One Gained, But One Lost

Friday, 6 March 2099

Many of the teens reentered the Tent after hearing Penni shout the name. Diggs━along with Jago and Sayer, whom Bruno did not understand where they were during the fight━kept everyone at a far distance. Jago had to take his taser-baton out after a few guys tried to push through the crowd.

Bruno stood next to Carth, his sister, his twin sister, his trespassing sister, his sister that could easily be Executed for being on Espington soil. Penni still stood there with a look of satisfaction, though hinted with a bit of distress. Bruno knew she did this out of total jealousy and of, well, love.

"How could you?" he asked the ex Miner.

"You would've done the same exact thing if you saw your love kiss another person," Penni said, her eyes starting to water.

Bruno didn't know if that was true. He couldn't think about it because Cradock was walking over.

"Did she just say that this girl is a Trespasser?" the Boss Guard asked, pointing at Carth.

"Cradock, let me explain," Bruno started.

"It was my fault!" someone shouted from the crowd, everyone turning to the voice.

Bruno and Carth looked near the entrance and standing right next to Sayer and Rina was Ms. Lupo, the Daycare Lady━the one who had helped Carth out. Why would she do something like that? Being born in Espington, Francesca definitely knew about the consequences. Was she doing this because of the plan Carth and Bruno thought of quickly to stop Jago from assaulting her?

"Why is it your fault, Francesca?" Cradock asked.

"Carth left Adlington to meet Bruno, her twin brother," Ms. Lupo started. "She got here in the middle of the night and didn't want to enter Inns Two without getting caught. I saw her and let her stay in my room at ESH until she figured things out. Bruno didn't know about this, only I did."

Cradock turned to Bruno and Carth. "Is this true?"

Bruno glanced at Ms. Lupo for just a nanosecond and the lady nodded with a smile on her face. She always smiled, no matter the situation.

"It's true," Bruno said. "I just saw Carth, here, at the Tent."

Cradock motioned for Diggs to walk over; the Guard nodded at him.

"Ms. Caroline Arthur Bruno..." Cradock started.

"Ms. Francesca Lupo..." Diggs started.

"You're under arrest for Trespassing..."

"...for Abetting a Trespasser..."

"And since Trespassing is a capital crime, Caroline Arthur Bruno, you are sentenced to Execution," Cradock said.

"WHAT?" Bruno, Ms. Lupo, and even Penni shouted.

"It was me! I did this! Carth had no idea about the ECLs! She just wanted to see her brother! Execute me!" Ms. Lupo shouted. Bruno couldn't believe her last exclamation.

"Ms. Francesca Lupo, you are hereby sentenced to Exile for Assisting a Trespasser," Diggs said, although he didn't sound too happy doing it.

He put handcuffs on the Daycare Lady and escorted her out of the Tent; she screamed the entire way out. Cradock cuffed Carth and walked her out, too; Bruno followed the entire way.

"Please, Shad," he said. "Send her back to Adlington! She didn't know!"

"I can't disobey the ECLs, Bruno!" Cradock yelled. "Trust me, I don't like doing this, but I'm the Boss Guard. The ECC will make a final decision tomorrow. For now, she will be with Francesca in the Slammer. Remember, you're a Boss now, you can talk everyone out of Executing her."

Cradock proceeded to take Carth away, she looked at her brother one last time before being placed in a Humvee that another Guard had driven over. Bruno forgot that he had a say now, that he was part of the ECC. He could save his sister, even Ms. Lupo! Rina, Schmidt, Val, Cariddi, and Nicole walked to Bruno.

"I'm so sorry," Val said.

"I can't believe you saw your sister for a second and she was arrested like that," Cariddi said, not knowing that Carth had stayed in R9 for a while and had used his uniform.

"Penni is a bitch," Nicole added.

"It's fine, let's not freak out," Bruno hushed. "I'll have Carth get jail time. Way better than Execution."

Bruno's friends nodded, agreed with what he said.

And together they all left the chocolate-covered Tent, ignoring Penni Cardoza all the while.

"What happened?" Lee asked, Jojo resting next to him on the sofa.

"Carth was arrested after Penni caught her at the Tent," Val said. "She is sentenced to Execution, but Bruno is gonna try and clear that."

"That's bad, but good!" Lee said. "Wait, where's Cariddi?"

"Helping Diggs at the Guard House," Schmidt said. "O'Neill and Benson are going to jail."

"Another thing I have to vote on," Bruno groaned.

Jojo barked thinking that the guys were talking about something exciting when it was really the complete opposite.

"By the way, Lee," Bruno started. "Val beat both O'Neill and Benson up at the Tent. They're in the Clinic."

"Holy shit, Dude!" Lee shouted, straining his torso a bit and laying back down.

"I only helped," Valinoti said. "You were winning, Bruno, until O'Neill decided to cheat and bring a wrench into the mix."

"You two have had the wildest week ever!" Lee laughed; Jojo barked.

"Yeah, about that," Valinoti said. "Cradock wants to meet for a job as Sergeant Guard."

Lee lifted his hand and slammed it down on the sofa, scaring Jojo a bit. "Wow, lost both of my buddies at the Factory in less than a week! But, hey, whatever is best for both of ya'll and I still got Schmitty!"

At that point, little Schmidt smiled as wide as Katrina and started to cry. He ran over to Lee and tried to hug him without hurting his stitchings. Jojo stood up on the sofa, licking Schmidt's ear. Everyone laughed, but Bruno.

Bruno pulled Valinoti aside, into the kitchen.

"Why did you really go to the Tent?" Bruno asked. "And don't say it was the food."

Valinoti paused briefly before speaking. "Because I believe fighting with you is pointless. We came to Espington to start new lives and if that means getting involved with all things crazy then that's okay. Yes, I was jealous at first, but that's just life. And, hey, now I can be Sergeant Guard."

Bruno smiled. He was glad he had a trustworthy, compatible friend like Valinoti to rely on. They weren't just roommates; they had come together right from the start, right from the Adlington carriage. They've both been through a lot during their time here at Espington. But all Bruno was thinking about now was Carth and whether or not she would be dead in two days.

"Can ya'll stop apologizing to one another and let Jojo out to shit," Lee asked.

When Jojo heard those words, she leaped off the sofa, knocking the remote off the table with her tail; it slid under the television console.

"Goddamnit, Jojo!" Lee shouted.

"I'll get it for you, Best Buddy!" Schmidt said, wiping his tears and running to the television.

Bruno manned up and put Jojo's leash on. He left R9 not just with the Great Dane, but with his buddy, Val.

Saturday, 7 March 2099, Midnight

Anzalone was freaking out. After ESH, he stayed in his room the entire day. He cried. He screamed. He sobbed. He paced. He slept...kind of.

He put the handgun to his head.

No. That's what Maximus wants. No.

Anzalone wept in his room, which was locked. O'Neill and Benson had knocked on the door earlier that Friday afternoon, but Anzalone ignored them. The two boys ended up leaving for the Tent that Friday night and never returned. Anzalone watched, on Espington News, Kait Demarest explain what had happened at the club: O'Neill and Benson's attack on Bruno and Cariddi; Valinoti stepping in; O'Neill getting doused in boiling chocolate leaving him with second-degree burns; both the bullies' arrests; and Carth Bruno, her arrest, too (along with Francesca Lupo's).

Anzalone remembered Bruno's twin sister; he was the first roommate she had met, back in the elevator. Anzalone was the one to bring her to Bruno.

And now she was arrested.

And possibly Executed.

Just like me, Anzalone thought.

He decided to stay in his room. Anzalone's door and window were both locked, and blocked by either a board or desk. He also held the handgun he had stolen from the Armory (Dumbass Blake still never figured out the weapon was gone). Anzalone waited for the Assassin Espen had told him about. Was that a lie? Was the Viking just trying to scare Anzalone?

He didn't want to find out.

Anzalone waited in his room, but realized something when he looked at his old Mining boots that lay in a cubby.

My parents.

If Anzalone hid in his room until Sunday, Espen would send a video of his parents getting killed. And then the Assassin will somehow find his or her way to Anzalone's room and slice him with their sword.

He had to do something.

But he couldn't kill Sir Espington. That wasn't an option.

Again, Anzalone looked at the boots and knew right away. He hated that this was the best and only option.

He needed to go to Rich Bruno.

Saturday, 7 March 2099, 2:43AM

Dixon rested in the Storage Room, eating a bag full of Crunchies. He hadn't heard from his nephew, Anzalone, since they first met in the sewers when Bruno had eavesdropped. Dixon did not know whether or not Anzalone had been caught, because Sir Espington was still alive. The whole memorial shooting was a failure and ended up in the death of an innocent resident. Maybe Anzalone quit, maybe he ran away. Dixon did not know; he didn't have a mobile and he spent most of his days underground walking in sewage water.

Dixon was finishing his Crunchies, crumbs all over his uniform, when he heard a splash outside the Storage Room. The splash was much too large to be a rodent and the gators didn't come out in March. Dixon got up, wiped the crumbs off his shirt, and walked to the door. Maybe it was his coworker coming in the for the next shift.

Lyle still has thirty minutes. What's he doing here so early?

Dixon opened the door and there appeared a woman. The plumber stepped back, completely caught off guard by the female stranger. She looked young, with dark hair and tanned skinned. She wore dull-colored drapes and a bit of armor. Her boots were covered in mud and majority of her head was hidden by a hood. A long sword rested in its sheath around the girl's belt.

"You're an Adlington Viking!" Dixon said, having lived in Adlington for many years. "You can't be here! You'll get Executed!"

The female Viking took out her sword at amazing speed and pointed it right at Dixon's nose.

"My name is Meghan Geneux and I am an Adlington Assassin. Tell me where I can find your nephew, Tyler."

"Now why the hell would I tell you where Tyler is if you just said you are a damn Assassin?"

"Because I have a damn sword to your face!" Meghan yelled.

"Okay! He lives in Inns Two, but I don't know the room number." The tip of the sword cut the tip of Dixon's nose; a bead of red blood dripped down.

"I cannot kill him until tomorrow," Meghan said. "Tyler has less than a day to kill Sir Espington."

"And he will!" Dixon assured. "Give him until the last second!"

"Tyler will get until eleven fifty-nine today," Meghan stated. "He will die Sunday."

"Okay, okay, okay," the Plumber said. "Can you move the sword away from me?"

"Sure."

Meghan lowered the sword, turned around; Dixon sighed in relief, wiped the bit of blood from his nose.

That was when the Adlington Assassin spun back around, swinging the sword at amazing speed. The blade sliced Dixon's throat, spreading a red line across the skin. On instinct, Dixon held his neck, but the blood spewed vigorously like a faulty pipeline.

"No one can know I'm here," Meghan said. "Especially Tyler's uncle."

Dixon couldn't speak; he was choking on his blood, the blood that didn't already soak his Plumbing uniform. Tyler's uncle fell to the concrete floor, the red liquid forming a puddle around his twitching body.

"I'll place you gently in the water soon enough," Meghan said. "I'll wait down here until Sunday, kill your buddy, Lyle, if I have to. Thank you for your help."

But the Assassin didn't get a response.

Saturday, 7 March 2099, 1:00PM

Bruno enjoyed sleeping until the afternoon for once. He didn't realize how exhausted he was from waking up early for school or work (plus all the chaos). Valinoti was still in bed, cuddling with his pillow and snoring loudly. Bruno smiled; he was glad his roommate had time to sleep as well.

Jojo the Great Dane pushed Room B's door open with her nose and walked in quietly; she noticed Val's snores, too. Bruno wasn't scared of his therapeutic dog anymore, especially after bonding outside Inns Two last night.

Bruno had taken Jojo out to pee with Valinoti and there was a wild raccoon in Espington Square. The rabid creature stared Val and Bruno down, foam at the sides of its mouth. Even though the boys were not scared of the small varmint, Jojo bared her teeth and scared the raccoon away. Bruno realized that his dog was not harmful at all and was just there for the boys' comfort.

Lee's breakfast aroma travelled into Room B; Jojo turned right around and darted quietly to the kitchen. Bruno got up and followed his canine friend; Tim continued to snore. The scent of cooked ham, eggs, and home fries filled the kitchenette and dining room.

"Brunch is served," Lee said, placing the food onto a plate and handing it to Bruno.

"Thanks, man, how're the stitches?"

"Good," Lee answered. "Sore as hell but the painkillers help and the Nurses at the Clinic are very nice. Going there today at two."

Cariddi was already on the sofa, munching on an apple with peanut butter. Schmidt appeared in a clean outfit.

"Bruno, you slept late!" Schmidt said. "I already went to the Inns Market and Lobby Fitness."

"He went to Lobby Fitness with me," Cariddi said, "and did nothing but cardio."

"So?" Schmidt teased.

"So...ya need muscle, kid, so you can help Bruno one day if O'Neill or Benson or anyone attacks."

Schmidt didn't answer; he walked back to Room C.

"Where do couples and families live?" Bruno randomly asked.

"First two floors of the Inns," Lee answered as he flipped the eggs on the frypan.

"Why don't you guys live with your parents?"

"At age fifteen you get to decide whether you want to live with your age group or family. Cariddi and I have always been friends. We moved in together at sixteen," Lee explained.

Bruno thought how incredible Espington was. Kids got to live alone at such a young age as if they were going to college; they're assigned an Occupation even younger, at fourteen; and they can buy whatever they want with just the swipe of their ID Card (not to mention the drinking age). Espington was absolutely nothing like Adlington. Bruno immediately thought of his sister when he brought up his home City...

Valinoti finally woke up in his plaid pajama pants and Espington t-shirt. His hair stuck straight up as if he was just struck by lightning.

"Afternoon," Lee laughed.

"Shh, that sleep felt amazing," Valinoti said, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Well, take a seat and eat some grub!" Cariddi said, raising his glass of milk.

"I'm actually gonna have to take that with me," Valinoti confessed.

"How come?" Schmidt asked from Room C.

"Your Sergeant Guard interview with Cradock, right?" Bruno grinned.

"Yep! Excited, yet nervous," Val admitted.

"Don't be," Cariddi chuckled. "Shad is the nicest guy ever. He'll give ya the job."

Bruno was happy to see his friend smiling. Sergeant Guard were the Guard that operated the squadrons that go out on missions to the Pines, Mountains, Seas, or Cities. If Valinoti got the job, he'd leave Espington often and travel round Togluagoa ordering his men around.

Valinoti changed into a spiffy outfit and freshened up in the bathroom, while Lee placed strips of ham and home fries onto a paper plate.

"Here ya go," the R9 chef said. "Kill it at that interview."

"Good luck!" Cariddi and Schmidt said.

Bruno slipped on clothes and brushed his teeth real quick. Valinoti was putting on his shoes while nibbling on a strip of ham when Bruno came back from the bathroom all freshened up.

"I'm walking to the Guard House with you," he said. "I have the ECC meeting for the guys, Frankie, and Carth."

"Damn, good luck, man," Lee said.

"Next time you can tell me that your sister was hiding in your room," Cariddi said. "I wouldn't have arrested her. My friends come first, no matter how illegal that may sound."

Bruno nodded━he had confessed to Cariddi everything about Carth last night. Bruno walked out with Valinoti.

Jojo barked goodbye.

Bruno and Valinoti walked down the hallway towards the elevator, Val already finishing the brunch Lee had whipped up for him. Bruno pressed the down button and the doors dinged open almost immediately. They walked and that was when they heard someone down the hall shout, "Hold the doors!"

Bruno and Valinoti peered around and were surprised to see Anzalone running down the hallway, wearing another Espington hoodie and sweatpants. His hair was dyed a silvery shade and his skin looked tanner somehow. Not to mention, he was wearing sunglasses inside. Bruno wanted to let the doors close; he hadn't talked to Anzalone since he got Schmidt to sign the Room Change Form. Somehow, though, Bruno held the doors and the amb━silver-haired boy entered the elevator.

"Thanks," Anzalone said.

The doors closed and that was when the awkward silence began. Luckily, Valinoti broke it fairly quickly.

"What up with the old man's hair?" he asked.

"New style I saw on TV," Anzalone said. "I got it done in the lobby's hair salon. Think it's called Clippers."

Bruno didn't believe him. He wore a similar, lame, disguise as Carth back at the Tent. Anzalone was hiding something and it just wasn't himself.

"Heard about your sister, Bruno," Anzalone said. "Sorry to hear."

"Thanks. Going to the ECC to prove her innocent," Bruno said.

"Wait, how?"

"He's a Boss Gatherer," Val said.

"Wow. I've missed a lot."

"Yeah."

Someone entered the elevator on the second floor and the rest of the descent was in complete silence. Bruno liked that better. On the way out of the elevator, Anzalone slipped something into Bruno's coat pocket. The silver-haired boy walked quickly off into Inns Two Convenience. Valinoti didn't notice anything; he was too busy throwing out the paper plate. Bruno decided he'd take out whatever Anzalone placed in his pocket later, after the meeting.

"He seemed to be in a rush," Valinoti said, unaware of what had just happened.

"Yeah. Weird," Bruno muttered.

They continued out of the lobby, not forgetting to say goodbye to Katrina first, and headed straight for the Guard House.

Bruno was directed straight to his sister's cell, while Valinoti and Cradock had their Sergeant Guard interview. Diggs led Bruno down a hallway that started off with fenced cells. He passed two empty ones and then the third cell held O'Neill and Benson.

"What is Bitch doing here?" the bully said.

Bruno looked at O'Neill for just a second. Half of the boy's face was scarred from the liquified chocolate. O'Neill's left ear was warped with his cheek; Bruno had to look straight ahead.

"You'll see me soon, Bitch Bruno!" O'Neill shouted. "Whether it's in person or in your nightmares, you will see me soon!"

. . .

Diggs brought Bruno around the hall where the cells went from fenced to barred. Prisoners wore gray jumpsuits and cuffs either around their ankles or wrists or both. Bruno saw a man with a long beard and missing teeth; an overweight woman with smoky hair and a tattoo on her cheek; and a scrawny man who looked as if he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"This way, Bruno," Diggs said, walking to the end of the hallway.

Bruno was walking when a pair of arms flung out of one of the barred cells. The hands grabbed onto Bruno's collar, held on tight. A man stood there, his skin looked sickly bruised and his scraggly beard was dirtied and greying. Bruno had to looked closer and his eyes widened when he made the discovery.

It was Rodney Mavers.

"Thought you've seen the last of me, Bruno, huh?" the prisoner said. "Well, I'm doing just fine, thanks for askin'. Boris Rossi has toughened me into shape. I'm good now, I'm good!"

Bruno looked behind Mavers. A gigantic man sat on the cell mattress. He stared right at Bruno, but Rossi's eyes were covered by his matted, black hair. The prisoner was shirtless and his toned abdomen was scarred just like his biceps and face.

"You're gonna regret arrestin' me, Bruno," Mavers snapped him out of it. "You will know, you━"

There was a zap of blue electricity on Mavers' fist and the prisoner let go of Bruno, fell to the concrete floor and convulsed violently. Boris Rossi continued sitting on the mattress, not helping his cellmate.

"Next time scream something when a prisoner grabs you," Diggs said, panting loudly. "Jeez, Bruno, I had no idea! Now follow me and stay by me."

In just under two minutes, Bruno was just threatened by two of his worst enemies: O'Neill and Mavers. Come to think of it, Bruno had many other enemies: Benson, Penni, Anzalone?, Brittany, Jago and Sayer?, and probably Boris Rossi. He hoped none of his enemies would capitalize, come up with a way to end Bruno's life.

"Cell twenty-nine," Diggs said. "Cradock will call me when the interview is done and then I need to bring you to the ECC Room."

Bruno didn't answer Diggs. Instead, he peered through Cell 29's bars. Both Carth and Ms. Lupo were laying down on their slim mattresses, their gray prisoner outfits on.

"Carth," Bruno whispered, although he didn't know why he did.

His twin sister, along with Frankie, sat up and hopped off their beds instantly. Carth had a smile on her face, something that seemed so weird in a place like the Guard House Cell Blocks.

"Bruno, what are you doing here?" Carth asked.

"I have a meeting with the ECC," Bruno answered. "I'm a Boss. You're not gonna die. I'm gonna have you get jail time instead."

"Really? You can do that?"

"I believe so," Bruno said and he really did believe so.

"What about me?" Frankie asked. "Do you think they'll reconsider my Exile?"

Bruno hesitated. The Daycare Lady helped Carth, the Trespasser, stay invisible. He didn't think the ECC would change their minds.

"I'll see what I can do," Bruno said.

"Interview's done," Diggs said. "Your buddy got the job. He's my superior. And apparently the meeting for O'Neill and Benson is cancelled; Julius gave an EZ Vote and the boys are automatically jailed."

Bruno turned back to his sister; Frankie had sat back down (she knew she was most likely doomed to Exile). The news about O'Neill and Benson was great, Bruno could just worry about the girls now.

"I'll get you out of Execution," Bruno whispered yet again. "Don't worry."

And Bruno followed Diggs, not waiting for his sister to answer.

. . .

Valinoti waved at Bruno right before exiting the Guard House, he had a smile on his face and held a box that probably contained his uniforms and procedures.

"Follow me," Diggs said.

"I know the room, you know?" Bruno mentioned. "I've been there once. For Faulkner's persecution."

Diggs didn't say anything, just pointed down the hallway.

Bruno walked down the way he remembered. He was just about to turn the corner when Cradock called out.

"Yo, Bruno!" the Boss Guard ran over. "Before we have the meeting, I just want you to know that I don't want your sister dying anymore than you do. I'll vote nay to her Execution."

At that moment, Bruno knew he could trust Cradock with anything, like a friend.

"Thank you, Shad," he said. "I really appreciate that."

Cradock led the way and proceeded to open the ECC Room.

. . .

All of the Bosses, and Sir Espington, were already sitting around the conference table. Julius stood when he saw Shad and Bruno.

"Great! Now we can get this meeting underway!" Sir Espington clapped.

Everyone sat around the table. Bruno already knew Blake, Spearman, and Cradock. He remembered Yee, the Boss of the Clinic. The only Bosses Bruno didn't really remember were Brisa, Petty, Roxy, or Thora.

"Let's talk about Francesca Lupo first, yes?" Julius asked.

Leta stood to the right of Sir Espington and held a clipboard with a couple papers attached.

"Francesca Lupo: arrested for Abetting an Espington Trespasser. Lupo confessed to holding Caroline Arthur Bruno in the Daycare since Monday during the memorial."

"That's easy," Blake said. "Bitch is guilty."

"You are so immature!" Brisa yelled.

Blake gave her a whatever-I-don't-care face and kicked his feet onto the table, but took them off right when Julius gave him a glare.

"All those in favor of the Exile of Francesca Lupo, please raise your hand," the President said.

All the Bosses raised their hands. Cradock leaned over to Bruno, whispered "I'm sorry," and leaned back into his proper posture.

"Wait!" Bruno said.

Everyone in the room looked right at the Boss Gatherer. Blake had a what-the-hell? face now and Sir Espington looked utterly perplexed.

"What's wrong, Bruno?" the President asked.

And that was the problem. Bruno didn't know how to fight for Frankie. The vote was borderline unanimous and Bruno had no way to come up with an argument on the spot to save the Daycare Lady. No wonder why she looked hopeless in the jail cell. Bruno thought about his sister and whether or not he could save her now.

"Nevermind," Bruno said. "Frankie was just a good woman."

"She is a good woman; I don't doubt that," Julius said. "However, the ECLs cannot be broken..."

Julius stood up and stared at the Bosses. "...I hereby sentence Francesca Lupo to Exile, tomorrow at eight AM."

Bruno felt awful; he looked down at the ground. He could have spoken up, but he didn't. Frankie died because of him. The Piners or the Grizzlys would find her and she wouldn't last two days like Hermes and Kristopher Honey.

"Now onto Caroline Arthur Bruno or Carth," Sir Espington said and Bruno looked back up.

"Looks like our newbie wants to speak," Blake said.

"Go ahead, Bruno," Julius said.

It took a few seconds for Bruno to gather his thoughts. He needed to fight for his sister, but not mention anything he already knew. Everyone in the ECC thought Bruno had just found out about Carth's presence in the Tent, but he had known she was in Espington even before Frankie.

"She is my twin sister," Bruno started. "We live in Northern Adlington, the poorest section of the Mining City. Carth and I have two younger siblings, Jack and Alanna. They both have special needs. Our father is in the Slammer for saving my life in the Mines. My mother is working constantly, trying to provide food for the kids. Me coming to Espington was sad, but it helped my mother financially. One less mouth to feed―"

Clemente Petty, the Boss of the Inns, grunted, interjecting Bruno. "If your mother is struggling and your dad is in jail then why did Carth leave and come here?" the Boss had trouble saying her name.

"I don't know. I haven't had time to speak with her," Bruno lied. "But I assumed she wanted me to come back to Adlington to help the family out after she found me. She and I were the only other sources of income, besides Mom. Frankie probably found her first and let her live with her because she knew about the death penalty."

"He's right," Cradock said. "She said that in interrogation."

"Why don't we give her time in the Slammer or Exile?" Bruno asked. "Or just bring her back to Adlington?"

"We can't just send her back home without punishment!" Petty shouted. "That'll cause an uprising, especially the families whose loved ones are in the Slammer. The O'Neills, the Bensons, the Mavers'!"

"Relax, Clemente," Brisa said.

"Carth is not leaving without a punishment, Bruno, let's make that clear," Julius said. "And ECL Thirteen says that any undocumented individual is known as a Trespasser and that is a capital crime, punishable by death."

"Holly Brewer was Executed three years ago for Trespassing and living in the sewers for fifteen months. And don't forget Burke; he was hanged for hiding in the Inns Two basement for a week!" Petty explained.

"Holly was from Islington and she confessed that she was a Spy; her death was appropriate," Cradock retorted. "And Burke was a Piner! He deserved to die; he was dangerous and did not tell us anything about his...community."

Yee, Spearman, and even Leta had listened intently to what the Boss Guard had just said.

However, Bruno noticed Petty and the Talbot Bosses nodding at what the President had said; Brisa had waved her hand in agreement.

"She didn't know about the ECLs," Bruno said. "But she definitely knew about the animosity between our two Cities. Her fear of having the Guard find her was what made her stay invisible. All she wanted was me and for me to leave Espington."

"Then she should have done that by entering through the Gates," Petty said. "I'm sure

Julius would have let her in to talk."

"The only people Espington lets in from Adlington are the Miners each week," Bruno countered. "That was the agreement. Nothing else. Espington and Adlington don't like each other, and you know why, Julius. Carth would have never walked right up to the Gates. Hell, I wouldn't have either."

"He's got a point, Julius," Cradock said, Spearman agreeing with a nod.

"Anything else someone has to add?" the President asked.

"This will cause an uprising, just like what Clemente said," Roxy Talbot, one of the Market Bosses reminded.

Bruno didn't know Roxy at all; he's only seen her one other time, at the last ECC meeting. But one thing Bruno did know: Roxy had a twin sister.

"Roxy," he started. "Thora is your twin sister, yes?"

She nodded.

"Carth is my twin sister. What if Thora was in my sister's position? Would you still be on Petty's side?"

Roxy looked at Thora and back at Bruno, but she did not answer. Petty looked at Bruno with slight anger and annoyance.

"Shall we vote?" Julius asked.

Everyone nodded.

"All in favor for the Execution of Caroline Arthur Bruno, please raise your hand."

Petty raised his hand, along with Mitzu Yee and Brisa Siegel. It was a total surprise to Bruno that they agreed with the Inns Boss. They didn't talk at all during the meeting.

"All opposed?"

Everyone else raised their hands; Cradock nudged Bruno on his side and smiled. Spearman winked at Bruno, too.

"Three to seven," Julius said. "Amazing."

"You haven't voted, Sir," Leta said. "And if you vote nay then the Execution will be set for the morning."

Bruno forgot about that. The ECC's votes didn't matter when it came to Julius' final decision. If he voted nay, Carth would be Executed. But Bruno felt good; he was dating Rina for Lord's sake.

"I vote nay," the President said.

And Bruno blacked out.

. . .

Cradock woke Bruno up with a small splash of water. They were both in the Guard House lobby, the secretaries typing away behind them.

"What happened?"

"You passed out," Cradock said. "Carth's Execution is set tomorrow after Frankie's Exile."

Bruno stood up. He gripped his hair, and his eyes filled with water. "How is this possible? Why would Julius do this?"

"He simply said that he could not disobey ECL Thirteen and dismissed us before we could argue," Cradock explained.

Bruno fell to his knees.

Bruno screamed, scaring the secretaries.

And, finally, he cried.

Sunday, 8 March 2099, 9:30AM

Bruno had refused to see Frankie get Exiled into the Pines. The only people that went for the ride were Sir Espington, Cradock, Jago, Sayer, a dozen Guard, and Frankie's family. Cradock had told Bruno that the entire procedure was horrible and hysterical.

"Sir Espington had tied her to a pine tree," the Boss Guard had said. "And gave her a pocketknife. Frankie just said 'Kill me, Julius.' He didn't, though."

. . .

Bruno now stood in the Heart with majority of the residents of Espington. Valinoti, Cariddi, Schmidt, Rina, even Jojo and Lee stood right by Bruno's side. Not only was R9 there, but so were the Nurses, Heather, Ria, Klaudine, Katrina, Claris, even Penni and Brittany. Anzalone was nowhere to be seen.

Sir Espington stood on the stage with Cradock and the rest of the ECC; Bruno refused to stand up there. He had already hugged and kissed his sister goodbye.

The President looked guilty when he started to speak, "I hereby sentence Caroline Arthur Bruno to Execution by the Gallow for Trespassing onto Espington soil. Ma'am, please give your final words."

Bruno remembered when Carth first Trespassed into Espington. Anzalone had brought her to R9. There was a whole problem with Carth going back to Adlington because, apparently, she had done something "bad" and Mom would not have liked it. Bruno had never found out what that was.

He had a feeling he would in just a moment.

"I just want to say I'm sorry to my brother," Carth started. "I should have never entered Espington. But you can't kill me..."

The crowd gasped when she said those words; residents looked at one another with looks of confusion and appallment. Penni had her arms crossed, eyes rolling.

"Why's that?" Julius asked.

"You can't kill me because I'm pregnant."

Bruno didn't comprehend what his twin sister just said. She was pregnant? Carth wasn't married; she didn't have a boyfriend. Did she? Bruno did work a lot in the Mines. His mind wasn't even functioning properly; his pregnant sister was going to be hanged. Or was she?

"Well that changes everything, doesn't it, Julius?" someone called out in the crowd.

"You can't kill a baby!" Valinoti shouted.

"Send her back to Adlington instead!" another resident yelled.

"All right, all right!" Sir Espington yelled. "According to ECL Thirteen B, women carrying an infant cannot be Executed. Automatic jail time is the replacement."

At that moment, the crowd cheered. Bruno didn't know why, but when he looked, it was all his friends and supporters. His buddies clapped, majority of the ECC clapped, the Nurses clapped, Rina clapped, even Julius clapped (although Bruno had no idea why). Jojo barked a bark of happiness. Penni stood still as did Clemente Petty, Jago, and Sayer.

Bruno watched as the Head Guard escorted Carth off the stage and immediately placed her in a Humvee. Jago drove directly back to the Guard House. Bruno was ecstatic; his buddies high-fived and hugged him, Jojo licked him. On instinct, Bruno reached into his jacket pocket (the same one he wore yesterday) and felt the thing Anzalone had given him in the Inns Two lobby.

It was a slip of paper.

Bruno took it out and opened the fold.

There were only three sentences.

Rich, if you read this early or late, I may be dead.

But I may not be.

You have to help me before they kill me.

Bruno ran to Inns Two.

. . .

Anzalone should not have left his room to give Bruno the slip of paper. He thought walking up the Inns Two staircase would have been better than going back in the elevator and getting trapped.

He was wrong.

Anzalone bumped right into the hooded Assassin on the steps between the third and fourth floor of Inns Two.

"I walked up and down the steps the entire day trying to see if you'd show," the Assassin said. "Lucky you didn't take the elevator."

The Assassin took off her hood.

"Meghan?" Anzalone gasped. "You're the Assassin?"

"Yes," she said flatly.

"But you're my best friend."

"I know," Meghan said. "so this is gonna be harder than I thought."

END OF PART ONE