@theloniiousjaha @hopeisxverything
Arkadia. He’s surprised it isn’t up in FLAMES like he imagined it would be. The gate is guarded, and he doesn’t know who he can trust, so he decides to take the side entrance. He needs to be CAREFUL sneaking around the camp– for all he knows, Thelonious could have them be looking out for his return.
Thelonious. He knows exactly where the man will be. Once inside Arkadia, Marcus makes a bee line to the room their Chancellor would be in. He waits until the man’s ALONE. It’s the dead of night when he shuts the door behind him, locks it, and bars it to keep from anyone else coming in. Thelonious raises his head from the war table, and he has that same damn smile they ALL had. The one that never quite reached their eyes. “Hello, Marcus. I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”
His voice just makes him angrier. His knuckles are WHITE and the corners of his nostrils twitch, his upper lip THREATENING to curl into a snarl. Marcus is out for blood and there’s nothing that can stop him. “How dare you, Thelonious. How DARE YOU FORCE HER TO TAKE THE CHIP.”
“I didn’t force her. She took it willingly–”
“No. No, you forced her, you GAVE HER NO CHOICE, THELONIOUS!” Marcus screams at him and throws his first punch right at his nose.
It’s odd. Thelonious knows he should FEEL the pain, but it doesn’t come. Not when Marcus first hits him and not when the punches just keep coming. He just takes it, and when Marcus pauses to catch his breath, Thelonious stands straight. “No. She had a choice. And she CHOSE to save Raven.”
“SHE DIDN’T HAVE A DAMN CHOICE TO BEGIN WITH!” He screams and throws another punch, this time at his stomach, forcing him to double over. All Marcus sees is RED. Fight back!
“Yes. She did, Marc–” He wasn’t able to finish, another fist flying at his face.
“HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO HER, THELONIOUS? HOW!?“ Marcus knocks him to the ground, pins him down. He’s throwing punches left and right, here and there. His voice is raw, yet he’s still yelling at the man beneath him. This anger isn’t him– but he can’t stop himself from beating down on who used to be his BEST FRIEND on the Ark.
Before he knows it, Marcus is surrounded by people, fingers gripping at his arms. But he doesn’t stop. He’s THRASHING around like an animal, hissing ACIDIC profanities at Thelonious and begging for the people around him to let him go. He’s even knocked someone out with a kick. “HOW COULD YOU, HOW D A R E Y O U, THELONIOUS! HOW DARE YOU!!!”
And then– she shows up. She’s kneeling next to Thelonious in a heart beat. One heart beat. That’s all it takes for him to stop thrashing. She barely even LOOKS his way. All the fight has left him at the sight of her. When he speaks, his voice is harsh and barely above a whisper. “Abby.”
That gets her attention. She looks toward him for a moment– and he gets nothing but that same DAMN smile that never reaches their eyes. ALIE is amongst them, looking between Abby and Marcus. Abby looks away and pays her attention to Thelonious’ wounds that Marcus had created. She’s the key to him. We need to use her, Thelonious.
Marcus’ eyes never leave Abby. He feels numb. He feels like all the air’s been sucked out of the room. And then– he feels a sting in his neck. They’ve drugged him. He can feel himself slipping. He just wants to see her face one more time. “Abby–” He sighs. She looks. Smiles. Nods. And then– darkness.
