I look toward the city and its buildings. Over a hundred thousand people live in that area. They have power, clean water, and the comfort of being near one another. Few wild animals venture into the streets. No threat from the chemicals that still corrupt the earth beyond the city’s limits. I can understand why people choose that safety for themselves and their families. There are a few citizens in Five Lakes who prefer living near the square, where there is less chance of animal attacks or being isolated during an emergency. But most of us are spread out. If necessary, we can survive on our own. I wonder how many people in Tosu City could say the same.
It is Enzo who first spots the chain-link fenc
e that announces we have reached our destination. The fence stands at least eight feet high and stretches far into the distance on each side. As we get closer, I can read the dirt-streaked signs posted on it.
DANGER.
THIS AREA HAS NOT BEEN REVITALIZED.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL INSIDE.
DO NOT ENTER.
“How are we supposed to find the next task?” Damone asks. “This fence goes on for miles.”
“The final years want us to find the task,” I reason. “They must have made the location obvious.” I hope.
Will steers the skimmer east along the fence line while the rest of us look for signs of the next Induction task. There. In the mid-afternoon sunlight, a red flag flutters from the top of the fence a hundred yards away. When we reach the spot and exit the skimmer, four large steel boxes, about three feet wide and six feet long, are sitting on the ground next to the fence. Each has a keypad embedded into the top. None of the boxes appears to be disturbed. We are the first team to arrive.
While Damone pumps his fist into the air, Will throws open the lid to our box. Inside there is a note that reads:
The planes of the past used Newton’s laws of motion to reach the skies. Now it is your turn. Choose a team member to climb into the box and close the lid. When the lid locks, the marker and clue to the next task will be dispensed. Solve the problem on the display to release your team member and be on your way.
“Someone has to get in there?” Enzo asks.
Will reads the note again and nods. “That’s what it says.” He closes the lid on the steel box and opens it again. “There must be a weight mechanism on the bottom that, when engaged, activates the lock. Maybe we can fill it with rocks or something heavy enough to simulate a person.”
I doubt the final years will let us off the hook that easy, but I follow Will’s lead and pile several heavy rocks into the box. When the lock still won’t engage, Enzo frowns. “They must have heat sensors set up to ensure that we comply with the guidelines.”
Either that or we’re being watched.
“Okay.” Will nods. “Who’s going to get in?”
“Cia will,” Damone says. “She’s the captain and the smallest.”
Both good reasons, but the idea of being locked inside a steel box and reliant on my team to release me makes me want to run far and fast.
Damone notices my hesitation and says, “You picked this team, Cia. Don’t you have enough faith in your judgment to rely on us to solve this task on our own?”
I look from Damone’s smirking face to Will’s, with its lack of expression, to Enzo’s concerned one. All three are smart. They wouldn’t be attending the University if they weren’t. Do I believe they will come up with the correct answer to whatever problem they are given? Yes. Do I trust them with my life? No. But I don’t have a choice. Damone has cornered me. Refusal will alienate my team. Even if we pass Induction, I will have made enemies.
“Okay.” I say as I set the green team bag on the ground and climb into the cold steel box. As small as I am, I have to bend my knees and twist my shoulders to fit myself into the container.
“Why don’t you give me your bags?” Will offers, and reaches for the straps. “That’ll give you more room.”
“No.” I pull the bags tight against my chest. While I have been maneuvered into putting my life in my team’s hands, I will not trust them with my secrets. The Transit Communicator will stay locked in this box with me.
“Here.” Enzo puts his flashlight in my hand. “We’ll get you out of there quick. I promise.”
As I watch Will reach for the lid and pull it down, I hope Enzo is right. Metal closes over me. Everything goes black. I hear the snap of a lock that tells me there is no going back. Until my team comes up with the correct solution, I am trapped.
I hit the switch on the flashlight. The small beam reflects off the silver of my prison. Even though I know it is futile, I push against the metal above me. It doesn’t budge. I run my fingers along the edge of the lid. The seal on the box appears tight. A click of the flashlight confirms my suspicion. There is no hint of outside light. Unless I am mistaken, this container is airtight. If my team does not release the locking mechanism in a timely manner, I will die.
I need to conserve air, but my breath comes fast and harsh. Knowing my life lies in the hands of someone who in the past tried to kill me fills me with terror. The pounding of my blood in my veins rings loud in my ears, drowning out the sounds of the voices outside the steel walls. Or maybe the material of the walls is too thick to hear clearly.
Pushing aside the panic that bubbles in my chest, I focus on my breathing. Measured breath in. Slow exhale out. Growing up, my brothers liked to play hide-and-seek. As the smallest of us, I could wriggle into the best hiding spots. And yet my brothers never failed to find me. Until finally Zeen explained that the excited sound of my breathing gave me away. It took practice on my part, but eventually my brothers needed to use more than just their ears to find me.
When my breathing calms, I strain to hear what is happening with my team. The voices are muted. Mumbles tell me they are hard at work, but I cannot tell what the task is or how long it is going to take. Here and there, I make out a word.