an audience with the elders. We – Skaikru -stayed out of it. We didn't encourage them in any way." He paused and shook his head. "Not enough Second Dawn people protested though. It wasn't enough to make a difference. So the elders struck back."
"And they struck back hard," Abby added. "They arrested the protestors and hung the three who were making the most noise. The others are in prison. Maybe 25 or 30 people as far as we can tell. I've asked to be allowed to bring medical supplies to them but they haven't let any of us near the prison cells."
"And now Second Dawn guards are everywhere, carrying guns. Pretty much every able-bodied Second Dawn man who's not in prison carries a gun and patrols the hallways. Their people are quiet and obedient now," Kane said. He paused and added, "And that's not the worst of it. They blame Skaikru for everything even though we did our best to stay out of their rebellion. They've locked down their hydrofarm and engineering. They've locked down the cafeteria. If we want to eat, we do what they say."
"And what do they say? What are they making us do?" Bellamy asked.
Abby spread her arms. "Well you can see the first one. The dress code. I will keep from saying anything more about that."
Bellamy observed that Abby's eyes appeared as hard and painful as stones and her hands might have been slightly shaking in anger. Kane's expression could be described as somewhere between anguished, embarrassed, and mad.
"And we're all complying with it? Without protest?" Bellamy asked. His tone was subdued rather than incredulous. Two days of being locked inside his room made his mind feel more weighed down than stirred-up, as – he could assume – the Second Dawn wanted.
"Kane told you," Abby said. "If we want to eat, we do what they say. Hungry people are pretty compliant," she said with a shake of the head.
"And they've told us that failure to obey means imprisonment or hanging," Kane said glumly. "Abby saw the prison cells with her own eyes."
"I described them to everyone so they understood what getting arrested here would mean," Abby added. She took a breath. "I don't think I could spend more than a few days in there without losing my mind. Especially if I didn't have anyone to bring me sedatives and other things, like we did for Jackson and Miller."
Bellamy nodded. He had seen the cells too when he visited Miller. Cramped, filthy, dark, and cold – they made Bellamy's room with its odorous waste bucket feel like a mansion in comparison.
"Are they asking us for anything else?" Bellamy asked.
"The mixer. It's in six days. They're requiring that all unmarried Skaikru attend." Abby didn't need to explain what the mixer was, since it had been discussed before Bellamy had left.
"When they locked me in here," Bellamy began, "they told me 'you will stay here and marry one of our young women'. Are they going to force marriages on us?"
"I don't know yet," Kane said, rubbing his temples. "Right now they're just saying that attendance at the mixer is required. For all unmarried people. They haven't said anything else."
"What about the binding contract?" Bellamy asked. "They followed the other binding contracts we made with them in the past. Can't you and Jaha reason with them?"
"I've tried but I'm no longer invited to their meetings," Kane said. "In my last discussion with Cadogan, he said I'm too contentious. And as Skaikru chancellor I'm responsible for the rebellion in his eyes."
"Even though the binding contract said that no one would face consequences for what we did to get Miller and Jackson out," Bellamy cut in.
"We didn't think they'd just toss out the binding contract – but they have," Kane summed up.
"What are our prospects for overtaking engineering again?" Bellamy asked. "Jaha's an engineer. And Monty's back now."
Kane and Abby looked at each other. Bellamy was not surprised to hear the answer.
"Jaha seems to pretty much go along with them now," Kane said. "A few days ago he told me that he's thinking about formally declaring himself to be a member of the Second Dawn."
"Guess he saw which way the wind was blowing," Abby muttered, clearly irritated.
"And even if he didn't – and even with Monty back – engineering is on total lock down," Kane reiterated. "Neither Jaha nor Monty would be allowed anywhere near it. As soon as Monty's ankle is healed, he'll be cleaning bathrooms and doing laundry like the rest of us. Not working as an engineer."
There was silence for several moments. Bellamy looked at Kane and Abby. He knew they felt as trapped and angry as he did.
"Monty told us how it went at the other bunker," Abby mentioned, breaking the silence. "Arkadia II. I'm so glad Clarke's safe and away from all of this. But I'm guessing she and Octavia are going crazy not knowing what happened to you."
Bellamy's mind was still turning over possibilities. "Raven was going to work on a comms system. But if we can't get anywhere near engineering…."
He let his voice trail off. It was clear that the Second Dawn wouldn't want any contact with Arkadia II. It's not like Monty could just build a receiver out of materials he had laying around his room. Or could he?
"Clarke will come after me," Bellamy began again. "She'll come here. You said I've been in this room 48 hours? She and Octavia are probably on their way now, trying to find out what happened to me."
Abby and Kane exchanged a look and Abby shook her head. "I'd almost prefer Clarke stay away from this mess. She would hate it. Forced dress code, forced attendance at a mixer." She took a breath and tilted her head. "But I know she'd prefer to be with you even if it meant all those things."
"And with you," Bellamy added, looking at Abby. "What do you think they'll do when she bangs on the door?"
"The Second Dawn seems much more strategic lately," Kane said. "No doubt with Jaha's help. Which means that Jaha has probably already told them to expect Clarke and the others to come after you. I wouldn't be surprised if the elders have guards stationed at the door with guns, so that as soon as it's opened, they force Clarke and whoever's with her inside."
Bellamy was quiet again. What would be worse? Being apart from Clarke but knowing she had her freedom? Or being with her…and watching her forced into one of those shifts, forced to attend a mixer? Where would the Second Dawn stop? Would Bellamy be forced to marry a Second Dawn woman, and Clarke forced to marry a Second Dawn man? Could they force that?
Yes, he realized, they could. As long as they controlled the food supply and engineering - and as long as they had armed men everywhere – then they could make Skaikru do almost anything. Kane had said it best. Hungry people are compliant people. And so are people who fear for their lives.
And if Octavia came here with Clarke, it would be even worse. Bellamy wondered if being forced to live like this and marry a Second Dawn man would utterly break Octavia. Would she simply choose starvation or imprisonment instead?
"Now come on," Kane said. "We asked the elders to let you out of here so you could bathe. And empty that bucket. The walk to the showers will do you some good. They were okay with it as long as you don't try anything stupid. Remember," he said, pausing for effect, "there are men with guns everywhere. It won't help Clarke or Octavia any if you get shot."
Bellamy nodded, Abby promised to bring him medicine for his rash, and the three left the room.
"Can you keep doing that? I really find it soothing."
Miller and Jackson were inside their room in Arkadia II. Miller was doing nothing more than rubbing Jackson's back, but Jackson really seemed to need it right now, and asked Miller to continue it. Miller was happy to do it. His father's death was still a fresh and painful wound, and Miller knew that his moods and behavior had been all over the board since Bellamy had delivered the heartrending news. It felt so good for Miller to be told that he was doing something right. Good to think about something other than the fact that he'd never see his father again.
"I wish we'd had room to bring some of that mint tea with us," Jackson said. "The anxiety is making me feel nauseated."
"Look, you're gonna be fine, Jacks," Miller said as he continued the rhythmic rubbing of Jackson's back. "I mean, I get why it's a weird situation, but we knew we weren't going to be able to leave this bunker for years anyway."
Jackson shook his head. "It just feels so much worse since the tower collapsed though. We're trapped – under tons and tons of rubble. We can't get out."
"True. But look, we don't have enough air in the hazmat suits or anti-radiation drugs to go anywhere anyway. And besides. We were trapped before this in the Second Dawn bunker with a bunch of lunatics who hated us for falling in love. And hell, before that we were trapped on the Ark." Miller paused and snorted, "We couldn't exactly leave the Ark either."
"At least the Ark had windows."
"You got me there, Jacks. But this bunker is huge. We have plenty of food, a hydrofarm – and Raven. If you're feeling antsy, you could spend all day walking around the place. That's more than you can say about the prison cells the Second Dawn put us in, where we couldn't even take two steps." Miller shook his head. "I'll take this over living somewhere where we were always at risk of getting floated or tossed in a cell, any day."
Jackson turned his head to look into Miller's eyes. "Okay," he said quietly. "You're right. But we gotta remember that things won't be easy for our people here either. Bellamy – wherever he is – can't get back inside here, and I'm waiting for Clarke and Octavia to lose it. Raven will be bored out of her mind here in a week or two. Anne's struggling to accept her new life here. And what if the hydrofarm fails?"
"Okay, one crisis at a time, Jacks," Miller quipped, holding up a hand. He then resumed rubbing Jackson's back. "First, Clarke and Octavia are two of the strongest people I've ever met. We're talking about Wanheda and Skairipa here. As for Raven, she's got the thrilling job of teaching the rest of us to become engineers, so that will keep her busy and her mind working. Raven likes a challenge, and teaching me to become an engineer certainly has to qualify as her hardest one yet!"
Both Miller and Jackson laughed at that before Miller continued, "Besides, anything's better than living with the Second Dawn, and Raven knows that. As for Anne, look she's got Niylah. She'll adapt just like we adapted to life after the Ark. And after Arkadia. And as for the hydrofarm, well it's working now. So's the algae farm. If one bites the dust, maybe the other will be fine."
Jackson was quiet for a few moments. Although Miller's arms were starting to get just a bit tired, he wasn't complaining. Jackson had clearly been suffering with the anxiety since the tower had collapsed, and if a simple backrub soothed him, then Miller would give him as many as he wanted.
"Clarke and Octavia," Jackson said after a while. "You're right that they're the strongest people we know. But they do have hearts. If you were the one who was missing…." he let his voice trail off.
"I know," Miller said, expelling a breath. "It would suck. Let's just be grateful we have each other. And that it's not one of us who's on the other side of that door."
"My heart breaks for them. All three of them," Jackson said quietly. "But you're right. We're lucky it's not us." He again turned his head and smiled at his partner. "Thank you. I feel like the anxiety's a bit more manageable right now."
Two armed Second Dawn men walked Bellamy down the hall to the bathrooms as Bellamy carried the bucket. The guards didn't let him out of their sight, even standing outside the shower stall as he bathed.
During the walk back to his room, Bellamy and his guards passed someone in the hall. His instant reaction was 'What is that Second Dawn woman doing in our wing?' but he then, of course, realized it was a Skaikru woman forced into one of the Second Dawn dresses. Bellamy glanced at her face. It was Kara Cooper, the hydroponics expert.
This would take some getting used to. Even during the three seconds Bellamy looked at Kara's face, he saw a different Kara than the one he knew. She normally appeared confident, determined, and maybe a bit arrogant. He'd expected to see a flash of anger on her face but all he saw today was defeat.
"The elders have a message for you," one of Bellamy's guards stated plainly as they reached his room. "Behave yourself and don't rush the door again. And write an essay explaining what you did and why you're sorry. Then tomorrow you can rejoin the community here." With that, the guard reached into a pocket and pulled out a small notepad and pen.
Bellamy mutely nodded as took hold of the notepad and pen, and the guards locked him back inside his room. He knew he would do as requested. Rushing the door hadn't done him any favors and its only result had been numerous bruises from nightsticks. And another day with no human contact would drive him mad. He had already finished the book they'd given him. He'd take Murphy's company over this. Besides, the sooner he could get out and talk with Monty, the sooner they could start working on a plan.
So Bellamy sat at the desk and used the notebook to write the requested essay. Once it was finished, he tore out another sheet of paper and wrote a letter to Clarke. He'd been mentally composing letters to her since the moment he'd found out he was trapped. Having an actual piece of paper to compose his thoughts to her helped take down his level of mental agony by at least a notch.
It didn't help him sleep well though. Hours after lights out, Bellamy was still stretched out on the bed, sleep elusive as he started up at the top bunk. The air here was sweeter than that in Arkadia II – and it certainly was better than the air inside his hazmat suit had been. But that didn't matter when he couldn't hold, touch, or look at Clarke Griffin. He couldn't comfort her and assure her that he was okay. He couldn't tell her what she meant to him or how much he missed her, and he couldn't hear her words of wisdom. He couldn't stroke her hair or look into her eyes.
And the worst part was that he had no idea when he would see her again.
Or if.
TBC
Please let me know what you think!
