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[PREVIOUSLY: Octavia learns of Kane's plans for the future. In the meanwhile, she, Raven, Finn and Bryce plot to escape from the camp and take Aidan with them].

7.58.

It was two minutes until go-time and my stomach was churning with anxiety and worry. What if this didn't go as planned? What if Kane found out about the plan and decided to reverse the kind actions he had bestowed upon Bellamy and I? What if he took out his anger on Aidan?

I shuddered to think of the results and bit down on my lower lip, inwardly urging myself to stay calm.

7.59.

"Hey, Octavia," Bryce whispered from beside me. "Do you think Finn's gonna be convincing enough?"

I let out a lengthy sigh as one of my arms snaked around his shoulders. "He's a good actor. That's the part that I have one hundred percent faith in."

Bryce sent me a weak smile. "I - I guess ..."

8.00

My hand crept down to my belt. One of the radios that Raven had stolen from the supply room was fastened securely to the thick leather strap. Lifting the device to my mouth, I spoke, "Bring the party on."

"Copy that," the muffled voice of Finn broke through the static of the radio.

As I slipped it back onto my belt, I felt Bryce nudge me with his elbow as he hissed, "Why are you speaking in code?"

"The radios could be bugged," I explained in a low tone. "We can't risk anyone finding out what we're doing."

"Ohhhh."

I cocked my eyebrow at him. "Be quiet or someone's going to find us."

"Oi! Dudes. Someone broke into my apartment and stole all my stuff. I saw them leaving through the window," an annoyed, masculine voice yelled loudly, piercing the quiet, night-time air. "Well, what are you all standing around for! Help me catch the frickin thief!"

I smiled. "Let's go."

Keeping Lincoln's sword tightly in my grasp, I silently crept out from behind a back wall bordering the area near the prison cells. They had been in-built into a side-wing of the Ark, making it easier for the guards to access. Fortunately, it made it easier for us to access as well.

While Finn diverted the attention of the squad guarding the exterior of the barred block, Bryce and I were able to slip inside the dark, dank building unnoticed.

As I closed and locked the door behind me, I felt drafts of icy air blowing through the roof and goosebumps popped out on my skin. It was freezing in here!

Bryce switched on his flashlight and made the rounds. "There's only a couple of people in here," he hissed. "I think Aidan's over there in that corner."

I nodded as I stepped over towards the cell indicated. Grabbing the steely bars, I let out a sharp hiss. "Aidan! Aidan! Wake up!"

With a stifled groan, Aidan, wrapped in blankets on the cold, metal floor, rolled over and popped his head up. Squinting against the glaring light from Bryce's torch, his eyes darted from his small figure to my larger one. "W-what's happening?" he queried in a rich, throaty voice, one that was groggy from lack of sleep.

"We're breaking you out," I whispered. "Keep still. This will only take a minute."

Bending down, I slipped a sharp pin out from where it was hidden amidst the waves of my thick, dark hair. Seizing the padlock that secured the cell-door, I bent the pin back between my teeth and got to work.

In a matter of moments, the padlock had been jerked open. Hunching my shoulders together and glancing around furtively, I slipped it out of place and dropped it to the floor. Seizing the grate, I swung it open and beckoned for Aidan to follow me. "Hurry. We don't have much time."

I was relieved when he didn't ask any questions; he just complied. Sooner than I had expected, we made a silent exit, once-again dodging the guards gathered out the front.

As we slipped back behind the wall, I glanced down at my wrist-watch and let out a pent-up breath.

8.07.

"Reyes, you're on!" I muttered into the mouth-piece of the radio.

"What's she doing?" Aidan queried.

"She found out that the entire wall structure has been rigged up with electric wires, to prevent escape," I returned softly. "She has to disconnect the power that's connected to the lab room so that we can get out through the side entrance. It's not guarded and only a few hundred metres away from the forest."

"What about Zenia?" Aidan questioned worriedly. "I am not leaving him behind with these lunatics."

I shook my head grimly. "There's five of us and only one horse. I thought it best if I leave him behind. Don't worry. He'll be taken care of."

Aidan ground his teeth together as he glared at me. "You better be right."

I gave him a half-hearted nod as doubts began to creep into my mind. They wouldn't shoot a horse ... Would they?

"Why is Kane doing this? I thought your people would be more reasonable," Aidan grunted, unimpressed.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "You don't know Kane nor how life was back on the Ark. He's a stickler for the rules. He wants this alliance to rely on his terms only but how little he knows. In order for this truce to go down smoothly, we need to get Bellamy out of Polis."

Aidan inclined his head slightly, indicating that he understood.

Suddenly, a dark figure loomed over us. Before the rest of us had a chance to react, Aidan whipped a short dagger from his belt and tackled the intruder to the ground. Pressing his weight down on the flailing body, he brought his sharpened blade to his victim's throat and froze.

"Finn!" I yelped as I gave Aidan's shoulder a rough shove. "Get off him. Geez, Spacewalker. You nearly killed yourself."

"Yep. Remind me to never creep up on this maniac again," Finn muttered as he pushed himself up into a sitting position and glared at Aidan.

Aidan shrugged carelessly before putting the knife away. "My bad."

"Hey, Octavia, come in. The wires are disconnected. I'm heading your way now," Raven's voice abruptly cracked through the radio.

"Okay. Thanks."

Upon hearing this statement, I hurriedly dug around in my pack before retrieving a pair of pliers.

"Where the hell did you get those?" Finn scrunched his face up in confusion.

"Once again, the result of looting the supply room," I smirked. Keeping low to the ground, I crept quickly over to the fence that was sitting right behind us. Working the pliers, I snipped away at the wiring that covered the exterior of the fence.

With Finn's help, I pushed away some of the loose boarding, making just enough room for us to slip through.

"Where's Raven?" Bryce piped up. "Shouldn't she be here by now?"

I hesitated as I cast a quick glance around. "I dunno. Don't worry though, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

8.15.

I heaved a sigh of impatience as I waved Finn and Bryce through. "Go, go. I'll wait here for Raven."

Aidan hesitated as he looked between the hole in the fence and me. "I - I'll stay with you."

My eyebrows flew up in surprise as I shook my head. "No, you should go. It'll be easier to get out if there are less of us."

Aidan rolled his eyes before getting down on his hands and knees and wriggling his way through the fence.

I watched him go and couldn't help but admire the muscles that rippled along his deep olive skin and clearly showed beneath his tight-fitting shirt.

Suddenly, the shrill wail of a siren cut through the silence generated by the peaceful mist called night.

I jumped in fright and whirled around in horror. I was just in time to see a line of spotlights flicker on; the glaring beams passing over even the darkest corners of the camp.

"Even though this is not a drill, I urge everyone to remain calm," the deep voice of Kane sounded over a bull-horn. "We have been informed of an attempted break-out somewhere in the camp by a group of disobedient rebels. Our soldiers are scouring the area as I speak. So, I repeat, stay calm and keep stationary until this emergency is over. Thank you."

"Crap, we have to leave, now!" Aidan urged from behind the fence. "Octavia, come on!"

"No, we can't!" Finn protested. "Not without Raven!"

Aidan let out an exaggerated groan. "Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the good of the majority. Now, come on! Do you want to get caught?"

I hesitated. I really, really didn't want to leave Raven behind to cop the worst from Kane and the council, but then again, if we didn't go now, we'd all be caught and our plan to reach Bellamy would be foiled.

Just as I started moving towards the hole in the fence, however, a sharp, feminine cry reached my ears. "Hey, wait up!"

My features brightened almost instantly. I recognised that voice. It was Raven.

"Oh thank god!" I breathed as I waved over at her.

"Quick! We don't have much time," Finn panicked as he practically dragged me through the fence. "Come on!"

"What took you so long?" Bryce demanded as Raven tumbled out after me.

"I got stopped by a guard when I was coming out of the lab," she returned breathlessly. "In the end, I just had to avoid his endless barrage of questions, dodge him and make a run for it."

"That's my girl," Finn smirked as he placed a gentle hand on her lower back.

Raven just smiled before stepping up on her tip-toes to give him a kiss.

Bryce pretended to throw up while Aidan and I, after exchanging a quick side glance, shifted around uncomfortably.

"I hate to interrupt," I cleared my throat awkwardly. "But there a couple dozen guards right on our tails. We need to leave now."

"Right," Finn pulled away, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Before any of us could do or say anything more, though, a loud shout erupted from the other side of the fence. "They're here! They're over here!"

Scrabbling around, we all snatched up our packs and made a break for it. With Aidan and I in the lead, we all pushed ourselves like mad, desperate to reach the security of the forest.

As I was running, my breath coming out in ragged gasps and arrows of pain streaking down my side, I remembered who I was doing this for and why it was so important.

In order to achieve the possible, sometimes you have to overcome the impossible.

Gif: Octavia as she waits for Raven behind the wall.

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