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chapter forty-five, Lost

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"Five years" Echo realizes as Gabriel, Hope, Nova, and Theo work on the garden so they'll be able to eat. "Are you gonna help or dwell on the fact we're staying for five years?" Nova asks as she digs through the dead flowers in the garden with Theo. "Thinking about it makes it worse" Hope states. "She's right. Give us a hand" Gabriel states as he goes back to his work. "Playing in the dirt won't make time pass faster" Echo declares and Theo shrugs his shoulders. "I just got a smoking hot girlfriend and now I won't see her for five years" Theo groans and Nova shakes her head slowly as she chuckles at his words.

"it will give our friend out there something to long for, seeing the five of us working together as a team. Trust me. He'll want that" Gabriel states as he looks over at Echo who refuses to work. "We should hunt him down" Echo declares and Nova stands to her feet after wiping the dirt off her hands. "I agree. That man is crazy" Nova says motioning out towards the woods where the man is probably hiding.

"Is that how you make friends in the ice nation and wonekru" Hope states and Nova furrows her eyebrows. "It's Wonkru. One. I know Octavia had to have taught you that much" Nova scoffs as she goes back to digging through dead flowers. "Yeah, and it's just Ice Nation. No 'the'" Echo declares before she starts digging through very much alive plants. "There's clearly no gardening either. That one's still alive. Raspberries?" Gabriel asks and Nova chuckles as Echo removes her gardening tool from the grass.

"Paint berries. Eat them, and they make you sick" Hope states. "Do they make the time go faster because I'm tired of this place already" Nova states as she digs through the weeds before Gabriel pulls a large rock out of one of the gardens. "Is that what you used on this? Is H for Hope?" Gabriel asks and Hope smiles like she's thought of a memory. "No. Hesperides".

THREE MONTHS LATER

"Ouch!" Theo shouts as he pricked his finger with the needle while trying to learn to see from Hope. "It's been three months and you're still doing that?" Hope asks and Theo sighs as he wipes his blood on his jeans. "It's hard" Theo says as he starts seeing again. "It's not you're just clumsy" Nova says as she pats Theo's back and walks over to her weapons she has made on the wall resembling the wall from Fio's cabin.

"The Hercules roses are opening" Echo calls out from outside. "It's Herc-a-lees. Don't pick them" Hope shouts out and a few minutes later while Nova sat at a table carving out more wood to make bowls for the group Echo rushes in calmly but eagerly. "He's here. The man" Echo states and Nova rises from her seat and her, Theo and Hope walk outside to see the man rushing into the woods again and Gabriel trying to stop him.

"Really?" Theo questions as he tosses his arms in the air since he got excited for nothing. "Three months playing happy family to lure him in, and you blew it" Hope states as she walks towards Gabriel who lifts his buckets off the ground. "Screw that. Look at the tomatoes" Echo points out and Theo's jaw drops to the floor. "I planted those" Theo states and Echo clears her throat. "Then maybe it's a good thing they were knocked over" Echo says as she leaves Nova and Theo's presence.

"She's not wrong. Sorry" Nova says as she shrugs and turns her attention to Gabriel who starts to walk back towards the cabin and him and Hope set the buckets down on the edges of the garden holders. "He'll be back. He's on the hook now. We just need to reel him in" Gabriel says as he starts to water the plants with the water he gathered from the ocean.

"Let's eat lunch outside again so he can see us. Bait on the hook" Hope suggests as she gazes around the woods in hope she would see the man but doesn't. "I got a better idea. We bait the hook... with you" Echo suggests which makes Hope let out an airy chuckle since she thinks Echo is joking but as she stares at Echo for a long period of time she realizes... she isn't.

"Ah not bad" Nova says as walks over and stands next to Echo. "How would we even do that?" Hope asks and Nova looks around until her eyes land on the large body of water in the distance.

"Help! Somebody, help!" Hope shouts and Echo, Theo, Gabriel and Nova wait in the woods before seeing the man rush from another part of the woods and slip off his jacket before diving into the water.
"Hope! Hold on! I'm coming!" He screams as he swims to her rescue and helps her out of the water and that's when Nova and the rest of them make there move. "Hope, are you okay?" Echo asks as Nova and the three of them help Hope out of the water along with the man. "I am now, thanks to you" Hope says as she looks over at the man who obviously cares about her.

"Care to tell us what you were doing?" Nova asks as she looks down at Hope's wet clothes. "I was trying to get to Bardo to save my family" Hope lies and the man shakes his head. "You can't. The bridge is too deep" He declares and Nova and Theo lock eyes with each other thinking the plan is starting to work. "We're your family, too, okay? We'll get there together. We'll find a way" Gabriel says and everyone looks over to the man hoping he'll give them advise to at least bring them closer together.

"The only way off this planet is on my absolution day. Four years, 10 months, 22 days" The man states showing the clock on his arm. "It's your absolution day maybe, but they'll kill us. Hope, too" Echo states and the man looks around at the ground and over to Hope and shakes his head. "I won't let that happen".

Nova, Theo, Gabriel, Echo and Orlando, the new member of the bunch sit at the table while Hope brings out there next meal. "The garden will be producing soon, but for now, jellyfish ettouffee" Hope says and Nova sits back in her chair and groans in annoyance. "Do not listen to them. They love it. It was my mother's specialty" Hope says as she stirs it around in the bowl.

"Love is a strong word" Nova declares as Theo chuckles. "Considering your mother went from terrorist to terrorist chef" Theo says as Gabriel and Echo laugh at his joke but Hope sits down with confusion on her face. "Terrorist?" Hope questions before the bowl passes to Nova and Nova puts some food in her bowl. "Wait- she- she never told you?" Nova asks as she tilts her head and passes the bowl to Theo. "I'm sorry I thoug- I thought it was funny" Theo says as he looks to Hope who shakes her head and clears her throat.

"I was ten when they took her" Hope states and Nova widens her eyes, shocked to hear how young she was. "She was a freedom fighter, not a terrorist, but that wouldn't have been as funny with chef, so..." Gabriel trails off and Echo sighs, "It wasn't that funny" Echo states and Nova furrows her eyebrows. "You literally laughed" Nova says before Hope begins talking over her. "I always wondered why she wouldn't let Aunty O train me. She was so adamant. Now it makes sense" Hope says as she rests her arm on the table thinking of the memories of her mom.

"I mean she just didn't want you to be like her. You gotta understand that" Nova says as she digs into her food and looks over at Orlando. "Wait till she sees you now. Guys, we're being rude. Orlando, tell us about you. What are these?" Echo asks as referring to the markings on his face. "12 symbols. It means you're level 12, right?" Hope asks and everyone looks to Orlando waiting for an answer.

"The L-7 who atoned here before me, he teach you that?" Orlando asks and everyone looks over at Hope. "Yes. Dev, and he taught me as much as he could, but we were afraid that I wouldn't have answers if I was stopped by anyone higher once we were inside" Hope explains and the two of them go back and fourth speaking of this man Dev who taught Hope most of what she knows now and how he died. Gabriel then changes the subject and asks Orlando about Bardo and how him and his people were able to get there.

"The shepherd delivered us" Orlando states and Nova clears her throat after taking a bite of food. "Was this shepherd on Eligius III?" Nova asks and Orlando whips his head towards her direction. "Don't say his name" Orlando demands and Nova raises her eyebrows as Orlando looks away from her and back down at his food.

"You still believe all that stuff even after they locked you up? Why did they lock you up?" Echo asks as she leans forward in her seat. "Shepherd's law number four-- 'honor the day of rest to be efficient the rest of the week.' I chose not to rest, and I was punished for it. And, yes, I still believe" Orlando states and the room stays silent for a bit before Orlando rises to his feet. "Wait, Orlando. Stay, please" Hope begs as she rises to her feet with him but it's clear he's had a enough fire tonight.

"Nah. Thanks for everything. It was-- it was lovely" Orlando says as he was about to make his way out the door until Hope called out his name yet again. "Too bad your mom, the navy seal, didn't teach you how to swim" Orlando states and Nova looks between Hope and Orlando before Orlando exits the cabin sending farewells to Hope who's actually devastated to see him leave.

"That was great. Great" Theo says sarcastically as he tosses his spoon on the table in slight anger because they didn't get what they wanted. "Level 12 is hardcore. If we can turn him, we'll have access to everything in Bardo" Hope explains and Nova slumps back in her seat. "Well, then it's a good thing we have time because we're gonna need it" Echo declares and Nova pushes her hair out of her face due to stress. "Nothing but time" Nova says as she begins thinking of Clarke and her whereabouts and if she's okay or if she even has recognized she's been gone for awhile.

ABOUT A YEAR LATER

Echo and Nova were hiding in the bushes in the woods while Gabriel, Hope and Theo looked for them. Echo could tell something was on Nova's mind and Echo knew it was only one thing. Well... one person. "We'll get to Clarke. We'll get back home. You just gotta have... faith" Echo whispers and Nova looks over at her and forms a smile on her face. "We'll see" Nova whispers as she looks over and sees the three of them walking closer and closer towards them.

"Now" Echo states and both her and Nova jump out of the bushes and attack Hope, Gabriel and Theo. Nova elbowed Gabriel in the back and pushed him closer to Echo and Nova kicked Theo in the chest knocking him to the ground then bending to his level an points the wood she has carved into a knife shape at his neck.

"You're dead" Nova states as she stands to her feet and puts her hand out helping Theo to his feet while he holds his chest in pain. "I thought we were invisible?" Theo groans as he lets out a few coughs from how hard the impact of the kick was. "We are. I'm invisible. You're dead, and that really hurt" Gabriel says as he shakes his hand trying to decrease the pain after Echo stabbed him roughly with the wood. "Easy. He's back" Hope says and everyone looks in the direction of Orlando who stands by and watches. "And Gabriel's right. If they ghost, we're dead. Let's go again" Hope suggests as Nova rolls her eyes at Orlando.

"Are we entertaining you?" Echo asks. "If you got something to say, say it! Or maybe you're gonna run away again, huh?" Echo taunts as Nova stands by and watches. "Calm down" Gabriel begs and Nova scoffs. "Why should she? He's playing a game with us!" Nova calls out as she throws her fake wooden knife on the ground out of anger. "L-12, huh? Is that supposed to scare me?" Echo asks as she stands in front of Orlando and Nova slowly walks up behind her letting Orlando know she's got her back.

"If it doesn't, it's because you don't know what we can do" Orlando declares and Nova chuckles humorlessly. "Oh wow, I think we're supposed to be scared now" Nova says as she walks up beside Echo. "You're upset" Orlando states. "Damn right I'm upset. I don't know about you but I have people to get back to and you're wasting my time so man up and help us" Nova demands as she becomes face to face with Orlando.

"I'll tell you what. If I lose, you get the cabin back. If you lose, you help us train. Tell us what we need to know" Echo intervenes. "Need to know to kill my people?" Orlando asks and Nova shrugs her shoulders. "That was going to happen anyway" Nova declares. "The only question is are you gonna die with them when they come?" Echo asks as she tilts her head looking at Orlando who rolls up sleeves while looking between Echo and Nova. "I'm assuming you're joking as well" Orlando says pointing to Nova who sighs and kicks Orlando in the chest and ducks when he tries to swing at her.

"Ugh!" Nova grunts as she grabs Orlando's arm and elbows him in the face but he knees her in the back and pushes her away as Echo runs towards him and sends punches his way but he dodges every hit and pulls her close kneeing her in the stomach roughly before flipping her over his shoulder onto the ground. "You still have one person left!" Nova shouts as she rushes towards Orlando and sends a punch straight to his jaw but not enough to knock him to the ground so she kicks him in the chest baling him up onto to a tree and sends multiple right hooks to his face causing blood to spill out of his nose and mouth but he's still determined to fight. Nova wanted to let all her anger out but just as she was about to send another punch to Orlando he grabbed her fist and swung her around until she hit the tree causing her to fall onto the ground. "I win" Orlando states as he uses his shirt to wipe the blood from his nose.

"Ah.." Nova breathes out as she feels the blood trickling down from her forehead and touches the top of her head seeing the blood on her fingers when she checked.

~~

"Aunty O would have loved seeing you get your ass kicked" Hope states as Nova sits up against a tree in the woods since that's where the group would be sleeping for the night. "I was winning. He caught me off guard" Nova states as she holds her hand on her head. "No, you did amazing but Echo- It's like you wanted to lose" Hope says making Nova chuckle softly.

"Ah!" Theo shrieks as he swats a bug away. "One of you couldn't win?" Theo asks as he checks on the fire they've lit to make sure it stays lit. "Just tell me about M-cap again" Echo advises as she sits up from the ground looking to Hope for answers. "Memory capture. It's not torture unless you fight it. Aunty O did, and apparently, so did my mom" Hope explains and Nova sighs as she looks up at the night sky. "Bellamy will, too. I don't know what I'll do if I lose him" Echo states and Nova clears her throat as she begins thinking of Clarke and how she would feel if she lost her. Empty. Lost. Incomplete is all that could come to mind and also really mad and probably in need of a lot of revenge.

"You won't. A year here for us has only been a few days for him. Well, from now on, you want to bet something-- you leave my bed out of it" Gabriel jokes before Echo lays back down on her pillow she was able to get from the cabin. "Good night, Echo. Good night, Gabriel, Nova and Theo" Hope says as she lays down. Hope looks around at everyone and sees they have laid down but she sits up against the same tree looking up at the same night sky. "Four more years..." Nova whispers to herself as she fidgets with her hands thinking of the things that could happen in four years but remembers it's only a week tops for them back home.

~~

"Theo you're doing good!" Echo calls out as the five them have been running in the woods for quite some time now trying to work on there stamina and speed for when the disciples come. Hope and Theo make it to the cabin since that's the finish line and both counted 67 seconds. "Still not fast enough" Hope states as she and the rest of the group try and catch there breaths. "It's better than what you got last time" Nova points out as she rests her hands on her hips and breaths heavily while Orlando exits the cabin.

"We don't kill anyone, you get your people, and you get out" Orlando states grabbing everyone's attention. "What?" Nova questions as she looks around at the group before looking back at Orlando. "Best efforts. You're a soldier. You know that in battle things can--" Echo defends but before she can finish her sentence Orlando had already had enough of hearing it. "Done. I've got four years, eight months, and 17 days to turn you into disciples. If you survive, you may be ready. Get some rest. We start at dawn" Orlando states before he walks back into the cabin. "Does that- Does that mean we can stay in the cabin now?" Theo asks as he looks around at the group who continues to catch their breaths from the recent running.

FOUR YEARS LATER
"Congratulations on reaching Level-12. Hey. Dev would be proud of you. I know I am. That goes for all of you, too. I wish all my trainees were as determined as you. The war to end all wars would be a lot easier. Who's next?" Orlando asks as he finishes up writing the symbols on Hope's face. "One of you go. I'm eating" Gabriel says and Nova furrows her eyebrows as she takes Hope's seat in the chair. "We literally got to battle tomorrow and you're eating?" Nova questions as she looks to Orlando before he begins writing the symbols on her face.

"I can never eat the night before battle" Echo who now has cut her hair short along with Hope who was able to dye it blonde and cut most of it off. "I wouldn't know" Orlando says as he concentrates on the symbols he's writing on Nova's face. "How do you have so much faith? What if they never come. Thy locked you here for a reason" Nova asks as she looks to Orlando.

"I broke a rule so I'm paying the consequences and I have faith because I need to. I think faith makes us strong" Orlando explains and Nova narrows her eyes at him in admiration. "I wish I thought like that" Nova states. "You will... one day" Orlando declares.

"Once it's done and we're out of your hair, what're you gonna do?" Gabriel asks as he had just finished eating. "He better miss us. I didn't give him that incredible hair cut for nothing" Theo jokes as he rests in his seat comfortably. "Of course I am" Orlando states with a smile on his face. "This may be a dumb question but Orlando why can't you just come with us?" Theo asks looking to Orlando who concentrates on drawing symbols.

"Sanctum? Red sun toxin, immortal body snatchers? Thanks, but I'll stick with honor and duty" Orlando states making Theo burst out into laughter. "Understandable" Theo mumbles as him and Nova lock eyes. Theo has grown so much over these really quick four years. He's learned to fight and has been learning more about Orlando's beliefs everyday and he hasn't stopped thinking about Raven since he got here and he tells Nova almost everyday he wants to get back to her.

Today was the day. The day of Orlando's absolution and Nova, Theo, Gabriel, and Hope were hiding in the woods when the disciples came through the bridge. Once they walked further into skyring they seen Orlando tied up to a pole and knew something was wrong. "No! It's a trap. Ghost mode now!" A women yells and they all go ghost mode but Echo quickly shoots an explosive there way and shoots them through the air causing ghost mode to disable.

"Nice!" Nova compliments as her and the rest of the group rush to the disciples. "Bridge closes in five minutes. Move, move!" Gabriel shouts and once they get to the disciples they start to remove their helmets. "Get the armor off and secure them before they wake up" Echo states and that's what the group does as they each get their own disciple to chose from.

Nova lists her head up to see a disciple has no gone down like the rest and was making its way towards Echo. "No!" Nova calls out and before she can get to the disciple Hope had already killed them making Orlando scream in agony. "Thank you. Suit up" Echo says as the group strips the disciples of their suits and slips them on themselves. "Four minutes, 10 seconds" Gabriel calls out.

"Orlando, we're sorry. We'll suit up, then cut you loose. Two and a half minutes to spare" Gabriel states. "Then It's time to go" Theo states but Echo stops everyone. "No. He knew that girl, trained her I'm guessing. How many more people will he know on the other side? I have to save Bellamy" Echo states and Nova furrows her eyebrows as she pulls out the blade from the suit. "Echo, wait a minute" Nova warns as she takes a few steps towards.

"You of all people shouldn't the trying to stop me right now" Echo states and Nova stops in her tracks. "This isn't the plan" Gabriel warns as he grabs Echo before she can get close to Orlando. "Plans change. If we leave them alive, he'll tell them everything, and they'll come after us" Echo explains and Theo grabs Nova's arm pushing her closer to the bridge. "Wait- Echo take it from someone who understands. You don't want to this. You'll regret it" Nova says and Echo looks to her and shakes her head before Echo goes around to all the disciples, stabbing them in the head to make sure they're really dead.

"Echo!" Nova calls out before Gabriel gets ahold of her. "Echo! He'll be with us, acting like our hostage, leading us through the compound. That's the plan!" Gabriel argues. "Listen, this thing is closing. Hurry up" Theo warns because he doesn't want to leave with his group. "No, he won't!" Echo shouts and Nova and Theo look over at each other in confusion.

"We're leaving him here?" Hope questions and Gabriel immediately shakes his head. "No. No way. He's our friend!" Gabriel argues. Yes! But we are not his people. Grab your helmets" Echo orders and deep down Nova feels Echo is right. Orlando would always care for them but who knows what would happen if they got him back to his people. "Gabriel- Gabriel, a leader knows when to make the hard decisions. They know when they have to let a warrior go. That's just how it is" Nova says as she walks over to him and grabs two helmets, handing him one.

"A leader also knows what's right. This- This is wrong" Gabriel says and Nova shrugs her shoulders. "Then stay with him. But if you do you won't find the answers you've searched around for your whole life" Nova says as she walks back over to the bridge ready to leave. Echo marches over to Orlando and hands him a knife. "Cut yourself free. I am sorry" Echo states as she walks away from him.

"He'll be alone for years" Theo points out. "There's nothing we can do about it" Nova says as the five of them walk over to the bridge while putting there helmets on over their heads and all run through together before the bridge was gonna close.