Chapter Two: Lexa

Chapter Two:

~ Lexa ~

“Mom? You’re not trying to cook again, are you?” I heard a familiar voice call out, as I spun a steak knife in and out of my own fingers. It wasn’t as balanced as one of my throwing knives, but still, it felt comfortable to be spinning. As comfortable as one could be when they were at death’s doorstep. 

“What the hell do you want?” S exclaimed in surprise and horror, sizing me up. 

I smiled, slightly. “Good to see you, S. It’s been a long time.” 

People always told me I was too good at my job. I was too good at being cold. Too good at being friendly. Too good at being whatever it was I needed to be. But no one really understood that this was how we survive. There was no other way, but to be the best. 

“It has.” S responded, sounding cold. “What brings you back now? After all these years?” 

“Oh, you mean, since your family killed my mom?” I answered bitterly. 

“I had no say in that.” S snapped.

She was a little more fiery than I remembered. Her blonde hair was straighter than ever, and it looked lighter too, her eyes though were still a harsh green that could see through anything. I had to tread more carefully. 

“Relax,” I forced myself to let out a little chuckle. “I’m not here to stir up the past. I’m here because I need your help.” 

I watched her struggle with how to react to my explanation. I could tell it wasn’t what she was expecting. But since in this community no one just showed up in people’s houses for fun, especially not wanted ‘criminals’, I don’t think anything that could have come from my mouth would not be surprising. 

“The famous, elusive, Lexa, needs my help?” It was her turn to laugh, and I felt my stomach churn. I really needed her to buy into my cause. “I don’t think so.” 

“Listen, S, it’s important.” I put the knife down. I could feel a change in the energy around us, I was on high alert. 

“You left, remember?” S snapped. 

“I left, so I could live!” I retaliated. 

“You wouldn’t have died!” She raised her voice too. “You were a child. It’s against the law.” 

“Keep your voice down!” She wasn’t understanding. “I was a ‘sick’ child with a traitor mother, you think that would have gone well for me?” 

I watched Aspen take a breath and closed her eyes, but she didn’t answer. 

“What can I possibly help you with, E?” She finally asked using the nickname we had given each other, many years ago. I felt for the first time in a long time a little bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, there was still a little bit of hope still to be had. 

“Someone I care very much about has been taken.” I explained, fighting the urge to pick up the knife again so I’d seem non-threatening. It was important since I so desperately needed her help. 

“You mean they’re being cured?” S looked at me, her expression puzzled. “That’s a good thing, E.” 

“People who get ‘cured’, never come out, S.” I was losing patience, and I was losing hope. “And Will... Will doesn’t deserve that.” 

“Treatment takes a lifetime,” S tried to reason. 

“Then it isn’t much of a life.” 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“I know I have to save Will. And I know I need your help to do it.” 

“My answer is no. It’s always been no, E. I don’t know why you can’t get it through your head, but sooner or later you need to realize that I will not help you. These people are getting the help they need. I will not let you jeopardize that or put more people at risk.” 

“The only people at risk are the ones being taken and the ones who will be taken.” I responded coldly. “I should have never come here.” 

“Then why did you?” She called after me as I moved toward the back door. 

“Because you used to be my best friend, and I thought maybe you might still have a little humanity left in you. I guess I was wrong.” 

“Yea,” She seemed to hesitate though. “I guess you were.” 

I slammed the door as I left the house. It was risky to be out in daylight, but I didn’t care. I didn’t have much of a hope without Aspen’s help. She was the only person who could get me where I knew bad things were happening, but with her refusing to help me, there was little I could do, but report back to my camp that I had been defeated. 

My stomach churned. I didn’t want to imagine what they were doing to Will. He had been my best friend for as long as I had been on my own. He had been the one who helped me keep the others like us safe. He had helped keep me safe. And now, without him, I was falling back into my reckless habits. Like breaking into people’s houses, begging for help, when there was next to no chance of it. 

“Lex!” Jax called out when I finally entered the section of the woods we called home. 

“Hey,” I replied, ducking under a tree branch and up to our little pathway.

“Any luck?” He asked, putting down the basket of food he was carrying. 

“Nope. It looks like I’ll be going in blind.” I replied. 

“We.” Grey interjected as he came out of the little shack we had called home for nearly as long as I could remember. 

“What?” 

“We. You don’t think we’re letting you go after Will alone, right?” 

“Well…” I started. “I’m not willing to put you all in that much danger. I need you here to help take care of the others.” 

“No Lexa. You need us to help you not do anything rash. We plan and we prep. And we go after Will, together.” 

“But…” 

“Together.” Grey stated firmly, despite my argument. 

Despite my feelings on the matter, it wasn’t an argument I could win.