I don't even know why I let myself dragged into this, but here I was together with Bellamy, Miller, Sergey, Monty, and Harper loading up the new truck that Raven and her team of engineers had managed to retrofit right before our mission deep inside the Azgeda territory. To be fair, I would have preferred the faster and more durable rover than the truck, but the hydro generator that Monty found in the schematics of the Farm Station was way bigger than what the rover could ever carry so we had to choose an alternative, and that alternative was the truck.
"The battery's full. If we're lucky, we won't have to stop to recharge."
Clarke nods and pulls a leather package out of her jacket, handing it to Bellamy, before turning to the rest of us. "Even luckier if Roan's seal will work like it's supposed to. If you get into trouble, just show this."
"You think that would work, princess? Roan is in Polis, not back in Azgeda's territory. From what we know his people might not like what he had done about us."
"No matter what they think, Roan is still their king, Leon. Even if they attack you guys, I'm more than confident that it would be self-defense if you retaliate."
Seeing that Clarke wasn't going to budge from her stance, I just tuck the seal into my pocket before following everyone in the truck. As soon as I climbed in the back, I heard Bellamy asking Clarke about her decision.
"You could still come with us, Clarke."
"I'm sorry, Bellamy, but I can't. Arkadia is just plan B, it doesn't help all of the Grounders. I'm not stopping until we have a solution that saves everyone."
"We save who we can save today, besides our people have a save home."
"That's why we need a home for the grounders as well. At the same time, the Dam also needs to be informed. Raven, Wells, and Sinclair are doing everything they can to contact them through the radio, but until now they didn't have any luck getting passed the interference caused by the weather."
By the time Clarke and Bellamy finished speaking, I looked at my friends, checking on them, and each one of them give me a thumbs up or a nod, letting me know that they were ready to head out.
"Chauffeur, we are good to go. Take us to the Ice Nation."
The ride didn't take that long thanks to the truck and before we know it, Bellamy was slowing down the truck to a stop, parking it before we all heard his voice.
"This is as close as we can get. From here, we have to go on foot."
As soon as we got out of the truck, I found out that Bellamy stopped us right at the edge of a cliff that had a perfect view of Farm Station. Despite its side, the station was quite well hidden by the layers of snow that now cover its surface, blending into the surrounding terrain, thus making it harder to be seen from afar. Some of the panels were blown off through reentry and landing, but the station itself looks almost undamaged, considering what the thing had to go through to even crash land down here. Something inside of me made me doubt that the seemly quiet station was indeed abandoned, no something was definitely lurking inside of there, and be it grounders or dinosaurs we will have to get rid of them if we are to get that generator intact. Miller and Sergey kneel down beside me, as Miller pulls out binoculars for us to get a better look at the station.
"Guys, we've got a problem. The barn isn't as empty as we thought it would be. We might have to fight our way inside."
He gave me the binoculars and indeed all around the entrance, there are grounders carrying things or simply doing random jobs, still, the whole area was mostly camouflaged, but still visible if you had the right tools.
"The Ice Nation moved in. If these guys are the same ones that attacked Farm Station when they landed, with our guns, we could take them."
"I'm sure we could, but we didn't come here to fight."
"Bellamy, they butchered Bryan's family alongside most of the kids, they butchered our friends, our families."
"I don't like it any more than you do Miller, but Bellamy's right. We need that machine."
While Miller, Monty, and Bellamy were arguing I notice a few grounders coming in our direction, and before we could be taken out by surprise I decided to put everyone on alert.
"Form up guys, we have tangos closing in."
While Monty and Harper weren't exactly soldiers, unlike the rest of us, they had their fair share of combat in the early days down on Earth, and thanks to frequent sessions of training we all had together, everyone was more or less combat-ready if need be. Just as everyone was ready for an assault a woman dressed in winter equivalents of grounder camouflage tried to sneak up on Harper only for the girl in question to disarm the woman, bringing her down to the ground.
"What do we do now?"
Before I could respond, the grounders, no doubt the ones that I've seen through the binoculars, emerge from the trees. They were no less than 20 people but no more than forty either. While we kill them, the truth was that some of us might die in the fight and that wasn't worth the risk, at least not until we are one hundred percent sure that they aren't keen on killing us.
"Weapons down. Now, we aren't here to fight!"
Surprisingly enough, no one listen to him, as Harper, Monty, Miller, and Sergey still had their guns pointed at the grounders, not having any thoughts of being captured here and now.
"Guys, I said weapons down, now!"
"Bellamy, enough. No one lowers their guns, not now and especially not when they have their bows aimed at us."
Bellamy was about to argue with me when a man, most likely the leader of this group of warriors walked forward, stopping just a few meters away from me.
"Osleya gon wamplei, it's an honor to meet you. What do I own the displeasure of meeting the famous reaper and champion of death in my territory? After all, I don't recall attacking your people, even when the so-called king ordered us so."
"Your king gave us this, apparently this would let us fight free through your territory, or do you guys want to take your chances against us? You might be able to kill us, but I doubt many of your people would be left alive afterward."
"As I said, it's an honor, so what can I do to help you?"
"We need something from the station."
"I'm sorry, but there's no way I can agree with giving our new home away. My people will freeze outside."
How wrong was he? Staying anywhere other than a nuclear-proof bunker or station would only result in you getting evaporated and nothing else, but right now this was neither the place nor the time for this discussion.
"I don't remember asking you to leave the station did I? No, we just need something from within the station and we would leave you guys alone."
Just as the man was about to respond, one of the women that were within the ranks of the warriors, acting as guard practically spit out a response, shocking everyone, including the man.
"The so-called King Roan hasn't returned to Ice Nation in three years. The banished prince is not my king."
I could hear Sergey and Miller getting ready to fire just in case the grounders were about to attack us, but before the woman could continue, the man interfere before the situation become uncontrolled, and more importantly dangerous for them.
"I'm sorry for the words my warrior just spoke. We are more than happy to help."
"To tell you the truth, I could care less what you guys think about him. As long as your people aren't firing at us, for me and my team, you guys are as good as any friendlies."
"Where is this thing you need ?"
I turned to look at Monty, who had the tablet with the map on it. Seeing me looking at him, he pulls the table from his jacket and gave it to me.
"It should be here or at least in this room."
"I know where that is. Follow me."