Asten, Max, and I sat in the principal's office.

I was so tempted to laugh at how odd that was, but I couldn't find it in me. The three of us sat in black plastic chairs facing the currently empty wooden desk. It held a whole stack of lined paper, all scribbled on, and a dead computer. On the wall was a giant map of the nearby area, created using more lined paper and pen. It was haphazard looking with some random landmarks including the school, the park, and some place called the slums.

There was a lot more to it, but I didn't understand most of the labels.

Ava had dropped us off in here before running off probably to scold Evan. I heard the door creak open and she entered once more, immediately taking the much nicer principal's chair across the desk from us.

"So," Ava started, eyeing each of us. "I need someone to explain what the hell is going on. From the beginning."

I looked at Asten, wondering which of us should talk. He just nodded and I turned back to Ava.

"Long story short, we were just camping out over here and your...people took us. They said they'd give us a trial after two weeks."

She raised her eyebrows. "I'm guessing it wasn't two weeks?"

"Yeah. Evan let us out."

She just nodded slowly. "All right. So, may I ask why you've come back?"

"We...," I began, but started to feel dumb about our request. I was definitely having doubts. This idea was stupid -- why on Earth would they bother to help us?

"We need help. I know you guys are just some group trying to survive here, but even the smallest bit of help you can offer would be amazing."

Her eyes narrowed. "You need help?" She sounded a little surprised that we'd even be asking.

I nodded. "Look, we know you guys probably aren't doing much better than us-"

She cut me off. "Yeah, we probably aren't. We've barely been living for the past year and I'm not sure we can afford to put our focus into anything else right now."

"I understand, but this is really important. Our friends were taken."

She just scoffed. "I get it. But we've had people taken too. Your friends are probably dead, trust me. We can't help you."

I felt frustration build. They had all this technology, they had to have something to offer us.

"Then where is your tech from? Seems like an awful lot of Equator stuff for people who apparently hate them so much."

She'd been dismissive before, but now she looked genuinely irritated. Kind of like I'd just slapped her in the face. I guess I had in a literary sense.

"We have what we have because we're smart and resourceful," she replied, trying to control her temper. "We steal and get away with it because we're careful. And don't worry, we've suffered just as much. We've lost plenty of kids to the Equator, trust me. That's why I'm not about to drop everything and waste my time saving your people," she finished and I felt my heart sink.

They weren't going to help. At least, it didn't seem likely.

"Have you lost anyone in the last week?" I asked, desperate just to keep the conversation going. If I could just change her mind...

She stiffened noticeably. Her face seemed to go blank. "Yes," she said sharply.

There was definitely something there. Something else she wasn't mentioning.

It hit me then...three of their leaders had been gone from the building...what else could get them to put their whole group at risk.

"Does that have something to do with why you guys weren't here when we arrived?"

She still looked highly strung and like she wasn't sure how much to say. "Yes, and that's why we can't help you. Because it's not possible. You can't get the people back. The Equator's far and there's no way in. None that we know of. And we have yet to find anyone who's gone in and managed to come back out alive."

My heart thundered in my chest. Was it worth it to admit it? Would they just lock us up and try forcing the information out of us?

Or could this be our ticket back to the Equator, to save everyone and make it out alive?

It was worth the risk. It had to be. What other choice did we have at this point?

I sat up straighter in my chair, glanced once more at Asten for reassurance, and met Ava's gaze.

"Good thing you have three of those people sitting in front of you."