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  “There is no loyalty test.”

  She gave him a yeah, right look. “What about Trina? I want to talk to her.”

  “Last I knew she was in hiding. Like I said, we can’t just send a text or call her up.”

  “Don’t lie to me.”

  “I’m not! Ask Atari.”

  “If you want me to believe you, then let me talk to Lara. Or Trina or Eduardo. There are plenty of people in the Resistance who I can trust. Atari definitely doesn’t count.”

  Tommy stood up. As he started across the room, she shrank away from him and slid her hand under the pillow. He froze and avoided eye contact, as though trying not to antagonize a frightened animal. He would have welcomed his mom’s or Trina’s advice on how to deal with her.

  “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.” He reached for the rolling desk chair, drew it into the middle of the room, and sat a safe distance away. “I missed you, and I’m glad you’re here.”

  She regarded him warily. “Don’t lie. Don’t try to be nice to me.”

  “That’s a dumb thing to say. I’ll be nice to you if I feel like it.”

  She drew her knees toward her chest and hugged her legs. The fading bruises and lack-of-sleep smudges under her brown eyes made them seem even larger in her pale, thin face. If only he could erase all the bad things that had happened to her.

  “Did you sleep all right?”

  “Fine.”

  He nodded. It was good that she didn’t remember the horrors she encountered in her sleep. “I never stopped worrying about you while you were gone.”

  “There was no reason to worry. Madalyn protected me.”

  He shook his head but made an effort to keep his voice nonconfrontational. “How can you call Madalyn a protector? Don’t you remember all the awful things the OCSD has done? They kidnapped my parents and David and Grace. They lied about a terrorist attack so they could use CSD to control what everyone thought and did. They accused you and Trina of a murder you didn’t commit. They hunted you down, and when they finally found you, they beat you and tortured you.”

  She turned indignant. “Madalyn is under a lot of pressure. Everyone criticizes her, but she’s doing an excellent job. It would be easier if the press would leave her alone.”

  “Are you kidding? The press doesn’t dare criticize her.”

  “Besides, you’re leaving out the part of the story where you and your father tried to kill me.”

  “How could we have done that if we were in prison?”

  She paused. “No. Wait. You’re trying to confuse me. You and Tom weren’t caught in BG-098 with everyone else. You were caught after you tried to break into PeopleCam.”

  “I’d never been to the PeopleCam building before last night.” He shook his head. “The way you rewrite the past, you could have come out of the pages of this book.” He held it out to her. “‘War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.’ Or in your case, truth is lies, right?” She didn’t respond, and he found it ironic that the doublespeak seemed to puzzle her. “I’ve been reading a lot since I got here. Atari’s not nearly as good company as you.” Not a hint of a smile. Jeez. Tough room.

  She took the book as though it was something precious. “I wasn’t allowed to have anything to read.”

  “Seriously? You said Madalyn treated you well. Didn’t you tell her how much you love to read?”

  She shook her head, and he pressed a little more.

  “Do you want some books?”

  She nodded but without much enthusiasm. He hoped a visit to the safe house’s library would remind her of her former interests—even if he wasn’t on that list. Yet.

  11:38 AM

  Monday, December 18, 2034

  Quadrant DC-001

  Pete read the tease for the noon PeopleCam report. “‘Reliable intelligence sources claim the recent uptick in terrorist activity threatens the Link program.’ That’s all we’re allowed to say?”

  Sheila leaned closer. “If you think that’s too short, why not allude to the high-speed car chase from the other night? Those two things could be related.”

  “That sounds like we don’t know what we’re talking about.” He sighed. “We should be able to tell our viewers what’s really happening instead of cobbling together unrelated bits of information and passing it off as news.”

  Sheila smiled knowingly. “Pete, loose lips sink ships. We’re in the middle of a war. We can’t say anything on the air that might give our enemies an advantage. It’s good that what we say on the news doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Then why say anything at all?”

  Sheila giggled. “So people will keep watching, that’s why, silly!” She slapped his shoulder playfully and stood. “I’ve got to get to Hair and Makeup for a touch-up.”

  Pete sighed again. The affiliate stations were sending video evidence of lingering food shortages, quadrant marshals bullying people who tried to trade for food at the now-legal marketplaces, and student protests, but any more, the occasional feel-good story from an outer quadrant was all that got through the network censors. Just a few hours ago, he’d received a file from a Resistance source that contained amateur video footage of a truck being hijacked.

  Sheila probably had no idea what was going on in the rest of the country. What he had seen was making him nervous, but it also gave him heart.

  1:04 PM

  Quadrant DC-005

  Atari’s phone rang with Madalyn’s special ringtone. Every breath you take … She’d waited longer than he’d expected to get in touch, but when he connected the call, she didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

  “Do you know how many quadrants haven’t received their Link shipments? Thousands! Actually, tens of thousands! Trucks have been hijacked.”

  “That’s unfortunate.”

  “Well, can’t you do something? Locate the stolen boxes. I mean, they’re full of GPS-enabled trackers, aren’t they?”

  Atari sighed with affected patience. “I’m afraid it’s not that simple. The GPS function only works once the Link has been activated and is drawing power from its host. That is, when someone’s wearing it.”

  “Oh. I assumed you’d be able to recover the ones that were lost. Now we won’t have enough.”

  “Sounds like you’d better postpone.” Atari smirked. We can delay… oh, say… until after you’re arrested.

  “Oh, we’re not postponing.”

  “But Madam Director, delaying the implementation by a week or two has an upside. You do realize that the software associated with the Link is quite complicated. It will take some time to train all the officers who will be using it.”

  She seemed taken aback. “No, I didn’t … well, then you should begin training right away. Garrick can call in representatives from every quadrant—”

  “We’re still in the final stages of software development, and last minute changes are inevitable. Do you want to pull high-ranking marshals off their regular duties and then find they need additional training later? I know it’s hard to hear this, but it could be weeks before the Link is one hundred percent ready.”

  “I refuse to let the Resistance take credit for crippling this important security initiative. The Linking will proceed as scheduled.”

  “If you’re certain, then of course we’ll proceed, but in the meantime, I could upload a simple simulation program. It won’t actually track Links, but it would give the QM a chance to experience the visual on their scanners.”

  “Yes, that will do for now. Once children begin wearing the Link, it will serve as a constant reminder of their responsibility to themselves and to society, even if it’s not activated or monitored yet. We must make sure parents know that the terrorists in the Resistance have targeted their children, and demand their unwavering cooperation.”

  6:30 PM

  Quadrant DC-001

  Madalyn addressed two PeopleCam reporters in the OCSD’s briefing room. “Small, localized attacks mean we’re in more danger than ever. We m
ust begin Linking as soon as possible. The terrorists in the Resistance are never going to leave us alone. Soon they’ll get tired of blowing up buildings, and they will come for our children.”

  When she’d first assumed the directorship, she’d expected to enjoy being in the limelight, but the reality was quite the opposite. Everyone knew the press existed to support the government. She should be able to give her statement, pose for a few photos, and leave without answering questions about things she would prefer not to discuss.

  The man raised his digital recorder. “Where were the recent localized attacks?”

  “One or two shipments of Links bound for the outer quadrants were hijacked and stolen in the last few days.”

  “But there haven’t been any attacks against people.”

  “The drivers of the trucks were certainly people, and they were attacked. The attacks are, by proxy, attacks against all American children, as they were carried out to delay the implementation of the Cerberean Link program.”

  She pointed a finger at them. “The Cerberean Link will become part of life in our country. Participation is not optional. All children under the age of eighteen are required to report to the designated Distribution Centers and receive their Links beginning on Friday.”

  The other reporter raised her hand. “What happens when a child turns eighteen? My son will be an adult in six months.”

  Madalyn nodded. “It is possible to deactivate a Link once your child reaches the age of majority. This option will be made available once the implementation phase of the program is complete. We remain confident that the majority of young adults will recognize the Link’s benefits and choose not to cancel their coverage. The OCSD will keep Americans free by making them feel safe. The Link will be good at that.”

  The two reporters glanced at each other and then began firing questions at her.

  “Why haven’t we seen Careen lately? Where’s she been?”

  “There are rumors that she had a meltdown.”

  “An off-the-record source said she’s been hospitalized for exhaustion.”

  Madalyn’s smile was tight. “No more questions.” She practically ran from the podium. Kevin was waiting for her in the next room.

  “I didn’t know people could disconnect the Link once they turn eighteen.”

  Madalyn made a dismissive gesture. “Oh, that. I don’t know if it can be done or not. I only said it would be a possibility after the implementation phase is complete. Please! The implementation phase is going to take years. By the time the cameras and scanners are all installed and operational nationwide, millions of Linked children will have grown into adults. There won’t be any more unsolved crimes or dissident behavior among the people who have a Link. Just think, Kevin. No one will want to disconnect a Link once they have it. Everyone’s going to love it.”

  Chapter 5

  10:56 AM

  Tuesday, December 19, 2034

  Quadrant DC-005

  Another two days went by before Careen, showered and dressed in a blouse, cardigan, and pair of jeans from the stack of clothes Tommy had brought her, was ready to leave the now-familiar surroundings in Tommy’s room for the promised tour of the safe house.

  He passed Command Central’s doorway without pausing, but she lingered in the hall while she unbuttoned one more button on her top. She suppressed a shudder as she stepped up beside Atari’s leather chair.

  “When will I be going back to Madalyn?”

  Atari didn’t look up from his keyboard. “I’m not in the habit of making things easier for her and the OCSD, so the short answer is never. The long answer is also never. Followed by an exclamation point.”

  She tried another approach, changing her tone to sweet and girlish and twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “Did I pass the loyalty test?”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh. I get it. You’re not allowed to tell me.” She took a step closer and rested her hand on his shoulder. “Can I talk to Lara?”

  “No can do.” He turned his head and his gaze lingered near where she’d just unbuttoned.

  At least I’ve got his attention. “How about Trina then?”

  “Nope.”

  Tommy appeared at her shoulder and took her by the arm. “There you are. Come on. I promised you food and a tour, remember?” He pulled her toward the hall as Atari asked, “Time for a game first?”

  “No.”

  “All right then. You kids have fun and stay out of trouble.” Atari reached for another of the many keyboards on his desk. “See you later, Careen.”

  As soon as they were out of earshot, Tommy stopped and faced her. “Were you flirting with him?”

  “Why, are you jealous?”

  “No, but do you think that’s a good idea?”

  She whispered, “What’s the big deal? Haven’t you ever had to say or do something you didn’t mean to get what you wanted?”

  He hissed back, “You’re too smart to resort to the dumb-girl act. You didn’t get what you were after, and if you’re not careful, you’ll get more than you bargained for.”

  She shook off Tommy’s grip as they crossed the elevator lobby and entered the restaurant-style kitchen, where she perched on a stool at the far end of the stainless steel counter.

  He didn’t speak to her while he rummaged in the refrigerator and pantry and set about making breakfast, mixing batter and spooning it onto the hot griddle. Before long, he was sprinkling powdered sugar over two plates of fluffy pancakes topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries. He set one in front of her, pulled up another stool, and dug into his own portion.

  She had no appetite and busied herself by rearranging the fruit with her fork. He glanced up from his food. “I thought you liked pancakes.”

  “I do. I’m not hungry.”

  He shrugged. “Suit yourself. There’s plenty of food if you’d rather have something else. Danni keeps this place well-stocked.”

  “Danni?” She knew the tone of her voice left no doubt about her opinion of Wes and Jaycee’s cousin.

  “Yeah. She stops in every now and then.” He paused for a moment and scrutinized her face. When he spoke, it was with a hint of defensiveness. “She’s not that bad.”

  “That’s the same thing you said about Wes before you and he—”

  “Danni saved me from getting picked up by the QM. Twice.”

  “That’s interesting. A few weeks ago she was all too eager to put you in harm’s way.”

  “She’s no threat to you. She spread the word about the CXD civil disobedience thing you started, and now there are tons of people, mostly college students, involved. She organized the black market food dealers to keep people from starving during the shortages last month. I know she’s not perfect, but I admire her commitment to the Resistance.”

  Careen laid down her fork and responded without enthusiasm. “That’s great. Really great.” Danni probably loves that she’s getting credit for fixing my mistakes.

  He shrugged, cleared their plates, and led her down the hall to the foyer. “This used to be an office building. It was empty for years before Atari and the Resistance took it over and built it out as their safe house. It’s soundproofed and runs on its own generator. It’s actually pretty awesome.”

  She trailed behind, determined to show no enthusiasm for her new prison.

  “One floor up”—he led her through a fire door and into the stairwell—“there’s a library and media room and more bedrooms. Everyone we know in the Resistance could end up here, and we’d still have plenty of space.”

  He paused in front of the double glass doors that led to the library. “If you were impressed by the books in my dad’s home office, you’re going to love this. It’s about fifty times larger, and there’s a film database too. I didn’t realize there were so many books and movies that had been banned by the government. It will be cool when someday we can give everyone in the country access to what we have stored here.”

>   He opened the door and let her go first, then gestured for her to follow him into the stacks.

  She glanced around as she obeyed, and her nonchalance melted away. Floor-to-ceiling bookcases were crowded with reference books, textbooks, and novels. She inhaled the intoxicating musk of old paper. “I didn’t realize you liked books so much.”

  “Well, yeah, I’ve always liked to read. It was just that I was more focused on learning to fight and shoot when we got involved in the Resistance. After you were gone, I spent most of my time with my nose in a book, because I wanted to understand the Resistance’s point of view. You had a better handle on that than I did, remember? I especially love the banned stuff, because it’s a total slap in the face to the OCSD. They don’t control what I learn and think.”

  She reached the end of the row, and he followed her around the corner. “Do you recognize any of these?”

  “No.” She ran her fingers along the spines. “Wait!” She pulled out a battered paperback copy of Slaughterhouse-Five. “My dad had this one. I meant to take it to college with me, but I couldn’t find it before I left. We moved a lot after he died. Things got lost along the way.” She opened the book and closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of the yellowed pages. “It doesn’t smell the same as my dad’s copy, but that’s okay.” She pulled two more books off the shelf and started a pile on a reading table.

  “You can take as many as you want with you. We can watch movies from the database on any monitor in the building too.” He brought up the catalog on a computer at the end of the aisle.

  She came to stand beside him and looked at the list. “I’ve never heard of any of these.”

  “Yeah. They were all banned when we were little. I saw a really good one the other night, and I’d watch it again if you’re interested. It’s about a kid who goes to wizard school. If you like it, we can watch the other seven in the series together.”