“No, our relationship isn’t like that.”
“But you didn’t have any of the effects I had?”
“No, I didn’t,” I said. “What happened this morning? I knocked on your door.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night. Felt really shaky. Started throwing up. This morning was rough. I sat in my shower for a long time. The moment curfew was done, I left to find Becca. Her shift ends around curfew. Found her and begged for a stimulant drink, hoping it would make me feel better. Can’t hurt, right? It’s not like Gregory has reached out.”
“They’redruggingus,” I stated, repeating her words. “Isn’t that more pressing?”
Lo shook her head. “No, I need a contract more than ever. They aren’t being drugged up there.”
They did receive their supplements as injections. There was no way to determine what might be in them. I couldn’t see them drugging the Elite. They didn’t need to. The Elite followed the Illum blindly up in their clouds.
I sighed. “Lo, I am sure he has his reasons. I can ask Collin the next time I see him.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“Not since the dinner.” I quickly changed the subject. “You shouldn’t have seen Becca this morning. What if they notice you left the area?”
“If I’m eliminated, I won’t have to worry about a contract.”
I grasped her arm. “Lo, don’t talk like that.”
“Fine, fine.” She patted my hand, and I released her. “Why do you think Collin hasn’t reached out?”
“I’m sure he’s busy managing all of this,” I said, gesturing to the Minors staring into space. “He’s an Illum after all. This came from him.”
“Emeline, thank you for getting me off those supplements. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”
“Of course. I know you’d do the same for me.”
We exited through the tall glass doors. I tilted my head toward the sun’s dying rays when a panicked gasp escaped Lo, her face pale as she looked toward the Pods.
“The Force is here. They have weapons,” Lo whispered, her voice quaking.
Slowly, I tracked her gaze to see dozens of green-clad men with guns walking around the women in gray. “Let’s get to the Pods.”
“Why are they here?” Lo asked, barely audible.
“I don’t know. Let’s go. Don’t look at them.”
I stared at the ground as we joined the line to the Pods shoulder to shoulder, Lo’s fingers brushing mine. The footfalls of heavy boots thudded in my ears.
My Comm Device dinged, and panic seized me.
“Whose device is that?” a voice rang out. The crunch of boots against the pavement drew closer. Dread squeezed my throat as my Comm Device dinged again.
Lo’s fingers flexed next to mine. Tighter surveillance, that’s what Tabitha had said in the Illum video. Apparently, drugging the Minors into submission was not enough. They had called in the Force.
“Look, come forward, and things will be nice and easy,” the soldier said, closer this time.
A man laughed. “I’d rather it be hard. Easy is no fun.”
“They won’t fucking hear you,” another drawled. “They’re not really there.”
“If one of them does, we’ll have bigger issues.”
“They’ll be the one with issues. The Illum is giving out promotions for finding Minors disobeying.”
