Max is laying on the couch in a drug-induced sleep as I creep out of the house. All my grief has been burnt away by an internal raging fire engulfing my whole body and giving me a boost of anger fuelled energy. I really hope I can contain it until I find out if they're responsible or not.

"Cady, what are you doing out here this late at night?" Isiah asks, cycling towards me. I must look terrible because his concerned frown deepens as his gaze sweeps over me.

"What are you doing out here?" I snap.

"I was helping organise care packages at the local Reflection Centre for those who lost loved ones today," Isiah says softly.

His response makes me angrier because now I feel like an asshole. I continue to walk. "I'm meeting someone."

"Where?"

"Cafe Six opposite the library. It won't take long for me to get there."

"Let me give you a lift. You shouldn't be walking around alone at this time. To be honest, you shouldn't be seen with me alone at any time but I'd prefer if you took your chances with me."

"Why would I be in danger? I was told this neighbourhood hasn't experienced any crime in years." My tone is sarcastic. I know full well rape occurs but women don't report it due to fear of being accused of being at fault.

"I'm not quite as ignorant as most around here. Just because none have been reported, doesn't mean crimes don't occur. Statistics don't always represent the truth." Isiah rides slowly next to me."So will you let me give that ride?"

"You only have one seat on your bike."

"I also have a very comfortable rack which has never failed to support the weight of my friends." Isiah sighs. "Get on. You'll get to whoever you're meeting more quickly and then you can get home. You look like you need some rest. It's been a terrible day."

Standing still, I feel the anger ebbing away and I try to cling onto it. I need it to confront Charlie even though I'm not ready to meet her again.

For weeks, I've been compiling everything I've wanted to say to her. I've been planning my speech in my head; nothing I say will show her how much she's ruined me by taking Grey. I have to remind myself this meeting isn't about me or Grey. This meeting is for Max. I want to know if The Organisation were involved in the bomb which killed Dorothea and Pru.

I swing my leg over the rack and hold onto Isiah's waist. I whisper into his back. "Pru and Dorothea are dead."

"I know. I'm so sorry," Isiah responds quietly.

We start to move and I taste the large salty tears rolling down my cheek into my mouth. Burying my face into his back, he doesn't protest as I dampen his shirt and neither of us utter a sound as we glide through the dark, sombre streets, even the trees have ceased rustling their leaves. The whole world is silent, mourning the dead.

"As your future husband should I be worried about him?" Zed says, shifting closer to me in the booth we're sitting in while sending a look of distrust in the direction of Isiah, who is positioned on the other side of the cafe.

"We're not actually getting married," I say flatly.

"So there is something going on?" Zed places his arm around my shoulder and smirks at Isiah who glances at us.

I rest my hand on Zed's leg and lean towards his ear. "Get off me or I crush your dick in five... four... three-"

"Calm down. I think you would start taking those sedatives again. You're so angry." Zed takes his arm off me.

I focus my gaze back on Charlie who returns my intense stare. Our eyes are locked, and I sit on my hands so I don't punch her right in the mouth. I guess I didn't need to worry about my anger fading. My anger is still very much in full force. "Was it you?"

"Was what me?" Charlie says calmly and her indifference only angers me more.

"Were you responsible for the bomb today?" I say slowly.

"No." Her eyes don't move, there's no telltale flicker, no hesitation, no signs of stress. All the signs are telling me she can be trusted. I don't trust her. Not at all.

I turn to Zed. "The State are saying they have evidence that the bomb was planted by rebels. You are the rebels."

'No one in our Organisation authorised it. Why would we want to detonate a bomb which would kill hundreds of innocent people? We want to take down The State, not the civilians already living in fear. Think about it, Cady, how would this help our cause? We have nothing to gain from it." Zed leans towards me his voice imploring me.

It's true. There is no logical explanation for them being behind it. If anything, it would prevent people from wanting to take their side. Except, people often do things which don't have a logical explanation. "Who then?"

"We don't know. The so-called evidence they have is a confession from one of the bombers accomplices. A person, who as far as we can gather has no links to us or any other Anti-State group." Charlie leans across the table, her hand reaches out toward me and I flinch backwards.

A waiter approaches our table. "What would you like?"

"Black coffee," Charlie says.

"White coffee and your house special please," Zed says casually.

"Nothing for me, thanks," I respond.

The waitress scans Charlie and Zeds' Birth Brand then turns towards me. She indicates towards my non-existent Birth Brand.

"I'm not ordering anything," I say quietly.

"Policy is we have to scan all birth brands," The waitress says, pointing the scanner towards me.

"You can shove your policy-"

Zed flings his arm over my shoulder and pulls me into his chest muffling my rant which is about to turn into full-blown hysteria.

"She was involved in the bomb attack today and she's rather fragile. Please forgive her rudeness." Zed tightens his grip around me as I struggle to free myself. He pats my hair softly with one hand and I eventually stop resisting, allowing myself to be petted like some domesticated animal.

Charlie mumbles something to the waitress who promptly leaves and Zed lets go of me.

"You could have handled that better," Charlie says flatly.

"You shouldn't have invited me to a place which requires Birth Brands to be scanned," I hiss.

"A few choice words and you wouldn't have had to have it scanned," Charlie says.

"Why didn't you say something then?"

"Because you didn't give me time. You overreacted and exploded. I knew you were unbalanced when you decided to enter State Headquarters but you've gotten worse. You've lost control of your emotions." Charlie turns towards Zed. "You can't seriously believe she'll be of any assistance in this condition? She'll end up being the reason your mission fails."

"What is your problem? You haven't wanted me to join your Organisation from the start, not in a proper capacity anyway. From the beginning, all you've wanted is for me to fill in some irrelevant role as the Unmarked mascot. However, I know I can do it. I basically ran my family business from the age of nine. I've had to deal with horrible people and been exposed to things I shouldn't have but I managed and survived. You may think I can't do it but I can," I say through gritted teeth as I clench my fists in my lap.

"Zed, find out where our drinks are. I want to talk to Cady," Charlie says.

Zed looks between the two of us and exhales loudly. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he squeezes it gently. "I have faith in you. The fact you managed to survive entering the State Headquarters, and Jas's murder attempt and you avoided being caught by those Officials tells me you'll be a massive asset to our mission. Milo thinks so too."

"Zed, leave now," Charlie growls.

Zed grins at me before escaping Charlie's impending wrath. I like Zed a little more now.

"What's going on between you and Zed?" Charlie leans forward urgently.

"He asked if I would join him."

"What is your relationship with him? Are you..." Charlie pauses.

"I'm helping Zed and Milo, nothing more and nothing less."

"You two seem close."

"I have just about gotten over my aversion to him so I would hardly say we're close." I shake my head. "I'm tired and I've found out what I needed, I believe The Organisation was not behind the bomb. You've got one minute to say what you want to say before I leave."

"Pull out. Tell Zed and Milo you don't want to be involved. I'll make sure your safe, away from The Organisation like you wanted."

"I wanted a lot of things." I stare at Charlie, who on closer inspection looks bloated and puffy. She looks ill. "I can't continue hiding and pretending I'm normal. I want to make a difference. I can help."

"There are a whole host of alternative ways you can help."

"I've made a commitment to Milo and Zed, and I won't go back on my word."

"You're being reckless. I understand how you're feeling. You miss Grey, you blame yourself for what happened and you want to somehow ensure his death was not a waste, to get some form of retribution-"

"Don't try and analyse me. You and Jas gave Grey up not me, you allowed The State to kill him," I snarl, jolting up. My chair clatters noisily as it hits the floor. I'm desperate to get away from her, away from this conversation. This is not why I came. I've found out what I needed.

"Isiah, let's go," I bark.

Isiah nods walking outside and I quickly follow. A hand lands on my arm, stopping me from leaving through the doors. Charlie's shaking fingers tighten. "We had to. It was our only choice... someone had to be handed over as a bargaining chip."

"You could have handed me over. You could have given me up," I shout.

"No, I couldn't. I'd only just gotten you back. I can't lose you again," Charlie snaps.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me now. Stop hiding everything from me. You took Grey from me and gave him to The State. You've been secretly giving me sedatives, passing me from person to person. The day I met you, you promised to keep me safe but everyone around me is suffering in return. For what? Why not hand me over and use me as a bargaining chip? Why Grey? What's so important about him?" I hiss.

"He's not important which is the very reason I choose him. He's not my family. He's not my child." Charlie grabs my hands in hers, her fingers stroking my palms and my skin crawls. Her voice is low. "Jas would have handed you over, but he didn't because he knows how much you mean to me. You're my daughter."

I tear my hands from her grasp. My mouth opens and closes except I have no idea what to say.

Charlie continues to talk however the words are muffled, as though I'm submerged underwater. "I named you Hope and when you were two days old, I handed you over to Marnia."

"Marnia?" The name sticks in my throat.

"The woman who looked after you. She was a labour camp escapee who knew my sister. She would appear for a few weeks and stay with us then she would disappear for a while. She was good at hiding, at going about undetected. I already had Zed and then I got pregnant with you. My sister had left her child unmarked so I wanted to too."

Charlie gives me a sad smile. "You were born the day before they started rounding up Unmarkeds but it was too late to change my mind and get you a Birth Brand. I asked Marnia to look after you until it was safe but it never was, and suddenly you both disappeared when you were twelve. Up until then we always knew where you were and we had contact. I'd always given her money and helped her out but suddenly you both disappeared and she never contacted us again."

Charlie shakes her head. "Even though I thought you'd been caught, I continued to search for you. When Jas had his suspicions, he came to me but by the time he confirmed it was probably you, you'd disappeared again. I was so relieved to know you were alive." Charlie opens her arms as though to embrace me.

I stumble backwards, out of the door and towards Isiah who is waiting for me on his bicycle.

"Let's go," I croak, climbing onto the bicycle rack.

"Cady." Zed is running towards me with a sombre face. I guess he heard we're siblings.

I should be glad, it could have been much worse. At least, I didn't find out Grey or Teddy were my brother. Who knew I was so good at putting a positive spin on my problems?

Zed halts in front of me and shoves his hands in his pockets, looking awkward and unsure about what to do.

"Are we still ok to get married?" The real question is does Charlie's revelation mean I'll decide against helping?

"Yes." I glance at Isiah who is trying hard to look busy by inspecting something in the horizon.

"I'm sorry about..." Zed searches our surroundings, looking for the correct words. There aren't any and he must realise this too because his shoulders sag. "Everything."

"You don't need to be sorry about anything," I say.

"Maybe not, but what happened shouldn't have happened. Remember, one more day. " Zed kisses me on the cheek. It's a soft and tender kiss which takes me by surprise and my hand instinctively rises to the damp spot.

"One more day," I repeat.

Zed points at Isiah. "No funny business."

Isiah splutters.

"I'm joking." Zed raises his hands and smirks. Looking at me, he says, "A bit innocent for you isn't he?"

"I can still call off the wedding, Zed."

"I'm just trying to lighten the mood," Zed says.

As we ride off, Isiah tries to sound cheerful. "Your fiancé seems nice. You two seem well suited, you're both... a little rebellious in the things you say."

"Yeah, I suppose," I reply, wondering whether our likeness is due to our shared DNA.

Isiah must be able to tell I'm not in the mood for talking because he remains quiet the rest of the journey. The revelation that I still have family does not fill me with relief or any surge of any emotion. I don't feel anything because Charlie is not my mum, not really. She didn't bring me up, she didn't support or comfort me in my toughest times. She had a night of unprotected intimacy with my father and pushed me out nine months later and apart from that her involvement in my life has equated to a total amount of nothing.