Post Praimfaya Chapter 25

She would lie if she was to say that she wasn't happy to see her friends alive and well, but still, as much as she would have loved to stay and chat with Zoe some more there was something more important right now than that, so Clarke leaned in closer to Zoe, her voice barely above a whisper, careful not to be overheard by Dyoza or her men. "Zoe, listen to me. These people behind me, they're not our friends. They've taken Raven and Murphy as hostages. We need to be careful and find a way to get them back safely. Leon and Bellamy are already working on that, that's mainly while I came with them."

Zoe's eyes widened in shock and concern, but she managed to keep her composure. If what Clarke was saying is true, then she couldn't afford to show any sign of surprise or alarm in front of those people. She had to play along with Clarke's facade while silently plotting their next move.

Maintaining her facade, Zoe nodded and kept her voice normal, with nothing different from before, almost as if Clarke hadn't just whispered to her anything. "I see. We need to handle this situation delicately. Clarke, tell me, how's everyone doing? Octavia, Bellamy, Monty and the others?"

Clarke sighed, grateful that Zoe was catching on to the situation. She responded, choosing her words carefully, aware of the fact that Dyoza was eavesdropping on their conversation. "Octavia has become a leader, fiercely protecting her people. As for Bellamy and the others… I don't really know. They were up on the Ark for the last five years or so while Leon and I were the only ones down here."

"I'm glad to hear that everyone's holding up," Monroe said with a forced smile. "We've missed you all. Especially Abby, almost every day she tried to contact you on the radio but with nor result. And thanks to that little thing that we did before the Praimfaya hit, did we managed to keep contact with the second dawn bunker."

Dyoza's patience was starting to wear as she looked at Clarke's reunion with her friends. And since she wasn't her to help her for free, she stepped forward. "Enough with the pleasantries, Clarke. You promised me a doctor, and I expect you to deliver. Now, bring her to me."

Clarke glanced at Zoe, and Zoe nodded back at her as she went towards Sergey and the rest of their men. Meanwhile, Clarke turned her attention back to Dyoza, and responded back to her with the same demanding tone she did. "I will bring you the doctor, but I set the terms. Only you and two other people may enter the bunker. No more, no less. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."

Dyoza raise her brows in response, not expecting Clarke to put forward some terms now, out of all the times and place, then again judging from the way those friends of hers were looking at her and her people ,she knew that if a firefight was to happen, she would lose a lot of people just to take the entrance. However, that didn't meant she was someone easily pushed by others. "And why should I agree to such terms? What's to stop me from bringing my entire crew inside?"

Clarke met Dyoza's gaze, and to her surprise she remained calm. "Because I have leverage. I know you want a doctor, a real one no matter what. If you want to see my mother, you'll play by my rules. I won't risk my friends' lives for the sake of a negotiation."

"You're playing a dangerous game, Clarke. Are you sure you want to push me?"

Clarke's gaze held steady, as she stared at Dyoza. "I've been through worse. I'll do whatever it takes to protect my people. The choice is yours, Dyoza. Take it or leave it."

In all honesty, this was the first time someone had the guts to fight back to her threats and while it wasn't exactly how she wanted this to end, it was still better than nothing. After a moment, Dyoza's features softened, a small smirk playing at her lips.

"Very well, Clarke. You've got a deal. Two of my people will accompany me, no more," Dyoza conceded. "Lead the way."

Clarke nodded in response before turning towards Sergey and Zoe who relaxed their grip on their guns. She motioned for Dyoza to follow her, while subtly indicating to Zoe and Sergey to stay close to her just in case Dyoza tries to do something stupid. After going past the entrance, Zoe took the lead, guiding Dyoza, her two bodyguards, and Clarke through the corridors of the bunker. Sergey and the rest of the guards followed closely, their weapons ready, as they kept their eyes at Dyoza and her two bodyguards.

As they made their way deeper into the bunker, Dyoza couldn't help but be amazed by the appearance of the facility. The corridors were clean, and the walls were adorned with drawings and messages, something that, for a good reason, made her see this as a proper place to live rather than a forced refuge.

"I have to admit, this place looks... different than what I expected," Dyoza curiously remarked.

Zoe maintained her composure, showing no emotion whatsoever. "This isn't the first time we were forced to live in such condition and because of that, we have found a way to create a semblance of normalcy amidst the chaos. It hasn't been easy, but we've managed to give everyone hope," she replied, carefully choosing her words.

After that, none spoke and they continued walking through the corridors until they reached a large steel door. Zoe stepped forward and entered a series of codes on the panel next to it, causing the door to slide open with a hiss. Beyond the door was a small room with medical equipment and supplies neatly organized. Abby, Clarke's mother, stood by a table, reading a book.

When she heard the door being opened, Abby looked up when the group entered, her eyes widening at the sight of her daughter. "Clarke? Is it really you?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief and joy.

Clarke smiled, as tears start flowing from her eyes. "Yes, Mom. It's me," she replied, stepping closer to embrace Abby.

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