Chapter II

THE TRAM SCREECHED TO a stop and one by one the teens filed out forming two lines as Agcorp solders corralled around the students. The beautiful buildings and cars Joey had seen on the way here had all vanished as she recognized the same stench that came from the lower level and her shoulders sagged. Something caught her attention to the left, and she gawked at the assembly of cars that swooped in dropping off children of all school ages. She then gazed ahead, and her eyes traced the large white tent that served as the school for today.

Someone nudged her from behind and she twisted her neck to find Kathleen. The redhead leaned forward and whispered, "Don't worry. It's not always this bad." Unfortunately, her words didn't make Joey feel any better.

Gulping at the sight of two soldiers holding back the fabric of the tent for the young people to enter, her legs went numb and she froze feeling the dread of being forced into a slaughter house. David turned around to face her, and she spoke softly, "I've never been to something like this before." She glanced from the soldiers to David. "In the other cities, the mandatory briefings were done in small groups and at the school." She looked behind her at the long line of kids who stumbled their way to the front as they got off various trams. "The whole school is here."

David gripped her hand and his warmth gave her some comfort. "There'll be smaller groups inside. They're just going to talk to the new arrivals from the summer." He pointed at her. "That means you. So, people like me who've lived here for years, have to put up with the same boring speeches." He yanked her along. "Come on. You'll do great."

She slowly stepped towards the tent, forcing her feet to keep moving forward instead of turning to flee, and her mom's words echoed in her mind."Don't draw attention to yourself." She cleared her throat and stood up straight, pretending to be as calm as all the other students. Well ... most of them.

She avoided eye contact with the soldiers lining the way, and brushed past the men holding open the tent. Once inside, she found several different small circles made up of about twenty wooden chairs and most of the teens had already taken their seats.

She trailed David who stepped over to a circle with the rest of their friends. She sat down in one of the small chairs, but remained on the edge of her seat as her eyes darted to the corners of her eyes observing the soldiers inside the tent. They were as still as statues, but she'd seen them in action. Especially on the night her dad was taken. Angering one of these soldiers was the last thing someone wanted to do.

"Hey!" Her head jerked towards David. "Relax." She nodded and sucked in a deep breath as she slid back in the uncomfortable wooden seat before letting it out.

The students eventually stopped huddling in, and the soldiers holding open the entrance stepped inside guarding what would now be the only exit.

Joey turned to find Jenny whispering to Alex, though her voice was muffled underneath her mask. "Where's Heather?" Alex shrugged, and they all threw their heads towards the entrance except for Joey who ducked her head between her shoulders.

A few seconds later, a middle-aged man—maybe in his forties—wearing a tan suit with a purple shirt and black tie entered the circle of about twenty students. He stood in the center, and Joey peered into the dark eyes above his mask. She shot a quick glance around to find someone stood in the center of all the other circles too. Undoubtedly the teachers.

"Good morning, children!" the man said, cheerfully. "My name is Walter Magnus and I'll be your history teacher this school year. For now, think of this as sort of a ..." He tossed a hand out to the side, twirling it as he thought. "Mini history lesson for the newcomers." He lowered his hand and placed them both behind his back as his eyes swept the teens. "As we enter the school year, a new restriction on masks is going to be in effect." This caused many of the teens in the circle to moan dramatically. Mr. Magnus held up his hands to quiet them down. "I know you kids know Ignisha has yet to become air-born, but we wear these masks for extra protection. That being said, masks are not allowed to be removed on the school property. They must be worn at all times until you return home that evening. You will be reminded of this tomorrow as an announcement will be playing through the halls." His voice became gruff as his eyes darted around. "You know there is no cure for Ignisha, and we want to stop the spread. We are some of the lucky few to have yet find the outbreak in our city, but that cannot be said for many of the others." He pointed a finger and wagged it as he over enunciated his words. "We must ... keep ... our masks ... on!"

Mr. Magnus's attention turned towards a blonde girl who tried to quietly creep into an empty chair in his circle, and Joey wouldn't have noticed her if he hadn't scolded her. "Miss Dawson!" he said annoyed with a tap of his foot on the dirt ground. He crossed his arms. "No one likes to be interrupted. This is a mandatory briefing that was announced weeks ago! You've been going to school long enough to know this has never changed."

Joey jumped and gripped the edge of her seat as one of Agcorp's soldiers standing against the wall unexpectedly moved, taking a couple step towards the girl she recognized as Heather even from under the mask and hood.

Mr. Magnus held a hand out towards the soldier halting him. "No, there's no need," he said, blankly. "She'll hear the rules again tomorrow morning. Any problems can be taken up with Claire." The solider remained still in that spot, seeming like he was thinking whether or not to apprehend the teacher, but after a quick moment, he returned to his post keeping watch over their circle.

Joey rested a hand against her pounding heart and eyed Heather who, from the looks of her eyes, seemed to be frowning under her mask.

"As I was saying—" Joey's eyes flew towards a boy almost sitting directly across from her at the the opposite side of the circle who threw a hand up. Mr. Magnus sighed, "Yes, Mr. Pritchard? What is your question?"

He lowered his hand and placed them both under his legs as he stared up at the teacher and confidently asked, "Why isn't there a cure for Ignisha yet? My dad told me stories about people with special abilities practically falling at Agcorp's feet when the virus was first discovered. Back before the cities were built."

Joey's gave shifted from the boy to Mr. Magnus. She had thought of these questions herself years ago, but would never have thought to ask in fear of arousing Agcorp's suspicions.

Mr. Magnus uncrossed his arms and shifted on his feet. "Out of all my ten years of teaching, I've never had even one student ask me questions about Agcorp." He threw his hands on his hips. "Tell me, were you not taught any of these things in your previous city?"

He slowly shook his head. "No, Sir. Ciriela did things a little differently."

The upper half of Mr. Magnus's face looked like he was smiling underneath his mask, and he stood straight. "Well, here in Walser we believe every one should know what's going on and why. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you might have." He took a step towards the boy, his hands outstretched like he was going to use them to help tell his story. "The reason Agcorp is searching for people with special abilities—and I don't know how much of this you already know—is because they want the Toxicoma that their blood creates to make their cure."

"But what cure?" Joey turned to the right, as did Mr. Magnus, to find a redhead slumped down in her seat. By her half shaved head, the gothic makeup painted on her face, and rough glare, Joey could figure this girl was quite troublesome.

Mr. Magnus's eyebrows pulled together before he clapped his hands and tried to explain. "So, you see, Toxicoma—"

The girl threw up a hand in annoyance. "We know about Toxicoma already! What we don't know is why there hasn't been any news of a cure yet. I mean, my parents told me stories of people being taken all the time." She sat up straight and threw her hands out to the teens in her circle. "Haven't yours?" Joey's face flushed as she heard the tent go silent. "I even witnessed them take someone, but I've never heard a thing about someone being cured. Only two cases have ever been reported and the last one was ten years ago." She shrugged and flopped back. "How do we even know a cure exists if there's no proof?" Her knee bounced up and down with impatience. "The world is dying, and Agcorp isn't doing a thing about it!"

Mr. Magnus's eyes softened as he stood there silent for several seconds. He cleared his throat and finally continued, his hands folded in front of him. "Well, these are some ... good questions, Miss Stacy, but unfortunately I am not obligated to give out that information at this time. Just know that a cure is being worked on by our top scientists as we speak."

The girl—who Joey now recognized as Thorn Stacy—flung herself forward, her feet stomping the dirt as she busted out with anger. "You just said everyone in Walser deserves to know what's going on!" At her sudden outburst, two of the soldiers stepped forward in unison.

Mr. Magnus tried to get them to back off, but this time Joey could see they weren't going to listen. "Off your feet," one of them commanded. Thorn narrowed her eyes and snorted, adverting her gaze. In a flash, one of the soldiers kicked Thorn's chair backwards, and Thorn went rolling in the dirt until her back hit the tent wall. Joey's eyes widened as she watched the scene unfold. Now pointing their guns at Thorn, the soldier said once more, "Off ... your feet. Or you'll be dragged out of here." Huffing, Thorn jumped up and readjusted her black leather vest. With her head high, she marched out of the tent as both the soldiers followed behind her, the guns aimed at her back.

Joey's heart was racing so fast she quickly found it near impossible to breathe under her mask, and sweat begun to bead her brow profusely. Glancing down at her sneakers, she noticed herself shaking and nausea quickly boiled in her stomach. Clenching her eyes shut, she lowered her head and drew in slow, deep breaths through her nose.

She flinched as a hand rested on her knee, and she turned her head in that direction. A calmness filled her chest once she found David, even if he wasn't looking at her. She was thankful to have a friend who had easily picked up on her distress.

Feeling the attack retreat, she sat up straight and let out one final big sigh. David turned his head in her direction, and even though she couldn't see, she knew he was smiling and silently asking if she was okay. She smiled back and gave a firm nod.

"Um, well ..." Mr. Magnus seemed distraught and unsure of what to say next. "A-Any o-other questions?" He turned towards the rest of the group, plastering a fake smile across his face.

"But ... she's right." A girl sitting beside the Pritchard boy continued, her soft voice quivering. "My parents work for Agcorp in the monitoring division. They've said finding people with special abilities has gotten harder over the past seventeen years."

Mr. Magnus collected himself and cleared his throat once again as he stood straight. "You're parents are right. It has gotten tricky since the Domes were leaked seventeen years ago." His voice perked and he brightened, returning to his normal self. "So, let me tell you a little bit about them so you can help your fellow soldiers keep an eye out for them." He cupped his hands over one another like he was holding an invisible ball. "A special ability is what you may call a power that someone has inside of them. It's there just waiting to be discovered."

"Like a Marvel Superhero," another classmate inputed and a few kids in the circle laughed.

Mr. Magnus's cheeks rose like he had smiled. "Exactly! But many people don't know how to control these ..." He paused as he fumbled, thinking. "Superpowers. Many people are born with a special ability and some have forced one out later in life, but it can take years to master it. Meaning, anyone can slip up."

"And we're just supposed to hand them over to you?" Joey's face paled when Alex's voice peaked the air.

Mr. Magnus sneered. "Well, it's a little more then that, Mr. Knight. These people are helping us save the world! Toxicoma is what binds us humans together, and the only way humanity survives is if Agcorp can get enough Toxicoma for the cure."

"Then why don't you give them your blood?" Alex interrupted with a smirk, crossing his arms.

Mr. Magnus's voice lowered with aggravation. "Because people like us without an ability just don't make enough for the cure." His expression changed rapidly as his eyes softened. "Believe me. I've tried." He adverted his glare from Alex. "But I do know that those born with their ability are more rare to find, and the amount of power and Toxicoma inside one of those humans is exactly what Agcorp's looking for. I, personally, believe there to be one specific person who can save us all. One important ability that we just have yet to find." He paused, leaving the teens wondering.

With a swift clap of his hands, many of the teens jumped. "So, yes, Mr. Knight, if you see someone displaying an ability while out on your daily walk then please ... contact one of our fine Agcorp soldiers here." He placed his hands out, palms up, as he gestured to the soldiers around them. "As you know, they're on every corner just waiting for someone brave, such as yourselves, to speak up. And don't forget about the fine reward you'll receive for you and your family!"

Reward. Joey scoffed inwardly. Was she actually meant to believe that money or a better life in one of the upper levels was supposed to be enough to get her to turn someone in? Someone who probably wouldn't last a day inside the Domes?

"How do we know?" The words left her mouth before she had even realized she had spoke, and her pulse suddenly quickened. Swallowing, she looked up. Glancing around, she watched as all eyes fell on her, and knew she couldn't abort her question now. Her voice shook as she went on, "If we're supposed to turn these people over to Agcorp ..." she swallowed, "how can we know for sure that they have an ability?"

Mr. Magnus shifted to the opposite foot. "Well, abilities can be anything from controlling the four elements of the world, to inward hidden abilities, to impeccable skill with weapons ... Really, anything you can imagine could be an ability." It was Jenny's turn to raise her hand, and Mr. Magnus turned his gaze towards her and whispered, "Oh, you're gonna be a fun class this year." Raising his voice, he asked with eagerness. "Miss Knight?" Joey had gathered that this was the most interaction he'd gotten from these mandatory briefings.

Jenny lowered her hand and began, "Like, how can you tell the difference between, like say, an ability with a weapon and just someone's talent? It would, like, be bad to turn someone in who was just skilled." The teens laughed.

He nodded his head slowly as if to contemplate what she was asking, and he slowly trudged her way. "To have an ability with a weapon," he began, holding up a fist in front of her face, "you must be able to conjure one up ..." he let out a puff of air, expanding his mask, and opened his palm, "... out of nothing."

His motions caused a few of the teens to let out another soft chuckle, and even Joey couldn't hold back a grin, but it was short lived as a loud buzz went off through a set of speakers that were stationed on four poles inside the circular tent. Joey and multiple other students raised their hands to their ears to help block out some of the noise.

Mr. Magnus marched back to the center of the circle. "Wow, that briefing went fast today. Time flies when you're having fun! Now, you'll all head outside where some of the soldiers will demonstrate the protocol for if Ignisha is ever spotted inside the walls. I'll see everyone tomorrow!"

Joey quickly stood up, gripped the strap of her backpack tightly that rested over her shoulder, and stepped in between two chairs, eager to get out of here.

"Remember to be careful out there!" Her head swung around to meet her teachers gaze. "You never know what kind of person may have an ability! Some of them may be very dangerous!"

Feeling like his words were directed right at her, she shuddered before quickly moving along. She trailed closely behind Kathleen who followed the others outside through the crowd of students.