My first day of work was horrible. I enjoyed being with Noa and collaborating with him, but I was a complete mess. The only thing I feel good about is my ability to sand down pieces of wood.

Yes, when I got instructions, I could make something that looked like it should be, but when I got left without, I barely even managed to get two pieces of wood together.

I had hit my thumb multiple times, which to this point still hurts and I don't even want to talk about the splitters I had to pull out of my skin.

I'm sure Noa had a great day, seeing me struggle though.

Talking about Noa, he holds my hand as we make our way towards the medshack. He feels warm, a little bit clammy even. His steps slow down the closer we get to the building.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' I ask as I pause to take a look at his face.

His eyes were pointed to the ground and his free hand drummed against his upper leg.

'I have to do this,' he mutters. 'Why?' 'I owe you guys and myself an explanation,' he sighs.

I squeeze his hand as his eyes finally find mine.

'You don't owe me or anyone anything.'

He nods as he bites down on his lip, pulling away the skin with his teeth as he blankly stares at me.

'Noa,' I sigh, 'what's wrong?'
'Nothing gets past you, does it?'

He rubs his neck as he points his eyes back towards the road, continuing our walk without giving me an answer.

'Are you scared?' I ask as I can't seem to keep my mouth shut about this. 'Grace look I-,' he pauses again, 'I'm nervous. Cosmo is a great guy, but I don't understand why we trust him with knives. What if he can't find the tube or accidentally penetrates an important vein and leaves me to die,' he rambles on.

I can't stop a laugh from escaping my mouth as I take in everything he just said.

'Great and now my girlfriend is laughing at me too,' he groans.

A slight smirk appears on his face as his arms attack me lifting me from the ground. I wrap my legs around him to get rid of the feeling I can fall any second.

'I thought air jail was only used on cats,' I joke.

I look down at Noa who still has a smile plastered on his face.

'I'm sorry for laughing, it's just funny that you told me how everyone got to pick their job and know all about it, yet you don't trust Cosmo.'

I lightly grip his wavy curls as I pull his head up so he's looking at me too now.

'Want me to hold your hand?'
'Hm hm,' he nods.

I kiss his nose before he releases me out of the air jail.

'Never pick me up unannounced again,' I state. This time it's his turn to laugh.

In silence, we continue our walk, until we eventually reach the place he rather not be right now.

We follow Cosmo to a nice-looking chair where Noa is told to sit down. He gives me a nervous glance as Cosmo starts feeling around his neck, in hopes of feeling the tube instead of just digging in. Noa moves his leg up and down as his focus is on nothing else but the wall behind me.

'Gio's had moved very deep inside his neck, but if I'm correct yours is on its way out itself already. Won't take long,' Cosmo states as he moves his hands away from his neck.

He starts gathering some supplies, a surgical knife, some pliers and multiple materials to stop any bleeding that might occur.

'I don't think it will hurt too bad, but I could put you to sleep, give you somethin' calmin' or nothin' at all.'

Noa looks at me as if he's asking for my council and knowing him, he probably won't admit he needs at least something to calm down his nerves.

'I think something to calm him down a bit might be best,' I state.
'As you wish m'lady.'

He hands him a mixture that looks like cold tea, but when Noa scrunches his face as he takes a sip, I don't think it tastes anything like tea.

'Okay, I'm goin' to start.'

Noa moves his hand slightly towards me as I move closer to take his hand in mine. I rub the back of his hand as Cosmo gets to work.

'All done.'

He didn't lie when he said it wouldn't take long to get the tube out as he's already holding it in his fingers within what feels like a few minutes.

Noa lets out a sigh of release as he pulls his hand away from mine again. I don't think the mixture did anything.

Cosmo pats his back as he starts cleaning up again.

'When are you goin' to put it in the machine?' He asks as he wanders back and forth.
'As soon as we get out of here, the others are probably already waiting in the meeting room.'

Cosmo nods as he hands Noa the tube that already had been turned into a necklace.

'Reckon I could join?'
'Yeah feel free.'

*

I look around the room as a small group of boys have gathered, waiting around the metal box to see what it has to say about the boy who is second in command.

I see the meeting room daily as just up the stairs the room I share with Noa can be found, but every time I see the circle of chairs, I feel my throat close up. The things that were decided about me in this room and the conversations in which I was involved always pop up when I'm in here.

'Are you alright?' Noa whispers as he puts his hand down on my leg to get my attention.
'I'm okay, thank you.'

He pats my leg before getting up to insert the tube into the metal box.

The box lights up in an instant displaying a clear picture of him, before it starts speaking like it had done twice before.

Subject A10
Project name: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Noaa
Role: Glue
Real name: Eliah Matthews
Age: 16
Parents: Deceased

I stare at the screen as I wrap my arm around his waist. If there's one thing he worried about the most, it would be his parents.

'I'm older,' I whisper in an attempt to distract him from the bad news. He doesn't react but does reach for my hand on his waist.

The machine starts speaking again.

Error reaching maximum capacity, 1 read left.

The blue projection disappears as the box shuts itself off.

'I was the first to arrive here, I'll be the last,' Ace states.
'I say we wait 3 days to make sure Noa is alright and I'll get your tube out then,' Cosmo responds.

Noa pushes my arm off and stands up rushing up the stairs.

'Noa come on!' One of the boys calls after him.
'I'll make sure he's alright.'

I stand up following Noa to our room.