𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐭︱raven reyes, book 1

introduction

THE ARK. BEFORE ARREST.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"I NEED YOUR HELP."

Close friends always go to one another for help. June would do the same in such a position, whether she'd go to Wells Jaha or Clarke Griffin. The pair had meant everything to her, and if she had ever needed assistance in doing something, they'd be the first people she'd ever go to. She expected the same, which is why Wells had recruited her of all people for hacking into The Ark's system. He knew that if anyone in the floating space station could find out the secret his father, the chancellor, was hiding, it was June Thompson.

After Clarke's arrest, June grew closer to Wells. She missed her blonde friend in solitary, locked away in the Sky Box, and not allowed visiting days. She always knew that Wells had known something. After all, he and Clarke were forever much more closer, but she never imagined that she was arrested and labeled as a delinquent for conspiring with her father over The Ark's oxygen levels.

June was shocked to hear the truth from Wells, that The Ark was dying slowly, day by day. It was only a matter of time now. She had to pull herself together for him long enough to realize that there was more, and if they wanted to help, they had to do something very wrong. Thus brought the intelligent young girl typing rapidly at The Chancellor's computer with Wells guarding the office of his father's door.

The light blue screen illuminated June's face and she remained focused as the tip of her fingers bounced from key to key. She grew anxious in a matter of seconds, worried about so many possibilities. She could find something worse on the computer, or they could be busted as of now and both be in much more troubled, possibly resulting in death. Maybe Chancellor Jaha would spare his son, but June knew she'd have no chance.

"Can you be just a bit faster?" Wells spoke up from the entrance, his voice laced with as much worry as June felt. June glanced up briefly to see that he tore his eyes away from the crack of the door for a minute to look in her direction.

"Sh," June hushed him, bringing herself back to center her attention on screen. "Patience is a virtue. You wanted to know your father's secret, anyway." She wouldn't admit that she was curious to know either. "I'm still trying to figure out his password. Surprisingly, it isn't your name."

Wells smiled slightly as June's joke, denying himself to answer as if he knew the password. She racked her head, attempting to think. It wasn't Wells, it wasn't his late wife, so it had to be something else. She bit her lower lip before giving it a try and typing again.

E A R T H

PASSWORD INCORRECT.

June took a deep breath, telling herself to stay calm and keep her racing heart slowed. "What's something your dad says often?" She questioned, picking her head up and tucking her blonde curls behind her ears. "Or, does he have anything that means a lot to him?"

Shrugging, Wells responded easily. "Uh, not really. Can't you hack into it without the password?" He asked curiously.

Sighing, June nodded. "I can," she answered. "But I shouldn't. He'll know that it's been hacked into," she explained. "And if by some miracle he doesn't track it down to me, he'll float some other innocent person for it."

"We have to know," Wells argued, determined. "I'll deal with him. Please, just do what you have to."

It took June a minute, dwelling over the endless possibilities of how this could end before she finally caved. Wells had this hopeful expression on his face that made it so hard for her to deny him, knowing that he cared for Clarke so much. Besides, she was just as curious and concerned as him. She went back to typing, more furiously this time, and in a matter of time June was surpassed the password block.

WELCOME THELONIOUS JAHA.

"I'm in."

June couldn't see it, but Wells rolled his eyes, amused. "Do you really have to say that?"

"What?" June countered. "I've always wanted to say that. Every young hackers dream." Wells turned his head, narrowing his eyes, and telling her without words to get back to work. June flashed him a quick smile before complying, opening a window and speeding through the chancellor's private files.

There was endless date on the prisoners, labeling the teenager's documents with numbers and reasons for arrest. June flickered through each one, her eyes darting around the letters before freezing when reaching the file of her long lost friend.

PRISONER 319.

CLARKE GRIFFIN.

Shaking her head, June moved on, moving past all the endless delinquents and choosing a folder that was darker than the others. She could see from her hacking window that it was worked on not too long ago, which would have caught her attention, if not for the title of the log that was all capitalized.

OPERATION: EARTH.

"Wells," June spoke up, grabbing the other's attention. She didn't care that he was on guard, protecting them both, she realized as clicking it open. "You have to see this." She was already running through the words, observing each one and consuming each one, leaving her completely stunned. Noticing the urge in June's voice, Wells hurried over, leaning over the back of her chair and focusing on the computer with his hands on the desk.

Pointing at the screen, June explained the plan in simple yet shaky words. "Earth. They're sending the delinquents to Earth."

It was too much to process. The planet was gone after a nuclear war that ate it up, leaving it inhabitable. June could read, so she understood why Chancellor Jaha was sending the order to propel one-hundred delinquents out of the sky but it only left her dumbfounded and in a daze.

Wells, however, was much more focused. He read over the document, catching on as quick as June had before his hand clenched into a fist as he spoke with extreme determination.

"Then we're going too."