Time Means Nothing

Chapter 3 "Coup De Grace"

Chapter 3 "Coup De Grace"

   

     I am in medical, when I hear the message coming in. Mom and I move over towards the wall, where there is a monitor. "I am Jake Griffin, I am the Ark's senior environment engineer and deputy resource officer. What I have to tell you concerns us all. Though half the council and Chancellor Jaha wants to keep you in the dark. I cannot in good conscience do that."

     "Right now they are more than likely coming to arrest me and float me. That is not important though. What is important is that every life on the Ark is in danger. Last week I found a flaw in the systems. We no longer have 100 years to go down to the ground. In less than two years we will run out of oxygen. First, people will go blind and get sick. It will be a slow and painful death after that."

     "However, we have options to help prevent that from happening. Jaha doesn't want that though. He thinks population reduction is the answer. It is not. Why should anyone have to die, not when they do not have to. Jaha doesn't want you to know all this. There are so many options left for us. We can figure all this out, but only if we work together and our best minds are not silenced."

     As dad is talking the guard rushes in and communications go silent. Mom and I start running down the halls of the Ark, Wells and Bellamy catch up with us as we are turning the corner. Wells looks at me and says, "Clarke, dad isn't even taking Jake to a cell. He gave orders to the guards to have them meet him at the airlocks."

     After thinking for half a second, I turn to Bellamy and Wells, "Ok, you guys gather all the workers. Meet us at the airlocks."

     Bellamy looks at me and says, "What are you both going to do?"

     "We are going to buy you guys some time. We are going to go say goodbye to my dad. Just hurry, they won't give us much time."

     It takes mom and I no time at all to make it to the airlocks. Jaha is already there, four guards are making sure my dad doesn't go anywhere. I run up to dad, but before I can get there two of the guards are blocking by path. I know I can take them out, but that isn't how I want to play this. Jaha turns to them and says, "Let them through."

     Mom goes over and kisses dad while I turn to Jaha and ask, "Why are you doing this? Dad is your friend."

     "Clarke, your dad has committed treason. He went against the council vote. As Chancellor, it is my job to follow the law and see it obeyed. The law states that anyone over the age of 18 who commits a crime is punished by death. You know this, Clarke. I know that he had help and I will find them all."

     I look at him and say, "It doesn't have to be this way. We can find another way. Working together is the only way to save us all." 

     "You are a child, Clarke. You have no idea what it takes to save our people. I am not without a heart though. You may say goodbye to your dad. He doesn't have to see you arrested for helping him."

     "You're so kind, Chancellor, sir."  I tell him before turning to my dad.

     "Clarke, it's ok. At least the people know, you will go."

     Dad doesn't finish what he is saying, when we notice Bellamy and Wells walk around the corner, with hundreds of people behind them. I have never been so happy to see both of them in my life. Marcus and about a dozen guards come up the other hallway, aunt Callie next to him.

     Jaha looks at them, thinking that they will protect him. "It is time, Jake Griffin, for the crime of treason, under statue 123, all crimes committed by a person over the age of 18 is punishable by death."