Nine years ago, a giant political wave in the small, but developed country of Kallin brought about the election of conservative Prime Minister Hector Maver. Since then, the PM has instituted reforms that have led to widespread praise:

-Kallin has closed its borders to all immigration

-Laws that violate freedom of religion have been methodically struck down. Currently, a case is in court which will determine the future of the infamous Infant Killer Law

-News organizations spreading lies about the PM have been fined into bankruptcy via the use of preexisting libel and slander laws

-A combination of striking down environmental regulations and extensive tax cuts has led to a booming economy with the lowest unemployment rate in decades and a steadily increasing GDP per capita (among those not incarcerated)

-Term limits have been disposed of

Sadly, all these advancements have come at a great cost to PM Maver. Two months ago, his son, Paris Maver, was murdered by known far left extremist Andrea Dibera. The case of Kallin v. Dibera has been closely followed by the country. Throughout the trial, Andrea has confessed to the crime, and then proceeded to commit perjury during a long speech delivered from the stand claiming the murder was an accident, and that it was an attempt to protect Frederick Greft—PM Maver’s lead political opponent in the upcoming election—from assassination at the hands of Paris Maver.

If found guilty, Andrea would be sentenced to death, but in a startling turn, the convened jury, who watched the trial from rooms isolated from each other, has chosen to exercise a little known loophole called “jury nullification” in which a jury can choose to find a defendant not guilty despite it being obvious the crime was committed. Essentially, this means the jury believes that while the person committed the crime, they shouldn’t be punished for it.

In another time, that would be that, and Andrea would walk away completely free. However, the judge presiding over the case has wisely decided to bring out a new technology that will test the resolve of these five jurors to free an assassin.

The Jackson Clock is a poorly understood technology designed by the government’s top scientists. Essentially, it is a timer with the ability to fill a room with deadly poison. If the timer reaches zero within two hours, the poison will be pumped into the room holding Andrea, who will die. The timer starts at 60 minutes, and any of the five jurors, from their own isolation rooms, may add time to it by being immediately aged one year for every two minutes they add to the clock.

Many believe Andrea will die with no time added to the clock. PM Maver has sacrificed for his ideals. We look forward to seeing what these assassination pardoners will sacrifice for theirs.