The next morning I woke before the sun. I didn't sleep much- my mind replayed Bellamy's face when he realized who I was. But that had to wait. First, Lexa.

When I entered her tent, she was already awake, lacing her armor. Her eyes cut up to me immediately.
"Diana" she nodded
"Lexa. We need to talk" I bowed my head slightly

She gestured for me to sit.
"I assume Clarkes spoken to you about sending an inside man?" I asked
"Yes. She chose Bellamy and Lincoln." Lexas voice was clipped, measured.

"And I'm choosing to send myself. On behalf of Trikru" I said

Her expression hardened.
"No. You will not be going. Two is enough. My decision is final" she said

I leaned forward, my tone low, sharp.
"No. Lexa. I wasn't asking. Who are we as leaders if we send outsiders to bleed in our place? The sky people send two. Trikru must send one. This isn't just their fight." I counter

"Then we send a scout" she replied

"A scout doesn't know the tunnels like I do!" My hand slammed against the table before I could stop it.

For a briefest moment, her mask cracked- shock flickering in her eyes- before the commanders coldness returned.

Lexa looked at me shocked for a second before going back to a cold face.
"The last time I sent you into those tunnels. I lost you. I won't do it again" her voice was quiet, almost vulnerable.

"You won't be sending me. I go by my own choice. Lexa, I must do this. For Trikru, for myself. Please" my voiced softened just slightly.

She studied me for a long moment, then finally nodded.
"I'm trusting you Diana." She said

"That's all I ask" I rose, hesitated, then pulled her into a brief hug.

"Stay strong" she whispered
"Same to you" I replied back

Bellamy was already geared up when we found Lincoln and I waiting.
"When do we leave?" He asked.
"Now" I gave him a short nod, and the three of us set out.

The huntress in me stilled when Lincoln knelt by a deer carcass, pulling a spear from its side. He cut open the stomach, plunging his hands into the blood before smearing it across his skin.

Bellamy frowned.
"Okay. So we make it to the intake door without any of the real reapers seeing us. What happens then?" He asked
"We kill everyone and you slip inside... limestone" Lincoln's tone was blunt, cold.

Bellamy passed him the powder, watching as Lincoln rubbed it across his face,
"We've got a lot of ground to cover before dark. Let's move" I shoulder my pack

As we jogged, Bellamy broke the silence.
"I need to know what happened after the intake door." He pressed

"They remove your clothes, blast you with boiling water, and dose you with something. That burns even worse. From there, we were sorted. The others were tagged for harvest. I was tagged Cerberus turned into a reaper." Lincolns has tightened

"Cerberus. 3 headed dog that guards the underworld" Bellamy said

I caught the faintest twitch of Lincoln's mouth at the recognition.
"My mom read mythology to us all the time. Octavia loved it." Bellamy continued,

"You're good for her. You made her strong." He admitted
"She was already strong." Lincoln answered simply

Then Bellamy stopped, gaze sharp.
"You protected my sister before you even knew her. Why?" He asked as we both stopped

"When I was a boy, I saw a ship fall from the sky. Like ravens. The man inside was hurt, his body broken. I couldn't get him out." Lincoln's tone was flat

"Suicide by earth. I heard the stories in the guard. I just didn't know they were true." Bellamy said

"I brought him food, water. I didn't speak the enemy's language yet. So I couldn't understand him, but I wanted to. So on the third day I told my father. He made me kill him. The world has been trying to turn me into a monster for as long as I can remember. Let's keep moving" he answered, and silence filled the air.

"The mountain has many eyes between here and the tunnels. From now on, details must be exact" I said turning to look at them both.

"What if we run into real reapers? Won't they wonder where you've been?" Bellamy asked
"All they see is red. Once you take it, nothing else matters. Just how you'll get more" Lincoln admitted

"How much do you remember from when you were on it?" Bellamy pressed
"Everything. Turn around" he answered, then tied rope onto our hands.

By the time we reached the cave, Lincoln hesitated, breathing hard.
"Be strong Lincoln. Overcome the battle" I told him quietly

He nodded, but his steps were heavy as we moved deeper.

"Why are we stopping?" Bellamy asked, then watched Lincoln crush a vial of red liquid under his boot.
"You ok?" Bellamy asked, worry filling his eyes for a moment.

Lincoln ignored him, eyes fixed ahead.
"As soon as they open the intake doors, we attack. Do not let it close. Once they're all dead. You go in. I'll make it look like you escaped. Once you're inside-" Lincoln starts
"I know" Bellamy cut in.

But the voices echoed closer. Lincoln froze.
"Another raider party. We have to go back" Lincoln said, ripping our ropes off.
"Go back? No way" Bellamy spat

"Three, maybe four." Lincoln muttered
"We can fight our way through. We'll never get a better chance than this" Bellamy snapped

"I thought I could do this but I can't. It's over" Lincoln admits

"No it's not. New plan, we join them." My voice cut sharp

"Listen to me-" Lincoln starts 
"When they bring out the red, you grab it, and you run like hell." My eyes locked on his.

"The reapers will go nuts, the grounder will run, and the mountain men will have to deal with it. No one will be looking for a grounder running into the mountain." Bellamy addd

"I said no!" Lincoln shoved Bellamy to the ground and turned on me.
"Don't do this Lincoln. You know I'm right" I told him, low and steady.

Bellamy launched himself back at him, fists swinging.
"Fight back. They'll think I'm trying to escape" Bellamy whispered.

I joined in, struggling against Lincoln's grip. Thrashing with my hands tied. The dirt, the grunts, the pain- it looked convincing enough.

Then shadows fell over us. A reapers hand clamped around my arm, yanking me away. Lincoln seized Bellamy, pressing a knife to his throat.

"These both tried to wonder off. They are mine" Lincoln growled

"Put them on the log." The reaper said

The reaper dragged me forward, pressing me down against the wood. A rough blindfold slid over my eyes, stealing the light.

And just like that, we were in the belly of the underworld.