35 Monster

Through the security cameras, I observe Clarke as she makes her way through the bunker. I struggle to resist the urge to roll my eyes as I see that she is trying to be "stealthy". Even a young child from one of the Trikru villages could move stealthier than her.

Eventually, she reaches the room in which her remaining people are located. Clarke and Bellamy share a quick embrace with each other. I raise an eyebrow at the sight; it wasn't a romantic type of embrace, but an "I am glad that you are alive" type of embrace.

I am a little confused by the exchange. Octavia had said that they weren't all that close, but it seems that isn't the case anymore. Judging by the increasingly growing excitement on the faces of the surrounding group that had gathered for Clarke's arrival, she has told them about how they will have the chance to escape soon.

After a small amount of time, Clarke grabs a young man by the arm and pulls him towards the elevator. Realizing that he must be the one able to use the technology around me, I nod in satisfaction.

Everything is going perfect, and if it continues to; then within a few hours the mountain will fall.

***

"Did he tell you the plan?" Monty asks me nervously, pacing back and forth in the elevator.

"No, now stop pacing. You're making me nervous." I say anxiously, squeezing my arms tighter.

"Good, you should be nervous, Clarke! Some grounder that we don't even know takes you and the President hostage completely covered in blood, takes control of the command center, takes two more people hostage, shoots the President in the head, and then asks for me so we can take down the mountain!"

"Would you calm down!? It isn't that bad, he is obviously someone who has some power if the other grounders are following him. And that's not even adding in the fact that he is obviously someone very capable, considering that he did all of this by himself."

"Exactly, and that means he will either kill us after this, or he will help us." Monty says seriously, glancing at the "former" President's blood on my hands.

Once the elevator stops and the doors open, Monty and I tersely make our way to the Command Center. The closer we get to our destination, the heavier the atmosphere seems to get. I don't know if Monty is feeling it too, but I just feel as if something really bad is about to happen.

With every step we take; the deep feeling of dread that I sense only grows. It is getting harder and harder to breathe. Every time the sole of my shoe slaps against the concrete floor, I feel as if my own soul is slapping me across the face, and telling me I'm making a horrifying mistake. To scream and to run away and not turn back… but I don't… I won't.

Whoever that man is in there, the man who barged into the President's office with pure confidence, the man who killed the President in cold blood and without a shred of emotion on his face; only moments after he removed the handcuffs and ordered me to treat the man. I don't know how I know, but I know that man is the only chance I have of helping my people survive. I feel it.

Then why do I feel as if I am about to sell my soul? I ask myself, pushing the room's door open.

I gasp aloud at the sight that awaits Monty and I. The President's, and the two guardsmen's bodies were shoved haphazardly into a corner of the room. The man responsible for their deaths was standing in front of the camera monitors, his face perfectly unreadable, hiding any emotion he may or may not be feeling.

"Better late than never I suppose." The man said, eerily calm. Turning around full, he looks towards Monty. "Would you be able to shut down the elevator from this room?"

Is that why he wanted Monty? I question internally, confused by his actions. About to ask if that was all he wanted Monty, for, I stopped myself. He wants to stop the guards from reaching us so that they won't interrupt whatever Monty is going to do. I realize, raising my eyebrows in surprise.

"Theoretically, if the computers in this room are connected to the bunker's power grid as well as I think it might be, then yes." Monty answers nervously, glancing towards the dead bodies.

"Good, you have approximately six minutes." The ma—no; the monster said promptly, motioning towards the computer monitors.

Looking towards the monitors, the guards are scrambling all over the screens. It takes me a second to find Cage, he is currently making his way through the twisting and turning tunnels of the bunker, seemingly on his way towards the elevator.

Without hesitation, Monty moves towards the nearest keyboard and starts pulling up different screens at a fast pace. Even I, who am a little more familiar with computers than the grounder man, quickly gets lost. The grounder looks over Monty's shoulder with interest before nodding satisfactorily, weirdly pleased with what he sees.

I knit my eyebrows in confusion at this. He's certainly more intelligent than the average grounder based on his actions and vocabulary, but he shouldn't have any knowledge of computers… Who is he exactly?

With the final press of a key, Monty lets out a relaxed exhale. "I finished." he tells the grounder, looking up at him nervously.

"Excellent, you did that much quicker than I thought you would, and without hesitation at that; I'm impressed." He tells Monty, looking at him appraisingly. Monty lets out a breath of relief at the grounder's words.

Monty seemed to glow with pride hearing this. "Thanks." He says with a suppressed smile.

"Of course, those with talent need positive reaffirmation. Without that, they are not as likely to pursue their passion and be great. I always make sure that those I train are aware of their abilities. What is your name?"

"Monty, Monty Green."

"Ah, I've heard of you. Deemed as the genius of the delinquents, arrested for stealing herbs; is that correct?" The grounder asks him.

Monty has a look of shock upon his face at the information that was just said, and he's not the only one. How did he know any of that? I nearly ask aloud, the dead body of President Wallace being the only thing stopping me.

"Yes, but how would you know any of that?" Monty asks, shocked at the mysterious grounder's knowledge.

"Let's just say"—the grounder looks towards a specific monitor—"the child under the floor says hello."

At this, I can't help but let out an audible gasp of surprise, and blurt out. "Octavia!"

The grounder glances at me and I feel uncomfortable under his attention.

"Indeed." He confirms, turning his attention towards Monty once more, his face suddenly taking on a grim look.

"What I am about to ask of you, Monty, is something that will be looked down upon in disgust by some, and will be deemed a victory by many…"

"W-what is it?" Monty asks anxiously, moving uncomfortably under the man's serious gaze.

"I need you to reverse the oxygen scrubbers."

Monty looked at the grounder in confusion until suddenly gaining a look akin to horror.

"But that will—"

"Kill all of the residents of the bunker. Yes; I am aware…"

Monty seemed to be having an internal conflict with his emotions, he was spacing off with a look of concern and deep confusion.

This is it, this is the heavy, draining sense of absolute dread that I was feeling. It has to be, the grounder was talking about killing hundreds of people. The vast majority were innocent in all of this. They didn't want to be willing participants in what basically amounts to stealing someone's blood. That is the entire reason that they hide it away, and it isn't talked about. They are ashamed of their actions. He is a monster!

"You can't do that!" I shout out, stamping down my fear to try and stop this monstrosity from happening. I won't let him do this.

The grounder looks at me with impatience. "Clarke, if you do not control yourself and stop these outbursts, I will do it myself. They are an annoyance, and I have a strict no-bullshit tolerance. Do you understand me?" He threatens, turning to face me fully.

How could he be so heartless!? I think, burning rage boiling through my veins. I am a doctor. I have dedicated my life to helping people survive; and the only thing this grounder has done since I have met him is kill people.

Not only did he kill the president, but he killed the two guards on duty in the command center, Roy, and Carl. Carl even had a little boy, and this grounder took that little boy's father away from him… and now he wants to kill that little boy, too. Thinking about Carl's son brings my rage to an entirely new level, no longer can I contain it. I will stop him!

Letting out a battle cry similar to the cries of the grounders during the battle at the dropship, I kick off the ground with everything I have. My muscles suddenly uncoil and I springboard myself forward at a full sprint towards the monster. I cross the room and reach his position in less than the blink of an eye, and throw a heavy punch towards him. However, as soon as I commit to the punch, the grounder spins on his heel faster than I can comprehend. Time seems to slow down as I watch his foot hurtle towards my face, completely unable to react fast enough to what I am seeing.

As soon as the kick connects, I feel as if I was suddenly hit by a dropship. It sends me tumbling to the ground, and I hit the concrete hard. All of the previous rage-induced energy I had in me was gone in an instant; only to be replaced by ringing ears.