I laid in the chair, Russel placed a drive into my neck, stitching up the cut.

"After the execution, we found more graffiti. Who knows what poison this escaped prisoners are spreading. One of them already killed Simone. If this continues, they are going to come for us. Right now, they're rebellion is at a tipping point. We must crush it tonight. Get everything back to normal. When our people see all of us returned at once, they will fall to their knees" Russell explained.

Then Madi started to thrash around again.
"We should've killed you first. Once I'm free, you will burn. You will all burn! You will not get rid of the rest of us!" She screamed

"Guards! Bring the doctors" Russel called out.

Part of me couldn't take hearing her cries.
I started to stand.

Russell's hand stopped me.
"Stay still" he said

The doctors come in and I can hear their voices. I know it's them. They sedate Madi again and the room falls silent.

"That's better. Thank you..... there. How do you feel?" Russel says, turning back to me.

I sit up slowly, my eyes landing on all of them staring at me with tears in their eyes.

"Peachy keen, Josephine.... Oh, all of you stop it, I'm not her." I tell them

"I will kill you for this" Clarke snarls at Russel

"I once believed that I would never stray from the moral path, and then I killed my family in the first eclipse. I have done anything to bring them back. So I believe you" Russell said, clam, too calm.

"How many doses of the serum do you have?" Russel asks jackson

"Four, including the one your people took to the machine shop for Simone." Jackson replied

"Six primes must be resurrected tonight. That's two more doses." Russell says

"Madi won't survive that." Abby protests

"If it's too hard for you to continue my healers will take your place. They're already familiar with the process. It would be no trouble." Russel said evenly

"No, I can do it." Abby forced out

"Good. Remember this was the deal that saved you from prye. I'd hate for that to change." Russel says smoothly

I slip on my jacket, forcing a grin.
"Toodle-loo" I smile, then walk out.

"You must be starving. Let's get you something to eat. After that, I need you to handle the naming day preparations." Russel says as we walk

"I'm not hungry and I just got back. Get priya to do it." I tell him

"She's an engineer, not a party planner" he argues

"Have you ever been to one of my parties?" I smirk

He exhales.
"Fine. I'll get priya to do it." He says

"Good, now. If I spend one more minute like this, I will spontaneously combust from shame." I mutter

"Go get cleaned up. I'll resurrect your mother." He tells me

"Wait. Does that mean echos alive?" Emori blurts out

I freeze. So Jackson's serum meant for Simone....they're going to use echo as a host. They were going to turn her into a nightblood.

"What she's saying is, now that anyone can be a nightblood maybe use someone else?" John suggests

"Oh, stop your whining. Do you want to be immortal or not? Because if you become primes and this revolution spreads, they're coming for you too."  I said. Then turn to Russell.

"Hey, I wanna be there when mom comes back. Wait for me?" I ask sweetly

"Of course, sweetheart. Be quick." He nods

I walk off, pulse racing.

I quickly get myself changed and ready. When I make my way back to the lab, the air feels heavy, like everyone's holding their breath. They all stare at me as I walk closer. Clarke standing in front.

She starts to back away, confusion in her eyes, but I reach for her and pull her into a hug.

"Diana?" She mumbles, stunned.

"Yeah" I whisper, nodding as tears burn down my cheeks.

"What happened? I thought I.... How?" She asks, already crying.

"It's a long story" I tell her softly, pulling back. I wrap my arms around jackson, then Abby, then Raven.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Diana" Raven breathes

"God, im happy to see you all" I smile through the tears. Then my gaze drifts to Madi. I move to her, place my hand gently on her arm.

She was pale, a cold sweat rolling down her face.

Raven quickly explains.
"Her dreams. She accepted the role of Haiplana, and somehow she's connected to you. We don't understand it, but...she feels what you feel. Sees things you've seen. They're overwhelming her, telling her to kill them all. And if she can't- she might try to kill herself. We can't get to Gaia, so I need Becca's book." She said, swallowing hard

My chest tightens. The tether between us..... I never thought it would hurt her like this.

It was like this with Lexa and I. But I had a flamekeeper to help me through.

She didn't.

"Okay. That can wait. We don't have much time. I need you to come with me. We have to lower the shield. Bellamy and Octavia are waiting with the children of Gabriel." I said, trying to focus.

Raven shakes her head.
"Diana, I can't. Not while she's like this. If the dreams get worse she'll lose control-" she starts

"Then I'll use Ryker. The reactors beneath the machine shop anyway" I nod

"No. Ryker turned echo in. He won't help you." Clarke warns

"No, but Josephine can be very persuasive. Until then promise me you won't take any more bone marrow." I say

"That's not a problem now. Clarkes volunteered. And Abby...added another nightblood to the family" jackson replied

"We won't let them take her" Abby vows, standing shoulder to shoulder with Clarke.

Relief loosens something in me.
"Thank you" I say

Clarke steps forward, eyes fierce.
"Now go save us all. Again." She says

I nod, then crouch beside Madi. My hand cups her cheek, thumb brushing her cheek.

"Stay strong, Madi" I whisper, then walk out.

I push into the machine shop and freeze. Ryker lies sprawled on the floor, his eyes glossy, skin pale. Dead.

For a heartbeat, I can't breathe. My chest seizes- but then I see what's not on the ground. Echo. She isn't here. She's alive. Relief floods through me so fast it nearly knocks me to my knees.

I move quickly, kneeling at Ryker's side. My fingers tremble only once before I steady them and pry out his mind drive. I wrap it in cloth, tuck it deep into my pocket just as heavy boots echo from the corridor.

Russell. Guards.

I school my face, stride to the door, and meet them head on.

"There you are. Jade said you'd fallen asleep." Russel says, his tone light but his eyes scanning me shapely.

I flash a tight smile.
"I would never miss mom's resurrection. Unfortunately, echo had other plans." I say

His gaze follows mine to the body. He crouches, checks the back of Ryker's neck, and rides with a grim expression.

"There are three escaped killers in this compound now. Your orders are to shoot to kill. Is that clear?" His voice rings sharp, and the guards answer with nods.

"They took his drive. We have to get it back before  tonight so we can bring Ryker back with the others." He says firmly

"I'll handle it. You've got enough on your plate. Get the body out of here, and clean up this mess. I'll get priya to help me. Lord knows she'll be motivated to save her son" I say smoothly.

Russell studies me, then nods once.
"Good. Bring the drive to the lab when you get it. I'll start the other resurrections. You will take guards." He says

"Of course" I say lightly, though my stomach twisted. I turn and lead the guards away.

"Priya, there you are. I've been looking for you." My voice drips with Josephine charm as I step into the chamber where she's working.

She glances up, arching a brow.
"Josie. I heard you had quite the adventure." She says

"You have no idea. And I'll tell you all about it, but first I need your help with something in the machine shop." I say

Her expression sharpens.
"What did Ryker do now?" She asks

"More like what he didn't do. Dad asked him to wipe one of the prisoners, but he's completely lost his nerve. It's embarrassing. He's never wanted to face the reality of our situation." I say, rolling my eyes.

She straightens.
"Let's go" she says

I nod, falling into step beside her. But before we could get far, a shout ripples through the room.

Steel clashes. A sharp crack of gunfire.

I whip around just as echo, miller, and Gaia storm into the corridor, blades flashing, rifles kicking. Guards drop like flies.

"Josephine, come on" Priya urges, fear flashing in her eyes as she tries to run.

I stick out my arm, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Then my gaze finds echo- and I can't help the smile that breaks across my face.

"I knew it. Ryker didn't lose his nerve he lost his life." Echo says, breathless.

She pulls me into a rough embrace. I sink into it for a half second, my chest aching with relief.

"Diana" miller says, his voice breaking as he grabs me next, holding me tight.

"Heda" Gaia whispers, stunned. Her arms wrap around me, reverent.

"Seda" I answer, smiling faintly at the name, the connection still holds me.

"Have you seen Madi?" She asks quickly

I nod once.

"How- how are you here?" She asks, eyes wide.

"The flame saved me. I'll explain it all later, but first, we need to lower the shield." I answer

Millers jaw tightened.
"Bellamys out there?" He asks

"With the Calvary. I'll get Priya to help me take down the reactor, and then we go for Madi." I said, my hand clutching Ryker's mind drive.

We drag Priya with us. The alarm blares too soon, red lights strobing overhead, the air thrumming with tension.

"It's too soon. We have to get that shield down. Wake her up" I hiss

Gaia kneels, slapping Priya's cheek until her eyes flutter open.

When she focuses on me, I hold up rykers drive, the cloth pulled back just enough for her to see.
"We'll make this very simple. Take down the reactor, and you get Ryker back. If you don't...". I say, raising a hummer above the drive.
"are we clear?" I ask

Her lips part, but she stays silent.
"Alright" I mutter, letting the hammer fall in my grip as if it'll smash it to pieces.

"No! Wait!" She cries, panic in her voice.

I smirk, lowering the hammer. Got her.

When the shrink finally drops, I see them- Bellamy and Octavia at the head of the children of Gabriel, pushing forward.

Bellamy spots me first. His face cracks open with relief as he runs, and before I can think, I'm in his arms, his lips on mine. For one heartbeat, it's only us. Only home.

We pull apart, echo and miller embrace Bellamy. Colliding like a family. 

"I hate to cut this short, but Russel told the people that it was a false alarm. They're not evacuating. We have no distraction." I breathe, forcing myself back to focus.

"The rest of our friends are still in trouble and we don't have enough to fight our way through" echo says quickly

"We're not here to fight. We're here to liberate." Bellamy says firmly

"Bellamys right. And the only weapon we need for that is truth." Layla adds, stepping forward.

"You sound like Gabriel" a man mutters

"Where is Gabriel? And why did he set off the alarm so soon?" I ask

Echos gaze flicker to mine.
"Hold on. They won't believe us just because we tell them the truth. You know what im thinking?" She asks

I nod.
"Ryker helped us start this, his mother will finish it." I say

"They think you're Josephine" she reminds me

"Which means it can't be me." I pull yeh cloth from my pocket, pressing the drive into Bellamy's hand.
"It has to be you" I say