“Even if he does,” Tomas says, “that leaves the four of us to question two on the president’s list and eliminate two others, all in one night.” Tomas looks at the array of materials next to us and frowns as he contemplates the difficulty of the task. “I guess we need to think of this like a mathematical proof. We understand the question. Now we have to list everything we know about the subjects, our skills, and the obstacles we face. Maybe then we’ll find a way to solve it.”
Easier said than done. There are too many variables: the extra Safety official patrols; our unfamiliarity with areas we will have to visit; no estimate on how long it will take to achieve our goal when we reach each location. It’s an impossible equation with our current numbers.
While Tomas goes to the kitchen to grab rolls and water for lunch, I hear a series of clicks. Zeen. I pick up the Transit Communicator, take a deep breath, and press the button.
“Zeen.”
“Cia.” Just hearing his voice brings emotions I’ve held at bay to the surface. But I cannot let him hear me sound weak or scared or he will come find me. As much as I want to see my older brother, I need him to stay where he is.
“How are the rebels reacting to the postponing of the president’s proposal?”
“According to Symon, everything is going forward as scheduled. If the president really did postpone making her stand on the Debate Chamber floor, word hasn’t reached us. The attack is still being planned for the end of this week.”
Which means we have to complete our mission before then.
“Anticipation of the attack has emotions running high around here. That’s why I haven’t been able to contact you. This is the first chance I’ve had to warn you. You need to get off campus. Part of the attack is going to happen there. I don’t want you caught in the crossfire,” Zeen says as Tomas walks into the room.
“Already done,” I say. “Something happened last night.” I shake my head. This isn’t the time to talk about Enzo. “Tomas and I were able to get off campus and are currently hiding while we wait for some of our friends.”
“Good. That’s good. If you stay where you are until after—”
“I’m not staying here. The president has asked me to help end The Testing and save the rebels and I’m going to try. But I can’t do it without you.”
“You shouldn’t be involved in this, Cia.”
“Are you kidding? I went through The Testing. I became involved in this the minute they chose me to come to Tosu City. There are things I’ve been asked to do that I hate, but I’ll do them because the alternative is even worse. You can’t stop me. But you can help me. Where is Symon now?”
“He’s meeting with his team leaders. Ranetta wants to start deploying the attack groups of her rebel faction around the city tonight so they’ll blend in. They don’t want anyone to question their presence before Friday, when the attack begins.”
Tomas takes the Communicator and asks, “Can you get close enough to Ranetta to talk to her?”
“Tomas? I would think if anyone could talk Cia out of this you could.” When Tomas says nothing, I give his arm a squeeze. “Ranetta’s pretty busy right now,” Zeen continues. “I doubt she has time for someone like me.”
“If you find a man named Dreu Owens, I bet you can convince him to get her to make time for someone from Five Lakes. He’s Magistrate Owens’s son, and we have reason to believe he’s working with the rebellion. Find him and he might be able to help you stop the attack or get you close enough to permanently remove Symon.”
“We need you to eliminate Symon, Zeen,” I say before my brother can reply. “None of us will be able to get close enough to kill him. We can take out Dr. Barnes and the others on the list, but Symon controls the direction of too many of the rebels. You have to take charge of his removal. Otherwise who knows what will happen next.”
Tomas and I look at each other as the silence on the other end stretches on. “Zeen?” I ask quietly. When he doesn’t answer I say his name again. “Are you there?”
“I’m here. Dad used to talk about Dreu. He liked to follow Dad around to learn how to engineer new plants. Dad said I rivaled Dreu in the asking-questions department. If Dreu’s here, I’ll find a way to enlist his help. If not, don’t worry. I’ll kill Symon myself.”
I close my eyes as feelings storm through me. Relief that Zeen will help. Pride that he is no longer speaking to me as if I am a child. And sorrow for making my brother vow to take a life.
I want to thank him but the words stick in my throat. How do you thank someone for promising to kill? I know that by doing so Zeen could die, and if he is successful, it will forever change his own life.
Swallowing hard, I tamp down the tears and focus. “We’re waiting for the rest of our team to arrive. If everything works out, we’ll begin our attack tonight.”
“Then I’ll try to be ready on my end. Signal me three times if you’re starting your assault. With luck, I’ll have found Dreu and will be in touch before then. And Cia . . . be careful.”
“You too.”
The Communicator crackles for a moment and then there is quiet. Worry festers deep in me when I think about the danger Zeen is in.
Since we still don’t know how many of us will be working to find our targets, I concentrate on one problem we are certain of. The extra Safety patrols that are traveling the Tosu City streets. As Tomas and I discuss this, I look at our supplies and have an idea. Since they have been instructed to keep an eye out for me, Tomas, and anyone we are with, the best way to go unnoticed is to make them think they have already found us.