Emori came back, and she and Ryker immediately got to work, tinkering with whatever contraption they thought might keep me in this body. Murphy and I set up the table.

"Brain surgery in a machine shop. What could go wrong?" Murphy muttered

"It's very Diana, actually." I said with a smirk

"Yeah" he mumbled, eyes dropping.

"Hey. You'll be a god, Murphy. They'll write songs about you. They'll pray to you. You'll only get if you want to. And you'll never die...." I said, then turned to Emori and Ryker.
"How are we doing over there?" I ask

"Yeah, all set, actually" Ryker said

I nodded.
"Before we get started in case anyone gets any ideas. If I don't come back, jade has a letter for my father about how you let Gabriel go. That makes you founder of the terrorists trying to wipe us out. My guess, you'll get fed to the forest" I say

I turned to Murphy.
"And you. In case you have any second thoughts she has orders to kill you. And you're adorable-" I turn to Emori.

But she was gone.

"Emori? Emori! She took the emp." Murphy said

I grabbed a scalpel, tucking it into my jacket. Without a word, Murphy and I jumped on a motorcycle and took off after her.

We cut her off just before the radiation fence, skidding to a stop.

"Emori, what are you doing? Let's go back, be immortal" Murphy pleaded

"The offer still stands for the next 10 seconds." I told him, tapping my arm impatiently.

"Please. Just let me talk to her, okay?" Murphy begged, eyes soft.

I rolled my eyes.

"I love you. I know that this is hard" he told her

"I'm so sorry it had to be like this." She said, voice breaking

"Like what? Emori, nothing has to change. We can go back right now. I told them not to tell the guards about any of this." He says

"That's what we were counting on" a voice cut in

Bellamy stepped out of the bushes, echo too.

"Oh, perfect. You know, I admire you guys. I really do. If the other primes had half your balls, we'd be swimming in hosts and none of this would be necessary. But unfortunately it is. So I'm gonna give you the facts because I really don't think you thought this through. Yes, Diana's alive but the brain we now share is dying. So unless one of you is a neurosurgeon this body will die in hours not days. My mind will be backed up and hers won't." I said

"Actually, our neurosurgeons on his way." Echo said

"Jackson" Murphy muttered

"Hmm, okay, sure. Let's say that he figures it out. He won't, but just for fun. Where you gonna operate, here in a joberry field?" I ask

"Actually, we're thinking about using one of the 14 research outposts marked on the map your father gave us." Bellamy countered, eyes sharp.

I froze, then smirked.
"Well, it's too bad you can't get past the radiation shield." I say

"Oh, that's where the emp comes in." Bellamy said, nodding to Emori.

She moved toward the device, Murphy started after her.

"Emori-" he began

I grabbed him, pressing the scalpel to his throat.
"Sorry, Murphy. Step away from the device." I ordered

Emori hesitated, then lowered it.

"You think we care about that traitor?" Bellamy said, voice steady.

"Lord knows you shouldn't. But yeah, I do, which brings us to yet another episode of 'no good choices'. Diana would love this. Either you let Murphy die in a doomed attempt to save her, starting with a war with my father. Or we stay friends and live happily ever after. Take a minute to think it over." I say

And then- an alarm blared.

"Huh. That can't be good for you. Stand down now and this never happened." I smirked

"We can't do this without jackson." Echo said

"You don't need him. Find Gabriel he was one of them but then he bailed. Ryker helped him escape." Murphy said

"Gabriel left 70 years ago. He'd be 106 now, also known as dead." I say

Echo studied me.
"Why do you look so concerned?" She asks

Before I could answer, I heard the guards.
"Here they come." I smile

"Set the emp." Echo told emori

Emori moved, and I panicked.
"So much for forever." I mutter. I slice Murphys leg and bolt away.

It didn't work. Echos grip snapped around my arm, strong as steel. I fought, twisting and clawing, but Bellamy was already tying my hands together.

"This is a really stupid plan, you know. If you do this, the children of Gabriel will kill us both, and my father will kill the rest of you. Is that what you want?" I spat

"We got this" echo said flatly

"You so don't." I mutter

"It's down, go now!" Echo shouted

Bellamy dragged me across, my body resisting every step. The shield shimmered back up behind us. He tightened his grip on my arm. 

"Stay safe" he told echo and Emori.

"Save Diana" echo nodded back

And then he pulled me into the forest.

Night had fallen, shadows twisting through the trees. Every step, I fought back.

"Stop fighting." He growled out

"You don't get it. You're killing all three of us. Not to mention the rest of your friends when my father finds out. Is Diana really worth all of that?" I spat

But then I collapsed. My body shaking violently.

My eyes opened again. Black blood dripping from my mouth.
"It's getting worse. You have to take me home." I whisper

"If I take you home, you'll use an emp and kill Diana. I told you, I won't let that happen." He said

"The children of Gabriel won't help you. When they find out who I am, they won't just destroy my mind drive, they'll cut off my head and you'll have nothing" I said

He pulled out a knife, slicing his finger. The pressed the blood onto my forehead.

"Well, let's make sure they don't find out." He said

"Look, I don't know what they taught you on that hunk of medal you grew up in, but where I'm from when someone tells you you're in danger, you listen." I glared

"Yeah, we do that too. Unless the people we care about are in trouble. Then we do what has to be done. Now come on, let's go" he said, lifting me up again.

"The people you care about are in trouble. I guess you just care about her more." I muttered

"Quiet." He snapped.

Branches snapped ahead. Figures emerged from the dark.
"You're in our woods! A long way from home." A man said

"It's okay. I need to see Gabriel." Bellamy said quickly yet calm.

"On the ground." The man ordered

"He needs to know what we know." Bellamy insisted

"God, you're an idiot." I mutter

"Hands up" they yelled

I obeyed, jaw tight as they shoved us down.