Frozen Flame of Dawn - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Chapter 26: Shadows at the Council_2

For a moment, the room was quiet as everyone thought about what she said. On the right side of the hall, a lot of people nodded their heads in agreement. Their faces were serious but determined. While Vice-Chancellor Henry leaned back in his chair on the left, his lips curled into a small grin. His followers whispered to each other, and it was clear that some of them were unhappy with Helen’s ideas.

The murmurs grew louder until Minister Abbott raised his hand, commanding the attention of the chamber.

“Chancellor Helen,” Abbott began in his steady, deliberate voice, “While your proposals is undoubtedly thorough but don’t you think dedicating half of our military to fortify other provinces is… unnecessary?”

“Our current resources are stretched thin as it is and with central province remains the heart of the Federation safeguarding it must remain our utmost priority. Wouldn’t it be wiser to first recruit and train additional forces before stretching our existing military across other provinces?” As he looked around.

Pausing to let the weight of his words settle on the assembly. “And given that we have no way of communicating with the military stationed in those provinces, shouldn’t we focus first on establishing secure channels and only then can we assess their needs and determine the appropriate course of action.”

Chancellor Helen’s jaw tightened slightly, but she nodded, acknowledging the point. “Minister Abbott raises a valid concern,” And before she could continue.

Minister Abbott leaned forward in his chair and said with a tone of careful agreement. “However, I believe Chancellor Helen’s approach is sound—provided our central province remains secure after all this is the beating heart of the Federation if it fails so do we.”

Before Helen could reply, a sharp tapping sound echoed through the hall. The councilman with the pointed nose, a known ally of Vice-Chancellor Henry, leaned forward and fixed Helen with a pointed gaze. “Chancellor, I must say, I find your eagerness to assist other provinces… premature. Shouldn’t we first ensure absolute security within our own borders?”

He glanced around the room, his words drawing murmurs of agreement. “I propose a more cautious approach. Half of our military should remain stationed around the capital city, where operations are centralized. The other half should fortify the borders of the central province, ensuring no unauthorized movement in or out. Only after securing the province entirely should we consider sweeping through it to eliminate any threats.”

The councilman’s sharp features softened slightly, feigning a tone of reasonableness. “Once that is accomplished, we can turn our attention to recruiting and training the newly awakened individuals. These fresh recruits, along with our existing soldiers, can then be deployed to assist other provinces. In the meantime, let us trust the governors of those provinces to handle their local crises.”

The suggestion immediately gained traction among Vice-Chancellor Henry’s allies, who tapped their approval on the table in unison. Even some of Chancellor Helen’s more neutral supporters hesitated, weighing the proposal. The councilman’s argument was undeniably appealing to those more concerned with their own safety and the security of their power.

Aiden, seated near the back of the chamber felt, his stomach churn with disgust. He exchanged a glance with Tommy, who shook his head subtly, his expression mirroring Aiden’s frustration.

Helen, still seated at the head of the chamber, remained calm, but there was a flicker of irritation in her eyes. She knew where this was heading. Vice-Chancellor Henry leaned back in his chair, a smug smile playing at the corners of his lips. Sensing the momentum was in his favor, he raised his hand.

“Honorable members,” Henry began, his voice smooth and confident, “it is clear that my colleague’s approach offers the most pragmatic solution. I propose we put it to a vote without further delay.”

Helen’s lips tightened, but she made no move to object. The speaker nodded, and the vote was called.

The council chamber buzzed with tension as the speaker called for the vote. Each member, seated in their chairs ready to cast their decision. The room felt stifling, a mixture of heated arguments and cold indifference.

“Raise your hands for the first approach suggested by Chancellor Helen,” the speaker called.

Aiden, seated toward the middle of the chamber, raised his hand immediately. Beside him, Tommy followed suit. Across the room, scattered hands went up—some hesitant, others confident. Aiden scanned the room, his heart sinking as he took in the sparse support. Barely a third of the council members raised their hands, and most of them sat in Helen’s section.

The vice-chancellor’s section sat still, hands folded neatly on the table or resting on armrests. Their defiance was deliberate, almost mocking. Aiden’s jaw tightened as his gaze swept over the room. He glanced at Helen, who sat at the head of the council table, her face expressionless except for the faint tightening of her lips. Her silence struck him harder than the lack of votes.

The speaker cleared his throat. “Now, those in favor of the second approach presented by the Vice-Chancellor’s faction, please raise your hands.”

Aiden watched in silence as hands shot up, one after another. The vice-chancellor’s faction raised theirs in unison, followed by members from Minister Abbott’s side and a smattering of neutrals. More than seventy percent of the room voted in favor of the second approach.

The speaker nodded. “The majority has decided. The second approach is approved.”

Aiden leaned back in his chair, his face unreadable. But Tommy, seated next to him, leaned closer and muttered under his breath, “She’s really going to let this happen? Even knowing what it’ll cost?”

Aiden didn’t reply immediately. His gaze flickered toward Helen, who sat silently at the head of the chamber. She had the authority to veto the decision, a power she could use once in such meetings and yet she chose not to.

In his heart, Aiden knew this was what would happen. He knew that self-preservation was more important to the council than the safety of everyone, but he had hoped that Helen would take action. She chose to be careful instead. Aiden knew that being careful would cost many lives.

“She won’t do anything,” Aiden said quietly with his voice low and bitter.

Aiden exhaled sharply as he reached into his pocket to pull out a small radio console. It was old and clunky but a rare functional commodity after the surge through it he keyed in a short code and sent a encrypted message.

“Backup plan?” Tommy guessed as his eyes narrowed.

Aiden didn’t answer immediately but had placed the console back into his pocket. “I didn’t want to use it,” he admitted. “But this… this council has left me no choice.”

Tommy studied him for a moment but didn’t press further but instead muttered , “I hope this plan of yours doesn’t blow up in our faces.”

Aiden allowed himself a faint smile. “It won’t.”

The chamber fell quiet as the speaker rose again. “We will now move to the second topic on today’s agenda,” he announced. “This concerns the unauthorized imprisonment of Major General Karep and Cain Rienfeld, the grandson of Vice-Chancellor Henry, by Major General Aiden.”

A murmur rippled through the chamber as the speaker continued, “Both parties may present their case. First, Major General Aiden’s side.”

Tommy rose from his seat, his usual easygoing demeanor replaced with a sharp seriousness. As he walked to the center, all eyes followed him. He adjusted his collar and began.

“Honorable council members,” Tommy started, his voice steady but firm. “I stand here today not to defend actions but to clarify them. Let’s start with the facts. Major General Karep and Cain Rienfeld, neither of whom have jurisdiction over our team, issued an unauthorized mission to two of our squads—squads that were actively engaged in stabilizing the capital after the military failed to respond in time.”

He paused, letting the statement sink in before continuing. “This mission was not only unauthorized but reckless. It led to the death of many of our people—good soldiers—because of the secrecy surrounding it. And what was this mission for?”

Tommy’s gaze swept across the room before landing on Vice-Chancellor Henry. “A research facility,” he said, his voice dropping ominously. “A facility conducting illegal experiments on mutated beasts and even human subjects.”

The chamber erupted into shocked whispers. Even Helen’s expression faltered, her eyes widening slightly. Henry’s face darkened, and Alaric stiffened in his seat.

Tommy held up a small drive. “This,” he said, “contains evidence—recordings, documents, and accounts—detailing everything that happened. Experiments, cover-ups, and, most disturbingly, the murder of our soldiers to bury the truth.”

He placed the drive on the speaker’s table. “We imprisoned Karep and Cain not out of personal vendetta but because they endangered lives and violated every protocol we stand for. If protecting my team and exposing the truth is a crime, then so be it.”

The council chamber buzzed with murmurs and tension as Tommy returned to his seat, his speech still rippling through the room like an electric charge. The information he had revealed—details of the experiments, the serums, and the lives lost—was both shocking and enraging for many. Even Chancellor Helen, known for her calm and measured demeanor, looked visibly disturbed. Her hands were clasped tightly on the table, her knuckles pale.