Chapter III

JOEY STARED AT THE steel floor of the tram, lost somewhere deep in thought. Half the day had passed by quickly, but she was thankful the mandatory briefing was over. A familiar voice fluttered through ears drawing her attention, and she slowly raised her head, her expression blank, as David elbowed her. "You alright?" he asked. She stayed silent and quickly returned her gaze to the floor.

David leaned forward in his chair, studying her eyes, but she purposefully turned her gaze towards the window—not that she could see anything as they passed through a never-ending tunnel. "It's what Mr. Magnus said, isn't it?" Swiftly, she shot him a glance from the corner of her eye. "Listen, Joey, don't let him get to you. I'm sure the teachers are told to say things that'll spook us. They're just trying to get their cure." He huffed as he sat back and crossed his arms. "We just have to stay out of their way and let them do their job."

Joey blinked for what felt like the first time in a while as the tram jerked to a stop. Having been on her third tram ride of the day, she was thankful to find this one held less soldiers. For whatever reason, the tram that took her too and from the briefing had been crammed full of soldiers, but the station a few blocks down had just enough to get by.

The doors rolled open and she quickly got off, knowing the others were following behind her. Avoiding eye contact with the soldiers, she stepped off the platform and a small weight lifted off her shoulders. She was no longer in the presence of Agcorp's, but that didn't mean they weren't still around. She was just finally far enough that she didn't feel intimated by breathing.

She slowed allowing the others to walk past her as they laughed and continued their walk towards Marietta's Diner. David had said this diner had become their after school tradition—even if it wasn't to eat— and he had always invited her to go during the few times they went in the summer, but Mom never allowed it. Mom never let her do anything outside of the apartment alone, and for once, Joey was grateful her mom worked late.

Looking to the dirt street, her feet slowed to a shuffle. Before she knew it, she had stopped walking completely and her shoulders sagged. It wasn't until David's voice peaked her ears that she realized. "Now I know you're hiding something." She looked up to find him in front of her. Lowering his mask below his chin, his concern look matched his tone. "What's up?"

Feeling hot tears on her bottom eyelids, a hard lump formed in her throat. "This was a mistake coming here," she whispered.

David furrowed his brow. "To Marietta's? The gang comes here all the time. You'll like it, trust me."

She shook her head, annoyed by his lack of understanding. "Not that. I mean ... here." Her chest squeezed and she crossed her arms, ducking her head. "To Walser."

She heard a soft snort. "Oh, come on now. That was probably the best decision your mom could've made. Walser is the safest city on the planet right now. There's been zero sightings of the Ignisha virus within these walls, and they've been standing for thirty-six years."

"That's not what I'm worried about." Her heart pounded against her breasts and she drew her arms closer to her chest. "It's not safe here." She realized she was probably not making any sense to David, and she turned her gaze upward looking at a bridge that crossed the street up ahead. She felt the color drain from her face as two Agcorp soldiers marched by, their guns clinging to their chests.

"Hey." She flinched as David tapped her shoulder. "What's going on? You're acting really strange."

Swallowing, her eyes followed the soldiers and she let the words slip, "What if they're coming for me?" Pursing her lips, she eyed David. She had whispered so softly, she wasn't sure he had heard and immediately regretted it. By his perplexed look, she knew he had and hated how open she felt she could be with him because truthfully, in a time like this even your closest friend could betray you.

David gawked at her and let a snicker escape. "Joey, come on you're not a child," he scolded.

Instantly she became defensive and straightened her pose, her eyes narrowing along with a brow arching as she stared at him confused.

Letting out a sharp breath, he closed his eyes placing his pointer finger and thumb on the bridge of his scrunched nose. "I'm sorry, okay? That didn't come out right." He placed his hands on his hips and gazed at her. "But I mean, what would even make you think that Walser isn't safe?" He paused, and her defense wavered. "As I said, Ignisha isn't in the city, and Agcorp is actively searching for people with abilities."

"Exactly," she inputed lowly.

His brow pulled together. "Is that what you're so afraid of? Those people?" He gave a quick glanced behind. "I know Mr. Magnus said they can be dangerous, but—"

"But what if they're not?" she interrupted, feeling heat rise in her cheeks. "I guess ... sure, maybe some are. But what if there are people out there, good people, who are just scared?"

Nothing was said for several seconds, but David eyed her scanning her up and down like he was trying to figure her out. After a full minute had passed, his expression tendered. "What makes you scared?"

Joey was taken back by his question. The corner of her lip tugged upward as she snorted, and she finally lowered her mask under her chin. "I wasn't talking about myself."

David's brow raised. "Sure you weren't." His hands dropped to his side. "I'm starting to figure you out, Joey. And that includes your coded speech. Sure, maybe you don't have an ability, but you're scared of something. Why is that?"

Joey looked off to the side down an alley and took in a deep breath before returning her glare with a bold stance. "Because they came for my dad." She swallowed. "He was a peaceful man doing everything he could for the city, and how was he repaid? With an angry mob that found out he had an ability and so they wanted him gone."

David's shoulders slumped and his face lit up in shock, but she was no longer in the talking mood. She raised her mask back up to cover her mouth and nose and brushed past him, continuing up the incline to Marietta's Diner. She felt bad for moving on instead of answering any questions David may have, but she didn't have the motivation to talk anymore. After a day like today, she felt emotionally drained. Part of her wanted to go home and hide away in her room, but she may never get an opportunity to go to Marietta's again.

"Your dad?" She heard David's puzzled tone but wouldn't look at him. "H-He had an ability?"

She stopped in her tracks, and her eyes squinted as painful images of that day replayed in her mind. "Yes," she lied, trying to keep the true reasoning behind her father's sacrifice hidden. Looking down at her hands, they shook and the remembrance of blood stains on her palms jumped at her vividly. She felt like she was looking at her bloodied hands all over again, and she balled them into fists, turning her head up.

"So, you're worried Agcorp is going to think you have an ability because your dad does," he said softly.

She clenched her jaw. She hated hiding secrets from David, but he could never find out that she was the real reason her dad was taken. To know that she, as a ten year old girl, had lost control of her ability, and out of anger killed someone ... He would think she was a monster. "Forget I said anything," she said lowly as she continued her walk.

When the two arrived at Marietta's Diner, Joey glanced around trying to find their crew. David stepped around her and pointed to the left towards the circular booth in the corner surrounded by the windows—it looked to be the only table in the dim restaurant that would hold them all. "We always take the same spot. I'll be there in a second." She watched him walk down a dark corridor, a wooden sign hanging from the ceiling with the word Restrooms on it.

She walked over to the booth and plopped down beside Ella. Ripping off her mask, she let out a long sigh. "Something wrong?" Ella asked.

Joey glanced at her before shaking her head. "Everything's fine," she replied, blankly. She scanned her friends at the table where they were socializing—couldn't really call it that seeing they were mostly on cell phones—and a second later, David joined them removing his mask as he slid in next to Alex.

She stared at the screen in front of Alex and watched as he maneuvered a masculine character on screen towards miniature green people and with one swipe, his avatar sliced through the goblins. Seconds later, the words paused appeared on screen; she was pretty good at reading backwards.

"Fascinating, isn't it?" Joey's eyes raised to meet Alex's smug grin. He pushed the two white pieces in his hands together, and they latched onto each other like a magnet causing the phones screen to disappear. "I forget people down here haven't really seen a phone." David punched him in the arm, and Alex jerked his head towards David. "Ow!" he whined, slipping the white block into his jacket pocket.

Joey jumped, her brow furrowing, as Ella sprawled out forward on the table with her hands in front of her brother. "So, David, I was thinking ... If we get up in the morning by five then we'd have plenty of time to get in a good run before school."

David's eyes popped open. "Five?" He shook his head. "Ella, some people are just not that dedicated to running." He jabbed a thumb at himself. "And I'm one of those people."

Ella grunted as she flopped back on the poorly padded brown cushions. "But you've promised me for months now!" She crossed her arms, clearly angry. "It would've been easier if we had started during summer break like you said."

"I've been a little busy, Ella," David defended. "Most people don't have the free time you do."

Ella sneered. "Or they spend all their free time with pretty girls." She had whispered softly enough to not be heard across the table, but with Joey right beside her, she could hear her clearly.

She blushed and swept her gaze across the table, studying the teens in the circle. She didn't know them very well, but she was thankful to have this small band. She hardly even remembered what it was like to have a friend. Not since Vincent.

She leaned on the table with her arms folded as her mind wondered. She heard Alex and David pick up a conversation, their words sounding distant in the back of her mind as she stared at the palm of her hands. At her life full of secrets.

"Joey, are you okay?"

She glanced up eyeing Kathleen, who stared at her puzzled. The others, too, quieted down and turned her way. She cleared her throat as she sat up straight and smiled. "I'm fine. My minds just been a little occupied."

"Are you still thinking about what you said back there?" David gripped the edge of the table a little too aggressively. "I told you. There's nothing to worry about. You just need to put it out of your mind."

Jenny whistled. "I can sense some tension going on."

"It's nothing," David replied, hurriedly before Joey got the chance to say anything. "She's just new here. Still has some things to learn."

Joey nearly frowned, but she kept herself composed. She didn't want the others to see how much David's words hurt, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed Ella's gaze; the face of someone who looked like they could see right through her. Feeling the tightness in her throat that usually accompanied some tears, she leaned back to get her mind onto something else. That's when she noticed Heather's glare from under her royal blue hood.

"I tell you what," Kathleen said, lowering her phone to the table. Joey let out a silent sigh, thankful to draw the attention somewhere else. "All this talk about Agcorp ..." She trailed off as if searching for the right words. "Have you noticed that they've doubled their staff down here?" Joey felt her face flush as Kathleen eyed her. "I mean, not to be offensive, but since you and the Spencers are the only ones who live in the Slums, I thought you would've noticed before I did."

Joey leaned back dumbfounded that Kathleen had seen it before she had. All the soldiers at the tram station, on the tram, and the fact that two Agcorp soldiers had been walking across the bridge instead of the usual one-man-job just made Kathleen's assumptions correct.

"Why is that?" Heather asked.

Kathleen lowered her voice as she leaned forward on the table. "I've heard it's because they're running out of people to test. They're doubling up in hopes of scaring people out of hiding. Hoping they'll slip up and make a mistake."

"Or because they know about the Underground."

Joey's head swiveled towards Jenny as her heart suddenly quickened. Only those with a special ability—or families of those who had been taken—was supposed to know about the Underground and be able to gain access of their whereabouts. That's how her family had been able to move without rising suspicions, but she knew her mom was already figuring out their next move with the Underground. After her dad was taken, Mom put them in the system, and after what happened in Monasa, she never liked to stay in one city more than four months.

"They know the Underground only smuggles people in through the Slums," Jenny continued in a low whisper, "and they're trying to catch the people who are helping them."

"The Underground?" Heather asked, looking confused. "I've only heard stories of such people. You mean they actually exist? People are really trying to hide those who could be of help to everyone?"

Joey furrowed her brow. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were all for Agcorp hurling innocent people into the Domes."

Heather leaned back in her seat, seeming unfazed by Joey's accusations. "You know what they say. In order to save the many, a few must die. I, for one, don't want to be the one dying from Ignisha because a few selfish people won't give a few drops of blood."

Joey pounded the table with her fist. "You know darn well that's not how it's—"

"Joey! Chill!" Her head twisted towards David and she glared at him. David gestured towards Heather. "Unfortunately, she's right. Ignisha isn't just going away on it's own. If some people have to die ..." He shrugged, trailed off, and lowered his hand back to his lap. "Then that's the way it has to be."

"So, you're okay with killing people?" She didn't even try to hold back the disgust on her face.

David eyed her and stated plainly. "I turned one in a few years ago." Joey's mouth dropped agape in astonishment. "Anonymously. I didn't want any of the cash Agcorp had to offer."

"You mean you didn't want to be named," Joey accused, tears glistening in her eyes. She was cut off as a waitress walked up to the table.

The girl—who couldn't have been but a few years older than Joey—flipped her brown ponytail over her shoulder, and pulled out a pad and pencil. "Sorry about the wait, guys. I'm serving on my own tonight. What can I get ya?" she asked cheerfully, her voice muffled by her red cloth mask.

"Uh, where's Calla?" Alex asked, glancing around. "She's usually our waitress."

David snickered. "Looks like your girlfriend ditched you," he said lowly, but it earned an elbow to the ribs from Alex.

The waitress glimpsed left and right, like she was looking to see if anyone was listening, before leaning in and whispering, "Calla's been gone for weeks now. We can't find her anywhere. She hasn't been home or to work. I've called several times ..." She shrugged. "It's like she's just vanished." She glanced to her left from the corner of her eye, and Joey looked over the booth and spotted two Agcorp soldiers as they walked through the door. The waitress stood up straight and held out her pencil over the pad of paper with a smile. "Can I start you off with something to drink?"

As the others filled their orders, Joey glanced down at her shaking hands. Calla. There could only be one reason she would be missing. Either Agcorp had her, or she was on the run from them. Joey couldn't help but think that now, just like her dad, Calla was lost and alone somewhere out in this dangerous world. No one would ever know what happened to them, and Joey wondered how many others had loved ones who had just vanished.