Slowly, carefully, I made a small, stinging cut across the pad of my palm, then handed him the knife. Knowing what I wanted, he made a cut on his palm. Then we pressed our hands together, making sure the blood mixed.
“I love you forever,” Nate said solemnly.
“I love you forever, too,” I promised. “And we will get married. Someday.”
We sealed our pact with another kiss, then headed back to camp.
11
BECCA
MY MIDDLE NAME IS NOT “Patience.” I was about to come out of my skin, waiting here in the hallway outside Strepp’s office with a couple hundred of my closest friends. This was what we’d been waiting for, working toward, for months. This was why we’d left our cells, our friends, everything we knew behind. It had all come down to this: our assignments. What each of us would do to fight the United.
Since dawn, Strepp had been calling soldiers in—sometimes one alone, sometimes small groups. Cassie, Tim, Nate, and I stuck together and waited.
The door opened and three soldiers older than us came out looking grimly satisfied. When the door closed they gave each other high fives and sauntered out.
“They got a good assignment,” Tim said in a low voice. “Hope we’re as lucky.”
“I can’t believe this is it,” Cassie said. “This is why we were taken, why we went through the Crazy House, why we’ve been trained.” She shook her head and leaned against the concrete wall, looking still and thoughtful—two words that had never been applied to me.
“It’s our chance to strike back at the United,” Nate said. I’d noticed he and Cassie giving each other lovebird looks all morning, and I’d been grossed out until I caught myself gazing adoringly at Tim. In return his eyes glittered knowingly at me, and while I’m not a blushing-type person, I did feel a little thrill race down my spine.
I nodded and said, “This is for Ma and Pa and everyone back at the cell. The United won’t be keeping us on a leash anymore.”
“Never again,” Tim said, and we all repeated it: “Never again.”
Two more kids came out of Strepp’s office looking sad. One of them wiped tears away from his cheek.
“Bad assignment,” Nate muttered.
It went on, everyone but the four of us getting called, everyone then trooping out and down the hall. Some soldiers looked thrilled, some looked terrified, some looked kind of sick to their stomachs.
We were last. More than three hundred freaking soldiers were given their jobs ahead of us. What was gonna be left? KP duty? I could already feel my blood rising. I hadn’t trained like an effing dog all this time just so I could stay here and man the shortwave radio or some shit.
It was almost noon when we finally entered Strepp’s camp office. We were Strepp’s be
st fighters. I knew that. I was hoping that meant she’d held on to the toughest assignment, saving it for the A-team. Squaring my shoulders, I strode in and stood at attention in front of her desk.
“Your childhood is over,” Strepp said, standing up. “Your childhood has been over for a while now.”
Well, there’s a news flash, I thought.
“You’re adults now, with adult power… and adult responsibility.”
Cassie’s pinkie reached out slightly and touched mine. I didn’t dare look at her—we would both burst into laughter if I did.
“You think you’re hotshots,” Strepp said, her voice cold. She walked around us, raking us with her gaze as if she were watching a worm fry on a hot sidewalk. “Kids, you ain’t done nothing yet. Talk to me when you’ve saved lives, when you’ve stopped evil, when you’ve actually made one goddamn difference in this world!”
This was Strepp at her worst. She’d always been able to change her persona in an instant—there were times I’d swear I’d seen warmth or caring in her eyes. It was hard to imagine right now.
“This isn’t training,” she went on, pacing. “This isn’t just some battle, and we’re not trying to claim a cell. This is an all-out war. You’re fighting not for one cell, but for all cells. You’re fighting not just for your future, but for everyone’s future. The future of humankind. Do you understand? Do you fully grasp that concept?”
We all muttered, “Yes, ma’am.” What else could we say?
“Becca,” she said, whirling to look at me. “You’ll be a squad leader, commanding five soldiers. You’ll be advance scouts, covering a great deal of ground. Your squad’s job is to make maps, neutralize any United outposts, and make contact with undercover Resistance agents in the Outerlands.”
I clenched my fist at my side so I wouldn’t give a victory punch in the air. Yes! Oh, yes! This was going to be awesome! High risk, high reward—the way I liked it! I almost laughed out loud, picturing me, Cassie, Nate, and Tim crawling through underbrush, peering through binoculars—and best of all, I was in charge! I almost bounced on my heels with excitement and couldn’t wait to get out of here so we could all talk about it.