Chapter 33

The warm glow of the exo energy lamps illuminates the tunnel. I run my fingers along the sides, feeling the reinforced girders that hold the structure up. The soil holds the faintest trace of footprints, ones that I wouldn't have noticed if not for the lights. I'm guessing that Xavier must've had some people maintaining this place fairly often.

Along the sides of the tunnel, white chalk marks count the number of days. With the musty smell of dirt and a strange perfume filling the area, I continue straight and keep my gaze focused on the security box at the end. That's the one that Xavier was talking about. My fingers trace the wall as I walk briskly, feeling the bumps and ridges that scratch against my hand. Murmurs echo out of nowhere. They grow louder as I reach the other side, but I still can't understand what they're saying.

Tapping noises scurry through the space. My fingers hover over a slit in the wall, where I look up to find a woman staring at me like she'd never seen another human being before. She tried to reach through the hole, and I would've touched her if I had lifted my hand a little. Instead, I pull away and stare at the other curious faces behind her. That's where the shadows and the noises are coming from.

The sides of the tunnel groan in protest, creaking beneath the crowd of people pushing against the walls. Following the direction of everyone's gaze, that's when I realize that the security box is hanging on a concealed entrance. The door swings open. Several people stare back at me. Everyone has black cloaks and masks, their wrists bearing the raw marks of the Outsiders' insignia. Most of them carry bulky backpacks and sheathed knives hanging from their belts. Other than their initial grunt of greeting, no one else says a word for a few awkward seconds.

"Riri, is that you?"

I follow the direction of the voice until I see Sierra. She pushes past the crowd, her dirt-streaked face slick with sweat. As her dress flutters in the scant ventilation, she bunches the fabric in her small hands to keep it still.

"I knew you'd come back." Sierra wraps her arms around my legs and buries her face in my gown. Her tears quickly soak through the thin material. As she tightens her grip on me, I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever feel my legs again. Meredith appears soon after, but her guarded expression doesn't fade away. She sports new shadows on her cheekbones and scratches on her arms. "We thought that we'd be stuck here forever." She pauses to study my expression and narrows her eyes at me. "Wait. Xavier didn't explain anything to you, did he?"

I shake my head, and she sighs. "All these tunnels were built by the Outsiders. They wanted to link everyone together, and we'd all escape through a tunnel if things didn't work out. But Proxy installed the security box and cut us off, so Xavier needed to insert his consciousness inside and open up the tunnels for us."

"But you always wanted to leave, even before we knew what Proxy did to the false immunes."

"I needed time to figure out how to deal with them, and I can't do that here." She pushes back her thick hair to the side to reveal the scar of the Outsiders' insignia on her neck, wincing a little as she runs her hand over the mark. "Since the supply routes are cut off, Sierra and a few others helped us get the rations for the journey. From there, we'll leave through the emergency tunnel. Jax knows I'll be gone too, but what matters is bringing Proxy down, and I want to do this without him."

Sierra nods. "Aunty Meredith signed me up for Proxy's experiment, and they did some stuff to me. They gave me rations at the end and said that I did well." She points to Meredith, and the others gather behind her. "I gave them some, but I left the rest for you, Riri. We have enough until the next harvest season. I'm not going with Aunty Meredith without you."

My smile is tight as I ruffle Sierra's hair, and Meredith sighs and stares at her feet. "We needed all the help we could get. Also, Proxy healed her and erased her memories of the experiments, so it's fine."

"You used her."

"We can't survive without supplies, and Proxy blocked the Outsiders' supply routes. When they started calling for experiment volunteers, the compensation was some extra rations and water. Aria, if there was another way around the plan, you know that I wouldn't need to do this. It's the only way we could—"

"Have a nice life out there." I take a step back and pull Sierra behind me protectively. A part of me feels empty, like a void that can't be filled. Meredith doesn't want to be here. Even if I give a thousand reasons why she shouldn't join the Outsiders, her answer will still be the same. Since she won't stay with her family, she'll wait for no one else. I meet her gaze one last time, wondering if all that remains of her is a shred of the woman I once knew.

"Aria, are you disappointed?" Meredith's voice comes out as the barest squeak.

I don't answer. Instead, I'm thinking of climbing out of the tunnel with Sierra and disappearing into the night. Except, I can't do that. There's nowhere to hide her. Someone claps me on the shoulder, and I look up to see Genevieve, Sierra's surrogate mother. Her silver, unruly tresses stuck out of her hair tie. "I'll bring her back to the Sanctuary, and I know where it's safe for her. Please, Aria."

Slowly, I release my grip on Sierra's hand, trying to remember her tear-streaked face and how she clung to me earlier. For a while, she stays where she is. "Aunty Meredith tells me that the bad people want you, and Proxy will send you far away for the Pairing. But will you promise me that you'll be back soon, Riri?" She holds out her pinkie finger and wraps it around mine.

We stay like this for a few long seconds until I pull away, opening the trapdoor to the unforgiving night.

The moment I slip back into the restroom through the window, the door bursts open, and the Sentinel greets me with a snarl. She hauls me with her, nearly tripping me over as she marches me down the hallway. "Cleo will meet the next group now," she says gruffly, throwing me onto the ground. My ribs ache with the impact. While I catch my breath, I barely glimpse Cleo's face before she lifts me up.

"Don't move." She shoots me a warning through her obsidian eyes. Sentinels push me along until I'm standing in front of a metal box embedded in the wall. A flash of light fills my vision. Instantly, I'm on the ground, shaking as electricity fries my nerves. My stomach lurches as something clamps down hard against my throat. Blazing wires snake beneath my stretched skin, extending to my stomach. The edges of my vision blacken, and the lights above swim in and out of view. The bright contours suddenly seem foreign, growing and shrinking into overlapping, distorted shapes. A hesitant hand reaches out to me. It pulls away at the last moment.

That's when I notice the others around me. All of us are handcuffed and forced to our feet by the Sentinels. As a rough hand closes around my arm, my breathing protests against the heavy piece of metal. As I run my fingers over the smooth surface, the realization doesn't take long to settle in. It's a collar. Cleo's face creeps into my peripheral vision. Slowly, I get up and wipe away the blood still dripping from my neck.

I bite my lip and search the crowd of Unpaired people, but Jax isn't there. The aching feeling in my chest grows, and I swallow the lump in my throat.

Cleo picks up the pace and leads the way to a transparent walkway. People walk briskly past me, most donning identical gray suits paired with guarded expressions. They look up for just long enough to avoid crashing into our group. Beyond the sea of faces, the platform comes into view. It's shaped like an inverted pyramid suspended in a moat of crystalline water. Under the last rays of twilight, the structure takes on a deep hue of glistening scarlet.

"This is the birthing platform where we'll make your Progeny. We won't call them children anymore since they're made differently," Cleo says.

Someone in the crowd raises a hand. "What happens if we're not paired with anyone?"

"Then we'll keep you here until we figure things out."

I gulp and avert my gaze. Halfway down the hallway, I spot the Progeny suspended in a fluid. They're tiny, almost unrecognizable, with their tightly curled bodies. Transparent tubes connect them to a machine beneath the display case. Each child is given a serial number, and their parents' names are written in a small script beneath the bold digits.

Cleo pauses and adjusts her glasses, "We've already started the Pairing process using the reproductive cells you've all given us. All these Progeny will also grow much faster than normal babies to restore the population quickly. It should take a few weeks, but some of them are growing much faster than that."

The sound of her high heels soon grows distant. A sickening crack echoes off the walls as my head throbs. I hit the floor, crimson inching across the scratched marble tiles.

"Get moving." One of the Sentinels taps his electric baton impatiently, and I glimpse the traces of blood that stains the metal. I snarl between gritted teeth as I force myself up.

Cleo returns, masking her shock behind a practiced veil of indifference. She waves the Sentinels away. "You have one minute. No, make it thirty seconds," she says. I scramble to my feet, using the wall for support as I force myself to get up again. My legs refuse to cooperate, and I kneel in front of a display case. The fetus reaches out to the glass and presses her palm against it. Her lips curve slightly into a smile. Life reminds me of death and how it steals people away whenever it wants. It's heartless that way.

"What about those false immunes? Killing them is your way of making space for more Progeny?" I rasp.

Her expression hardens. "They died from the radiation, and we didn't do anything to them. That's how the Trials are."

I clench my jaw, feeling the heat rise from my chest to my neck—indignation coils within me. My calloused palms begin to ache as blood rushes to them.

"Their lives don't mean anything to you." My voice is thin and strained. "That's what it is, right? It's all in the name of research."

Cleo grows livid. A familiar ripping sensation starts at the corner of my mouth as my dry lips split open and my cheek burns from her deafening slap. The Sentinels pull me up and drag me along by the arms. Through the windows, I catch a glimpse of the outside world. I think I see people, though their movements look like swaying plants. We keep walking until we reach a prison complex.

"This is where you'll live until the Pairing Ceremony. Of course, you're not paired. Instead, you'll be reconstructed while the others will be at the birthing platform." Cleo's last sentence is laced with derision. The cells are almost empty except for a chair and a thin mattress. After the doors slam shut, I remain standing for a long while. Krystal rests on a bed in the medical cell next door, with intravenous tubes attached to her arms and legs. An oxygen mask is hooked around her.

Dinner came three hours ago, but I stared at the cold food absently. The cells are filled with sounds of snoring and heavy breathing. Krystal was transferred somewhere else a while ago, and her cell remains closed. Sighing, I look away. Except for the lamp glued to the corner of the mattress, everywhere else bathes in darkness. Sitting up, I examine the wall behind me, only to be greeted with a hopeless vision of bricks sandwiched between layers of cement. Then, one of them comes loose. I watch as a sharp knife slices easily through the layers and pushes the brick free. A piece of paper slips through.

We need to talk. Stay put, and don't try anything.

Sure enough, a tall figure appears in the shadows. Jax picks the lock and slips past my cell doors with practiced ease. Biting my lip, I look down again and replay our conversation in my head like a never-ending nightmare.

"I wanted to check on Krystal," I say clumsily, and I feel like kicking myself for that lame attempt at small talk.

"I know," he says, a rueful grin making its way across his features, "Krystal is fine. I saw them wheel her out, but I don't think she'll be joining the ceremony." He twirls a knife in his hand and shoves it into his pocket. He raises his arm and pulls back the sleeve. The mark is permanent now.

"Are you sure you won't regret it? You still haven't told me what you're giving up for this."

"Aria, I could never imagine being with anyone else. It's been that way for a long time, for years now, even before I kissed you for the first time." Jax twines my fingers with him, leaning in until I can feel his breath against my cheek. "We'll deal with it when the time comes. I know you would've done the same for me."

"That's different. I risk it all because I can't live with myself otherwise, so it's probably just a conscience thing, you know?"

His gaze softens, and he reaches out to touch my face. "No. It's because of what you have in here." He places a hand on my chest. I feel like someone broke it and crushed my heart to a pulp. I can't let anyone else die. No one should risk anything for me. Jax holds me close, and my breathing slows to the steady drum of his heartbeat. When his thumb skims my cheek, I tip his face to mine. Our mouths collide in ravenous intensity. Every sensation stokes a heat from deep within, beautiful yet frightening.

...

Our belongings are dumped into a huge bag and sent away in a courier truck. I hope my drawings make it there safely in one piece. We're waiting backstage in the Capital City stadium. Eorius beats down hard on us as we wait, making me restless. Krystal isn't here. Still, I force myself to continue ahead.

Our group is quickly whisked off to the stage in the center of the Arena. From backstage, I observe the cheering crowds. It's like the first day, but their smiles seem more genuine this time. The others are there already, taking centerstage just like the previous years. We wait for Cleo's cue to step onstage. She elbows through our group until she can peek at the spectacle in front. My heart pounds hard in my chest, the jeering crowd making me blank out momentarily.

Cleo soon signals that it's our turn. Her hurried gestures and movements make it even more unnerving to me. The crowd goes wild as we stand there, whistling and throwing their handkerchiefs in the air. Standing next to the rest, I'm suddenly aware of how much larger they are. They could probably break my bones in a single punch. I'm positioned next to a tall girl. Her marking on her arm reminds me of what Jax did for me or what I've gotten him into.

I know how different his life would've been. He would never have to worry about another day in his life. All he needs to do is keep serving the government. His family will have a decent supply of premium rations. Priority healthcare comes with the package, along with a whole string of benefits that are too numerous to name. That's what all Proxy workers get in their benefits package. The aching feeling of guilt floods me again.

President Finley takes the podium, donning his politician's smile once again. "We're proud to present the future of humanity, and they'll make a new generation of immunes in this birthing season. At the same time, the Unpaired will be prepared for the Pairing process." His words bring in a round of half-hearted applause. I scan the multitude of faces, wondering if they realize what goes on behind Proxy's striking facade. In the vast crowd, some people stare blankly at us.

Once the President is done speaking, we're led to the next area, where several cameras broadcast this live. The gap between our groups widens as we sink to the back. They get inside the chambers first, one at a time.

I weave through the group, squeezing through our tight formation until I'm next to Jax. He grins. His hand finds mine, lacing our fingers together. Then, a burning sensation starts from my neck, traveling down to my feet. Blood trails downwards until it soaks through my clothes. I'm swaying but still managing to stand. Pain fizzles in my joints and erupts in my head. Just then, I notice a small, red rectangle glowing beneath the skin of another girl in front of me. She's also bleeding the same way I am, except she's steadier on her feet.

Our group moves to the front, where we wait to be called. Cleo gestures and I reach one of the empty cubicles. Jax holds my hand as he sinks into the one next to mine. As we let go of each other's hands, a tingling sensation lingers on my fingertips. A shield covers me and locks me in place. My body sinks back, and a machine drills itself into the nape of my neck.

As my vision dims, my skin grows clammy and cold. The people outside fade to mere silhouettes. They grow and shrink like monsters living in a child's wild imagination. Scipio is nearby. I can hear her voice as it pierces through my prison, but I can't make out her words—the urge to run and hide surges through my veins. I kick and thrash against the glass that traps me inside, but my muscles are already burning. The strength quickly sapped until I had nothing left in me.

There's a knocking sound outside. Screams fill the air while the ground rumbles. As a crimson plume shatters the stage, a fluttering vision of black cloaks floats through the crowd, leaving a long trail of Sentinel bodies in their wake. The Outsider closest to the stage peels off her mask. Her eyes are wild, and her scars are etched deeper into her features. I wince at the sight. Scipio's face looks like it'd been split apart and hastily attached, and her thin fingers grip a knife that slips out of her sleeve. Before she disappears backstage, I glimpse Scipio's sturdy form glowing among the ravenous flames; her lips curled in a knowing smile.

The ground rumbles, and a white cloud engulfs my vision. My chamber rattles, and I press my hand against the side of my compartment. Heat singes my nerve endings, spreading through my body until it reaches my core. Then, a silhouette cuts through the searing clouds. I stifle a gasp as his face comes into view.

It's Mateo. Groaning, he sticks a metal contraption beneath the chamber glass and pries it open. "Told you I'd come back for you."

All I can do is stare at the impossible sight. His face is whole again, and there's no trace of metal on Mateo's newly formed skin. My gaze flits back to the pile of Sentinel bodies near the stage. "What's happening?"

"The Outsiders are still stateless because Proxy won't take them back." He shakes his head and sighs. When his eyes meet mine again, there's a glimmer of uncertainty. "Anyway, they busted a hole through The Sanctuary. Now's your only chance to leave."

My throat runs dry. A cold feeling grips my limp body with a burning need to break free, but my stubborn legs wouldn't budge. "Sierra's still back there."

"You've been through hell and back. Don't tell me you're strong enough to barge in, guns blazing. Jax can't even stand up without my help. You'll come back for her when you're not half-dead, Aria. I promise."

That's when I get a whiff of the air from the outside world. At first, it seems like a dream until a citrus scent overwhelms me, and I taste its sweetness on the tip of my tongue. Rivulets of crystal droplets land on my skin. Like a siren's call, freedom beckons me to the world beyond the dome. Mateo walks away briefly, only to return with Jax half-draped over his shoulder. Stumbling over to me, Jax leans against my compartment for support. A smile touches his chapped lips, but his chest heaves with every tortured breath. Whatever Proxy drilled inside our necks is stronger than I thought. The flames climb higher, licking the pillars and swallowing the wooden beams above. Glowing splinters descend onto my skin.

There's no point in fighting battles that we aren't ready for.

Letting out a shaky breath, I meet Mateo's desperate eyes and nod. We'll be renegades in the endless unknown, like phantoms drifting over the seas in search of a horizon. Yet, we're not lost. Our memories guide us back to those we've left behind, and that's the greatest compass we could ask for.