The jester of deceit, p.28
The Jester of Deceit, page 28
part #1 of The Valkyrie Chronicles Series
“Then what happened?” Brock replied, clearly not amused by the memory.
“Then the president and Admiral Bolen showed up. I confronted them and forgot I left the device recording. The visuals and the conversation I recorded prove that President Lee is behind these attacks.”
“Do you realise how ridiculous this all sounds?” Brock asked. “Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Because I know you’ll do the right thing.” Griffin got to his feet and stood face to face with his old adversary. “I’m going to die soon. There’s nothing I can do about that, but that’s okay. I’ve had it coming for a while. He can’t be allowed to get away with the murders of all those innocent people. He needs to pay for that crime. If it’s not going to be me who stops him, maybe someone honest like yourself can.”
“I’ll keep searching for this device of yours, but if this turns out to be a ploy of yours–”
“–I promise you, it’s not.”
“If it is, I’m going to request that I execute you myself.”
The two of them stared at one another in silence before Brock exited the cell. Something about the intensity in which Griffin just spoke to him made Brock believe him. As much as he wanted to dismiss everything he’d just heard as lies, a small part of him couldn’t help but think it made sense. He decided the best way to clear everything up would be to go to see the Admiral directly. He’d be able to direct him towards the confiscated recording device, and towards all the answers.
He took a deep breath and walked into the Admiral’s office. It was a lot larger than his own, with mahogany bookshelves along the two side walls, and a majestic red rug running through the middle of the room from the doorway to the foot of a beautiful wooden desk. Behind this, there was a window even larger than his own, outside of which the final preparations for the execution could also be seen.
“Captain Brock?” the Admiral said from behind his desk, sounding surprised. “To whatever do I owe the pleasure?”
“I apologise, Admiral, for coming to you like this. I just had to ask about something that’s been troubling me.”
“Ask away,” the Admiral replied, getting to his feet and pouring himself a glass of whisky from a decanter.
“I was talking with the two guards stationed at Jon Griffin’s cell, and they mentioned that two soldiers claimed to be sent from you to confiscate the possessions of the prisoner. However, I went to evidence collection, and no such action had been reported. I wanted to make sure that they had been sent by you before I launched an official inquest into the whereabouts of these items.”
Admiral Bolen stepped back over to his chair and took a long sip of his whisky before answering. “I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about. Any soldiers who approached Jon Griffin had no orders to do so from me. Perhaps the guards at the cell misheard them?”
“Perhaps. I shall talk with the security team at once and see if I can get to the bottom of this,” Brock said, turning to exit from the office.
“But, Captain, may I ask you… Why does it matter?” the Admiral asked. “The man is going to be dead in a matter of hours anyway. Is there much point worrying about where some of his possessions are? I searched him when I captured him to make sure he had nothing that could aid an escape attempt. All we left him with was that worn out lighter of his… oh, and a watch. Nothing too important.”
Brock felt his heart skip a beat. Griffin hadn’t been lying about the recording device. What else hadn’t he been lying about? None of this was making any sense, and Brock was struggling to come to terms with it all. Was the Admiral lying? Had he really sent a team to retrieve the evidence? Was he trying to hide something by getting the Captain to stop pursuing it?
“I guess you’re right,” Brock replied. “It’s just… when you spend so much time chasing a man, you become a bit obsessed with him. I guess I just wanted to go through his possessions to learn that little bit more about him.”
“I understand. It’s hard to let go sometimes,” Admiral Bolen replied, taking another swig of whisky with a smug grin.
“Do you mind me asking how was it that you caught him again?”
“Does it really matter? We caught him. There is an arrest report somewhere if you want to see all the details… but forget about all of that. Tonight, we can celebrate the execution of the most wanted man in the galaxy!”
“I know. I am truly happy, Admiral. Sorry for all the questions. I must admit, I’m quite jealous. You see, I spent so long chasing him and came so close to catching him on several occasions. I know it must sound foolish.”
“Not at all,” the Admiral replied with a smile. “I’m afraid there’s not much to tell. President Lee and I were just on our way to inspect some of the fleets that were about to head into free space to search for those mechs. Griffin arrived and tried to assassinate the president. Luckily, I was able to shoot him before he went through with it. I was just in the right place at the right time. That’s all.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you were,” Brock replied with a bow. “I shall not waste any more of your time. Thank you, Admiral.”
He left the luxurious office and headed straight for the security station. It was clear to him that Admiral Bolen was hiding something. He had to know what it was. At the station, he would be able to study the security footage and see just where the soldiers that had confiscated the possessions had gone.
He entered the station, and after confirming his rank with one of the officers, he was led to a private room with a security terminal inside. He searched for the camera feed he wanted, the one just outside Griffin’s old cell, and scrolled through the footage until he spotted the two soldiers exiting the cell, possessions intact. He followed them across the cameras as they made their way through the academy and exited out onto Civic Square, where he could no longer track them.
‘Something’s not right,’ he thought to himself. ‘Why would they take the evidence off-site? What are they trying to hide?’
Regardless of the answers to the questions he had, the trail had run cold. He couldn’t track the possessions outside of the Academy without drawing too much attention to his actions. He had no choice but to bury his suspicions and prepare for the night's festivities.
He returned to his office and glanced out of his window at the spectacle before him. There was a great crowd gathering from all directions, waiting to witness the largest execution in history. On top of the newly erected platform, there were two posts with chains attached to them. This would be where Griffin would die. Giant screens had been erected at various points around Civic Square and all over the city to ensure everyone was given the chance to witness the event. As well as that, the whole thing was being broadcast live across the galaxy. All Confederation planets and any Free Planets that wished to see the execution of the most wanted man in the galaxy would have the option to. President Lee was pulling out all the stops for this.
As the sky grew darker and the lights around Civic Square became brighter, Brock couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease about the situation.
“Regardless of if he did kill President Creed or not, he’s been a criminal for a long time now. He’s committed countless other crimes. This crazy hunt he has you on is all probably part of another one of his elaborate escape schemes,” he said to himself as he stared at his reflection in his window, wondering if he believed what he was saying.
He continued to stand and watch the crowds amass below him until the sky had grown dark and there was a knock at his door. A fresh-faced officer poked his head inside.
“We’re ready, sir. It’s time.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The doors to his cell opened and Griffin knew they were ready for him. He was lying on his bench and turned to see the open doorway filled with soldiers. He wasn’t going to make what was about to happen any easier for them. He lay and waited for them to come and grab him. He was led out of his cell and through the ever so familiar corridors of the academy. Officers and soldiers alike stood to the side and jeered at him as he passed, but he took no notice of them. His mind was solely focused on what was about to happen.
He was surprised to see that he was being led up through the building and not down. When they said the execution would be in Civic Square, he’d imagined it to be on the ground in the centre of the square. Oh, how he was mistaken.
He was led up to the highest floor of the Academy and lost his breath at the sight before him. The streets outside were completely filled with spectators, all of whom had come to watch his demise. In front of him there stood a large platform as tall as the academy itself, constructed specifically for the occasion. In the middle of the platform were two posts with chains attached. Griffin knew their purpose.
He was led out onto the platform via a balcony on the top floor of the Academy and found himself standing behind a tall, black curtain as dark as the starless, black skies above. There were several soldiers stationed behind it, all of them waiting in their full body armour, shined and polished just for the occasion. Griffin felt more like he was waiting in the wings for a stage show than his execution. He could hear the hum of anticipation down below as the crowd waited for the event to begin.
The Confederation anthem blared out of the huge speakers around the square. The soldiers took this as their cue and stepped out from behind the curtain to vigorous applause from the mammoth crowd. Griffin could see on one of the big screens that the soldiers had lined up either side of the platform, creating some sort of guard of honour – a guard of dishonour perhaps?– leading up to the posts.
Now it was his turn. He felt a nudge in his back and turned around to see Captain Brock glaring at him. He ushered Griffin forward and led him out to face the crowd. The bright lights paired with the endless camera flashes dazed Griffin as he took each step along the platform. He couldn’t see anything as he was led past the guards and towards the end of the platform.
“Did you find it?” he asked, recoiling from the bright lights all around him. “Did you get the device?”
“Shut up,” Brock replied, pushing him along more vigour. “I wasted enough time playing your little game, it got me nowhere.”
Griffin felt his heart sink. Even in this moment, as he was being led out in front of a crowd of millions to be executed, he still had hope that something good would come of this, that Captain Brock would find the footage and be able to put an end to all of this. Now he felt that hope extinguish, and all the energy drain out of his body. Every step he took became more laboured, and the effort of staying upright on his own two feet had become too tall an order.
Unfortunately for him, Brock was there to support his weight, and he was practically carried to the two adjacent posts and made to stand in the middle. Two soldiers made their way to the front and attached each arm to a chain linked to either post. They double checked to make sure the restraints were secured before returning to their positions. Griffin growled as his right arm was held up by the chains. The pain in his shoulder came rushing back and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
The crowd around him erupted into sudden applause. Griffin glanced up to a big screen and saw that President Lee had ascended to the platform and was slowly making his way to the front, soaking up the crowd’s appreciation. He wore his armour, the same set he was wearing on that day above Setune, with his sword still hanging from his back. The smile on his face made Griffin feel sick. President Lee had finally won.
He stood at the front of the platform and addressed the crowds and the cameras around him. “Ladies and Gentlemen” he began, his voice booming out from the speakers for all to hear. “Citizens of the Confederation, and even those of you on the Free Planets who have wished to join us tonight, I welcome all of you to witness a moment that will be forever remembered as the day justice was finally delivered.
“Jon Griffin has been on the run for ten years. He has a list of criminal offences that includes theft, the smuggling of illegal arms and drugs, the murders of several high-ranking Confederation officials in both the military and government, and of course… the Assassination of President Creed.”
Griffin stopped grimacing from the pain in his arm and let out a little chuckle. Some of what was being said was true. Griffin couldn’t deny that he was guilty of theft, smuggling, and he had killed a Confederation soldier or two in his time. As for the deaths of the high-ranking officials and the assassination of President Creed, the president had made it a hobby of his to blame the deaths of his political threats on Griffin.
“For too long he has been able to evade our justice. For too long he has got away with the heinous act he has committed. For too long we have let you down by not bringing an end to his long list of crimes. Let his execution tonight be a reminder to those that oppose us of the might of the Confederation and reassurance to those who follow us of the strength of our resolve.”
The president now turned to face Griffin directly. He slowly unsheathed his sword and stood no more than two yards in front of him. Griffin could see the delight in his eyes. He’d been waiting for this moment for a long time. Even though he’d originally intended to do this on that space station above Setune, this was what he’d always dreamt of. He had been chasing Griffin for years and now he had him, chained up and defeated in front of the entire galaxy. This was perfect.
President Lee spoke to him, although this time his voice wasn’t being broadcast to the crowd below or the people watching around the galaxy. This conversation was just between the two of them.
“So then, any last words for the mighty Jon Griffin?” he asked.
“Go to hell,” Griffin replied, spitting on the floor. He wasn’t going to give President Lee the satisfaction of him grovelling.
“You fought for so long, and you came so close, Jon. In a strange way, I’m going to miss you.”
President Lee stepped forward and raised his sword. Griffin closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable to happen… only it never came.
The lights went out, the screens went blank, and white noise blared from the speakers. The crowd below started to murmur amongst themselves, curious as to what had gone wrong. The president lowered his sword and turned to face the nearest big screen.
After a few seconds of confusion, the noise stopped and a video started playing on the screen. It showed President Lee sitting on his throne on the mech ship. Griffin glanced up at the screen and recognised the footage immediately. This was the footage from his recording device. The crowd watched on in shock as they saw President Lee take control of the mechs. The footage then skipped forward to show President Lee addressing Griffin. The president stood motionless as the crowd listened to the conversation they’d had on the mech ship.
“I will admit, I was a bit sceptical at the start, which is why I chose to attack a planet like Yssrey first. No one would miss it much, the perfect place for a field test. Then I saw you escape and I knew I had to follow you, otherwise you’d cause me further problems. I lost track of you for a while, and spent my time carefully considering…”
The sound of thousands of people gasping filled the air, swiftly followed by chants of anger. Everyone was so distracted, that they didn’t notice one of the soldiers on the platform approach Griffin and start to remove his restraints.
“Let’s not forget how I became the president in the first place. I brutally assassinated the one man I was sworn to protect …”
Griffin was freed from his chains and fell to the floor, clutching at his injured shoulder. The soldier who released him lifted off his helmet. It was Danny.
“It’s funny, the last time you told me that was just before I successfully turned President Creed into a pile of ash.”
The footage came to an end and everything fell silent. The square plummeted into darkness. Danny took advantage of the distraction and guided Griffin back towards the academy. The soldiers around them activated the lights at the end of their rifles, but they didn’t try and stop Griffin from leaving. Their eyes were all on someone else. President Lee was standing at the end of the platform, his face a deep shade of red. He turned on the spot, held out his sword, and cried out after Griffin.
“Stop that man!”
None of the soldiers moved.
“I am the president of the Confederation! I am ordering you to stop that man!”
Captain Brock stepped forward from the back of the platform. The soldiers formed up behind him, lighting up the president with their rifles. Griffin and Danny moved back behind the curtain and turned to look at what was developing behind them.
“President Arden Lee, I am placing you under arrest for the murder of President Creed,” Brock shouted out over all the commotion going on around the square.
“You dare address me like that,” President Lee spat back at him.
“There is nowhere for you to run. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
Brock stepped forward but halted as the sound of gunfire erupted behind him. Admiral Bolen and a unit of soldiers had opened fire on the soldiers attempting to arrest the president.
“Danny, whatever you’ve got planned, you best do it now,” Griffin said, looking over his shoulder at the gunfight breaking out behind them.
“I left a pack somewhere back here, but I can’t…”
A bullet narrowly missed Danny’s head. He stopped talking and got back to searching for his hidden bag. On the other side of the curtain, chaos ensued. Soldier fired upon soldier, not knowing who was on what side. Brock was shouting for everyone to stand down. Bolen was encouraging the soldiers to keep firing at the traitors in front of them. Stray bullets tore through the curtain, missing Griffin and Danny by an arm’s length. The crowds below heard the gunfire and fled as quickly as they could, their screams ringing around the square, adding to the confusion.
