Time Means Nothing

Chapter 19 "Bullets or rods."

Chapter 19 "Bullets or rods."

Lexa's POV 

     Clarke and I are taking a few minutes to talk before the Ambassadors and the nightbloods get here. I am glad Clarke called the meeting. The power plants and radiation poisoning is not something that I know much about. "I wish we knew where the plant Jaha hit is. Then we would know where to start and how long that we have." Clarke says.

     The doors to the throne room open. "It is a good thing that you have me then. I hacked into the power plants the moment you left. He hit the power plant about an hour from Becca's lab. The radiation will have reached Floukru, the desert and parts of Azgeda." Raven tells us.

     "So in terms of location, the next two power plants are here, in Podakru and here in Yujleda. We start there. Who do you have that you trust can help you?" Clarke asks Raven.

     "Sinclair and your dad can go to Podakru. It is a smaller plant. They would need maybe five warriors for heavy lifting. They are the only ones that I trust alone. Wick is good but he is impatient. I would rather have him with me, so that I can keep an eye on him. We would need the same amount of warriors. There is another issue, though." Raven says.

     "What is that?" Clarke asks.

     "Time. I thought that we would have more time, but we don't. There are parts of the reactors that it takes time to get to. Time that we no longer have. The only other way to get to them is to have someone small and we don't have enough suits that small. I only had suits made that are warrior size." Raven says.

     Raven wrings her hands, shaking her head. Clarke gets up from her throne, walks over to Raven and takes her hands in hers, before asking, "Raven, explain."

     "We have to use a child for each plant. Without a suit it has to be a nightblood. Madi understands tek to a degree. She could do it. Out of the other nightbloods, there is only one that has shown that he can at least follow directions, when working with tek." Raven explains and my heart drops at the same time that I feel Clarke's do the same.

     "You are saying that there is no other way." Clarke asks.

     With tears running down her face, Raven says, "Not with the time we have left, no."

     Clarke turns and walks back to her throne, sitting down and closing her eyes. After a few minutes, she takes a deep breath and says, "It has to be done. Now tell me, how much time  do we have?"

     "Six weeks, but the acid rain will more than likely start in half that time. Arcadia has special tarps that Aurora made, but there are only so many of them." Raven says.

     "So first things first is, we need all the clans to evacuate to Polis. That means anyone who is not helping with the plants." Clarke says.

     The doors open again and the ambassadors, Gaia and the nightbloods trailing behind them. As Gaia has the nightbloods stand against the back wall, the ambassadors take their seats. "You are all gathered here because something has happened with the power plants. We all knew the time would come. Natrona started it a bit early. That man is dead. The desert clan has been hit, radiation seeping into Floukru and parts of Azgeda. The desert clan had already left before it hit. They have found another safe place for our people. The part of Azgeda that was hit, I believe is uninhabited. Skaikru are helping Floukru with radiation sickness." I tell them.

     The ambassadors start arguing and with one raised hand and one word, "Empleni", it goes silent in the room.

     "Nothing has changed but the time factor." Clarke says.