When I'm a few yards away, the figure recognizes me and lowers his weapon. It's 13.
“Are you alone?” he asks.
“Yes,” I snap back.
“Good.” He turns. “Come with me.”
He leads me through the ground levels of the stadium and to the open field in the middle. It's the first time I have been out here since I first arrived from the Egypt compound. That feels like ages ago, but I have no time to reminisce, because 13 continues walking toward a set of concrete stairs. We climb to the very top of the stadium. My legs shake on the last few steps, and my lungs struggle. Today has taken a physical toll on my body.
We stand next to each other, and I look around to catch my bearings and take in the view. The clouds are so dense that they seem to wrap around both of us. I can't even see the field below.
“Here, I brought you one.” 13 pulls a protein pouch from his pocket and hands it to me.
The instant it hits my hand, a pang strikes my stomach, and I realize that I have not eaten a single thing today. I rip it open and consume the entire thing in one gulp.
“I'm glad I brought that.” He chuckles.
“Me too.” I laugh. “I found a place. It's perfect for turning the drones and acclimating them. It's in an abandoned part of the city with smaller buildings. They are all still in good shape.”
“The place with the bad water?” he asks.
“Yes.” My skin shivers. It's colder up here. “I did see a few drones patrolling there, though. So, we need to be careful.”
He looks me in the eye. “You need to be careful. I found out that Lucie has been getting drones to keep an eye on you and report back to her. She knows about KJ. She doesn't know who she is or what she means to you, because the drones aren't sure how to relay that information. But she does know that you have spent time with her.”
I'm at a loss for words. I thought we had been careful, and no one had followed us. I guess when I'm with her, I am less concerned with my surroundings. Does that mean that they are also aware of my plans to turn the drones?
13 answers my question for me. “I asked if they have seen you do anything else. They said no, but Lucie told them to follow you if they ever saw you wander off alone. Since they have seen me with you when we have talked about the plan, they haven't found it suspicious. It's why I brought you up here. They believe we are patrolling the perimeter together.”
“That's good. And I will be more aware and careful moving forward.” I still can't believe that I was so naive to think that I wasn't being watched. Of course I am. Lucie has been suspicious of me since she first saw me walk up with Farouk.
“Tomorrow, I will assign two drones, along with you and myself, to patrol Badwater. We can take advantage of that and force those drones to drink the first two vials.” 13 smirks. He's proud of his plan.
“That's perfect,” I comply. “Is that place called Badwater?”
“I don't know. But it's what I'm calling it.” He laughs again. “What else did you and KJ do?”
“We kissed.” It slips out of my mouth. My cheeks turn red, and I'm embarrassed I let that out.
“That's where people put their lips together, right? Didn't Paz and Farouk do that?” he pries.
I try to recall. “I think so.”
“Why do people do that? Are they blowing in each other's mouths?” The genuineness of his inquiry is charming, but it still makes me laugh.
“No.” I stop laughing, questioning my idea of kissing. “Or at least I hope not, because then I've been doing it wrong.”
A guttural laugh escapes his mouth. It's the first I've heard him let loose. He's still growing and changing, but it feels great to have another person going through what I've had to go through. It's nice not to be alone with my challenges.
For the next few hours, we joke and talk. He asks me questions about anything and everything, and I do my best to answer each one as best I can. It reminds me of the nights I spent with Atom on the library roof at the Egypt compound.
When our laughs turn to yawns, we head back down the endless stairs to the field and then to our separate rooms. I don't bother removing my clothes, and I collapse on the bed. My body earned sleep today.
A knock at my door wakes me. I stand, half alert, and put my shoes on my feet. I'm not sure what time it is or who it might be, but I'm not in the mood to keep up appearances. I crack the door to see 13 flanked by two other drones.
“You have thirty seconds to fall in line!” he shouts, playing his role of the senior drone with perfect precision.
His demand brings me to full alertness. I know what we are doing. The adrenaline kicks in as I take two of the vials from under my bed. I make sure they are still secure in the socks, and then I place them in my pockets, tapping them to ensure their safety.
I fall in line behind the other drones and let 13 lead us to our destination. The drones here still see me as a traitor, so they don't speak to me. We reach the exterior of the stadium, and 13 hands each of us a rifle. A few blocks down the side of the stadium, I spot Farouk with a group of other scientists, gathered around four large metal cylinders. It's the first time I have ever seen him at work.
After a long walk, we arrive at the small town of Badwater, as 13 called it. He stops us and looks right at me. “80, where did you
