"Levitt is sure taking his sweet time." Octavia muttered, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall.

I kept pacing the floor, my nerves eating me alive. In the end, I knew she'd only agreed to come- not only because of Madi- but because she was worried levitt wouldn't help me on my own. I couldn't blame her- I had punched him a few times to get the bioweapon. It wouldn't shock me if he decided I wasn't worth the trouble.

Indras voice broke through.
"We should discuss the plan. Diana and Octavia bring us over. We get Madi and kill their leader." She said

"Killing cadogan won't change anything." Gaia countered sharply

"He can't chase us if he's dead" Indra pressed

Gaia shook her head.
"You know faith, mother. You kill the commander, another takes their place. You kill a flame keeper, another takes their place. Faith doesn't just die. It gets carried forward. Cadogans people are no different." Gabe says

"Then how does this end?" Miller asked, tension thick in his voice.

"It ends how they think it ends. One last war. Then we transcend and we become the light" Octavia said, her words slow, heavy.

Jordan leaned forward, shaking his head.
"It's a beautiful idea but fightings not how we get there. War is a failure of everything, which is why it's a test, not a war." He says

Hope snorted.
"Test, war, test, war. The disciples have been studying the Bardo texts for over a thousand years. You really think you know better?" She asks

"Yes. And it's not just that I read some old books. I felt it. That red sun toxin showed me something. I couldn't figure it out but I knew it was important. And then I read the bardo texts and it hit me. The next step is human evolution. I don't claim to fully understand it, but in my heart I know there's a purpose to everything. And we don't find out what it is by killing each other in another war." Jordan explained

"Nonsense. All that matters now is saving Madi and killing cadogan. There's no last war or test. I've heard enough" I snap.

I turned and walked off, my fists clenching at my sides.

I stalked up the ramp, into another room, punching the wall hard my knuckles throbbed. My chest heaved, breaths ragged, when the door behind me clicked shut.

Gaia.

She stood there, watching me with those sharp eyes that always seemed to see right through my armor.

"What the hell was Madi thinking? She just left without even talking to me." I blurt out

Gaia tilted her head.
"Sounds like someone else I know." She says

"No, all I ever did was try to save my people." I said

"While putting yourself in danger." She said evenly

I sat down hard on the steps, running my hands through my hair.
"She's doing what I did. Trying to fix everything on her own. She's following what I do. Is this how you all felt? Every time? Because I feel like I can't get enough air. Did I do that to her? I didn't mean to" I cry, tears blurring my vision.

"Everyone knew that. Just as Madi doesn't mean to hurt you. It's not easy loving someone who puts their own life at risk. Madi went to bardo to save us. I'm proud of her for that." Gaia says

I looked up at her, voice breaking.
"I killed so many of them to protect her from them. Not so she could turn herself in. Everyone I love dies. I can't keep doing this. Not again. If I lose Madi too- I don't think I could take it. What have a done? I'm her mother, and I haven't been there for her. I- I....." I say, sucking in breaths.

Gaia knelt, her hand brushing mine.
"Let me help show you how to still your mind, Diana. It's the only lesson you've never let me teach you as commander." She says

I sat across from her, eyes closed, fists clenched in my lap as she guided me.

"Focus on your breath. In and out. Let all earthly concerns fall away. Now repeat after me, my mind is your mind, my mind is still with yours" Gaia whispered

My chest burned.
"I can't do this. How do you expect me to focus right now, when my daughter is out there? Probably being tortured" I shot to my feet

Gaias voice cracked as she rose too.
"You think I don't know that? I love her too, Diana." She said

I froze, guilt hitting me hard.
"I know, Seda. I know. I'm sorry" I stepped forward, pulling her into a hug.

And then- my hands glowed.

"It's working" I breathed, pulling back in shock. The light swallowed me before I could say anything else.

Gun in my hand, I blinked against the green shimmer of the bridge. But the second it cleared, my stomach dropped.

And army. Rows of them.

"No." I whispered

"Hands in the air! Hold your fire!" The guards shouted. Octavia and I slowly dropped our weapons, raising our hands as they swarmed us.

"Shut up!" I snapped hours later, sitting on the floor, head in my hands.

"We did all that just to end up back here locked up in a cell next to Sheidheda." I mutter

"Hey- we'll get Madi back. Think about it. Someone brought us here. That means we have help on the inside. It's just... a matter of time" Octavia said, sitting next to me.

I huffed.
"When do you become the one claiming me down?" I say

She smirked faintly.

"Thank you. For offering to come." I said after a beat.

"I told you- I get it now. What she means to you. It's what hope means to me. It's what I mean to Bellamy." She says

Her words cut sharper than i expected. I turned toward her.

"Your everything to him. He loves you more than you know" I say

Octavia's lips tugged into a smile.
"You're everything to him too, Dia." She said

Before I could reply, the cell door opened.

Levitt.

Octavia shot up and rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Sorry it took me so long." He said, hugging her back.

I crossed my arms.
"Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but we need to get to Madi. And uh-sorry for torturing you to give me the bioweapon." I say, my lips pressed into a small line.

He glanced at me, half a smirk tugging at his lips.
"You had to make it believable" he says

I gave me a grateful nod and smiled

"What's the plan?" Octavia asked

Levitt exhaled.
"I don't know. Isn't that your guys specialty? How would you do it?" He asks

"Use the suits. Go invisible" Octavia said

"That won't work. Too many guards with helmets around." He countered

"Then we come in hot and we take them all out." Octavia offered

I shook my head, jaw tight.
"Or....we create a distraction. With someone I hope I don't kill the moment I see them." I say