Click, clack, click, clack. 

Someone's footsteps came from behind us. Before I could think about the person, Adrian grabbed my arm, almost dragging me up the stairs to the entrance of the White House. I was, meanwhile, panicking, worried about the consequences of getting discovered. Adrian's hand holding mine was the only thing keeping me upright. 

He tried to look calm, but I could tell he was worried, he kept glancing to the side and behind. I turned around catching sight of the silhouette of the person that was here in the middle of the night. For some reason, the person looked familiar to me and I didn't realise why--until I saw his blonde hair and blue eyes. I'd recognise those anywhere--he was Mr. Carteline.

I would have stopped in shock if not for Adrian pulling me, bringing me back to my senses. Mr Carteline or not, he was still a threat. 

As soon as another corridor came into sight, Adrian dragged me into it, breaking into a run the moment we'd turned. I followed him, sprinting while trying to make as little sound as I could. 

My hands were sweaty, my breaths shallow and fast, my heartbeat racing. I could tell Adrian was nervous too, our entwined hands were slipping, yet we held fast, squeezing each others' palms. He was cutting off the circulation in my palm and it hurt, it hurt so much. Yet, I didn't mind. Focusing on that pain helped me divert my attention from the immediate threat- Mr. Carteline.

I was stupid. I knew it was risky, I knew there were grave consequences if we got discovered. I knew I could be Banished. And yet, I'd accepted his offer. Yet, I'd willingly walked head first into the danger. I'd put everyone in danger just by agreeing to meet Adrian once. Idiot, I chastised myself. 

My heart pounding in my chest, I followed Adrian as he dragged me along, running to some place in the White House. I could feel his pulse racing, my heartbeat pounding in sync with it. I tried to make some sense of where we were going, not recognizing the unfamiliar corridors we were running through. 

"Where are we?" I whispered. 

"Shh, we're in the Regulators' section." 

"Are you trying to get us discovered?" I hissed. 

"Shh, there's no one here at this hour! And in case you're forgetting, I'm a Regulator too. No one will suspect a thing if they didn't check our records." 

"Records which are public!" I reminded him. 

"And no one ever checks them--most of all Regulators! Stop being a worry wart!" 

"Of course I'll worry! We could get Banished for this! Do you want to live Outside?! You know nothing survives out there! It's too radioactive after the Great Nuclear Wars!" 

"Of course I don't Ava! I'm worried too, but I'm trying to get through this logically, not by overanalyzing the situation!" 

"But--"

"Shh. Wait." He said, pulling me into a room. 

I stood behind him nervously while he peeked out the door, slowly inching forward. He stepped into the door and I outstretched my hand to pull him back. He held up a hand telling me to wait. 

"He's gone." 

I breathed out in relief, my heart easing up a little. It felt like I was finally able to breathe after suffocating for so long. A weight lifted from my shoulders, I could finally think without panicking. 

"Now--" Adrian began. 

"I know that man." 

"Which man? The one in the couple?" 

"No, the one who was just here, he's Francis and Celine's dad." 

"Mr Carteline? Why was he here?" 

"That's what I'm wondering!" I responded. 

Adrian shrugged. "I don't know. And it doesn't really matter anyway. Now as I was saying, you've got access to the files, let's see what's going on here." 

I took out my HoloStick, opening it and turning the display on. Automatically, it ran face recognition on me and logged me into the Administration system. I scrolled through to the files recording Regulator actions, clicking on the folder for yesterday's date. Just as I was about to open it, I hesitated. 

This was too dangerous. If we got discovered, it could--no, it would lead to Banishment. I'd never see my friends or family again, Mom, Dad, Lexi, none of them. We'd be sent Outside, outside the safe walls of Asticus, to the ruins of the world after the Great Wars. Outside the only place that humans survived. We could get sent into that radioactive rubble--where nothing could ever survive, not for decades more. And yet I was doing the very thing that could lead me to my death. 

"Why did you stop? Go on!" 

"Don't you think this is too dangerous Adrian? We're literally breaking the law for people we don't even know!" 

"But-- Yeah, I know. I'm just too curious about this, it doesn't make any sense! How about this? We do it this one time and then we never meet again. We both know it's too dangerous."

I contemplated it for a moment, knowing that even this once was the same level of danger. But even if we got discovered now, it would be too late. I was already with my nemesis, that was  excuse enough for banishment. Besides, I was very curious about the contents of that file, too.

"okay" I said, not knowing that this one word was going to change my life forever.