“There is a certain ring to it,” said DeWitt.
Chase had paled. “You’d use her name.”
“Yes,” I said weakly. “You’d have to use my name. It’s already out there—the MM’s broadcasted it on and off since we escaped reform school.” Part of me had known it would come to this when I’d come up with the plan. That didn’t make it any easier to swallow though.
“People think you’re dead,” Chase argued. “When Cara died, your name died with her.”
DeWitt flinched. “There’s nothing like resurrecting a hero to get people’s attention.”
I turned to Chase, feeling a cool numbness override the fear. “The MM knows we’re alive because of that stupid photo from the hospital. They’re already looking for us. We might as well shove it in their face that I’m still alive despite everything they’ve done. At the same time we can tell the people what the FBR is really capable of.”
“It’s good,” said Panda. “Look at her. She’s the girl next door. Everyone either is her, or knows someone like her.”
They looked at me like I was some kind of specimen to be studied, all the while considering if my past was traumatic enough, if I’d been innocent enough, if I was strong enough now. It didn’t feel like they were talking about me as much as the me they needed me to be.
I fiddled with the Statutes, strewn across the table while they continued to talk about me like I wasn’t there. My eyes landed on the number that had changed my life.
Article 5: Children are considered valid citizens when conceived by a married man and wife. All other children are to be removed from the home and subjected to rehabilitative procedures.
a) Unwed parents may be tried to determine legitimacy of children born out of wedlock. Evidence used in trial may include hospital records, birth certificates, identification cards and so forth.
a. (revised) Unwed parents may be tried to determine legitimacy of all children below the age of eighteen. Evidence used in trial may include hospital records, birth certificates, social security cards and so forth.
b) Those parents held in contempt of Section 2, Article 5 by the investigative board shall be sentenced appropriately.
c) Children’s parental rights are absorbed by the state. Citizenship may be granted at the age of eighteen following completion of rehabilitation.
“I want it to tell what happened to my mother,” I said, interrupting them. “Since this is my life and all, I think I should get a say in what it says.”
The council stopped, stared at me.
“Of course,” said Ms. Rita.
Chase’s shoulders rounded. There were words inside of him struggling to get free. I could see his jaw working to hold them back.
“It’s not enough time,” said Patch. “Two weeks isn’t enough time to distribute this message to a whole country.”
“It just has to spark a flame,” said Van Pelt. “Charlotte is just the beginning.”
I hoped a spark was enough.
“You’d do this for us?” DeWitt asked me.
I put my hand on Chase’s knee. Felt the muscles flex beneath, and then the warmth of his hand covering mine.
“No,” I said. “I’ll do it for my mom.”
WE spent the next two hours going over any details we might be able to insert into the Statutes. I told DeWitt about my mother’s arrest and Chase filled in the blanks. The words grew sticky and caught in my throat. It was like reliving the worst parts all over again.
And then, when we were done, we were excused so that the council could meet privately.
“Thank you for your story,” DeWitt told me, as if I’d given it to him and it wasn’t even mine anymore.
“You’re kicking us out?” Chase asked. “Now?”
DeWitt led us to the cafeteria door.
“I can write it,” I said. “It should be me. It’s my life we’re talking about.”
“You’ve done your part,” he said, making it clear his word was the last word. “It belongs to all of us now. Stay close. We’ll call you soon.”
I frowned, feeling somehow lighter without this burden, but infinitely more exposed.
Chase and I sat on the swings at the small playground just outside the cafeteria, rocking gently forward and back. After a while, Will brought us some food, then disappeared back into the kitchen. We ate quietly, plates on our laps, and watched the light from the standing torches throw shapes against the concrete side of the building.
“The Expungement Initiative,” I muttered. Chase had used the term earlier when describing what they’d done to my mother in the Lexington FBR base. It was a new protocol, approved by the Chief of Reformation, meant to make the Article violators disappear so the country could start fresh.
“I can’t believe they named it,” I said.
Chase leaned forward to put his plate on the ground.
“It’s the government,” he said, staring at the sand between his feet. “They have a name for everything. Even the things that don’t really exist.”
I pushed the rest of the food aside. An image of Tucker flashed in my mind. I didn’t know if he’d made it to the safe house yet, but part of me was now glad I hadn’t been sent to find him. The thought of seeing him now, with my mother’s story fresh in my mind, made me sick.
“I hope this works,” I said.
Chase didn’t respond right away. “If it works, we’ll never be able to go back.”
I didn’t know if he meant back home, or back outside of the Red Zone. It didn’t much matter; either was a risk. I rested my head against the cool chain of the swing. “I know.”
“What happens then?” He’d never asked me a question about the future before. I didn’t know how to answer.
I pushed back on my heels and let the swing carry me forward. “Remember when we were little we’d see who could jump the farthest?”
He smiled. “I remember.”
“You’d always let me win.” I pumped my legs. “I bet I can jump farther now.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said.
I didn’t jump; I let the momentum carry me back to a stop. And then I walked out of the swing and sat on the crunchy sand against the jungle gym. He came and sat beside me, and I snuggled closer and laid my cheek on his chest.
“Sometimes I miss you when you’re not even gone,” he said.
I closed my eyes.
WE were woken some time later by Will’s tentative footsteps on the playground sand. It was still dark outside, so not too much time could have passed. I wasn’t sure when the kid slept; he always seemed to be lurking near the lodge. As he approached, he eyed Chase suspiciously.
“The doc wants to see you,” he said. “He’s with your dad.” I rubbed my eyes and sat up.
Chase’s brows scrunched. “My dad?”
“Yeah,” said Will, spilling bread crumbs as he snatched my plate. He had a twitchy way of moving, always watching over his shoulder as if he suspected someone might be sneaking up on him. Throw some dirt on him and he easily could have been one of the Lost Boys who’d jumped us in the woods. “Who else’s dad you think I’m talkin’ about?” he said. “Big, tall, black hair. The hunter.”
There was only one person here who could possibly be confused as Chase’s father.
“You mean Jesse,” I said. “Chase’s uncle.”
Will’s mouth pulled to the side. “I ’spose.”
“Why do you call him the hunter?” asked Chase. Jesse hadn’t been assigned to any hunting party as far as I knew.