Activation Words

They weren't calling each other by their numbers when they were together. They were using aliases. That shouldn't have been so surprising since they were in public but they used them so naturally. As if they actually thought of themselves by those names instead of simply borrowing them. 

They were Numbers. That could never change, no matter how much they were acting like outsiders right now. This was unacceptable. Three needed to set them straight and get them to come back with him to restart the Numbers program. 

But would they listen? He couldn't cause a scene in such a crowded place. There were too many witnesses. If they didn't want to come willingly…

Four and Five seemed to have acclimated to the outside much better than Three did. Why? Five was one thing—she had always asked too many questions and been reset over and over—but Four was better than that.