UNPROTECTED

Part Three

Connor's POV

A girl glares at me from inside the crowd, her icy blue eyes making me never want to see her ever again. She looks like an Integer: scruffy clothing and messy, corn blonde hair. But, I don't have time to stop and stare her down.

I see him. Behind the well, clearing the vines, precisely as the woman said he would be - I was scared to go near him with the shears. Who knew what he would do? He looked more bedraggled than I remembered. He looked more like an Integer.

"Uh...Marcus? I have a preposition for you - and we don't have much time." He looked up at me and scowled.

"I don't want anything to do with that horrid man I call my blood. My father. Go away, Connor." Considering I was older than him, he treated me like the younger, inexperienced one. "Oh, yeah, and chuck that bike. Nobody's going to thank you for it when the oxygen supply runs out or these trees die out, for good. You know, they used to blame it on witches in the good old days? And do you know what they did to those witches? These people will do that to you."

"Shut up and listen. You want to prove yourself and spread your message of green? Pretend you're me. Go to the exam, flunk it and bingo - you're in."

"You mean, the scholarship exam? Why would I want to get into the exact same business that wants the opposite of what I want and I ripping these people off for oxygen?!" He had an annoying point. Like, no shit Sherlock.

"Fine, I get where you're coming from, but, at least give this plan a chance." I pleaded with him - I don't want this. I don't want to go to work everyday knowing what I am doing is wrong for these people. "Or, you could help me find the Reformation leader?"

"To do what?"

"To ask to join up and actually do something good for a change." Marcus looks into the sky, daydreaming.

"Deal." But, before we can talk some more, a girl with jaw length brown hair and huge, bug eyes appears from nowhere.

"You want to join the Reformation? Prove yourselves." She declares.

"Wh-H-eh?" I can't talk - she was listening the whole time and there isn't really anywhere to hide that is in close enough range for her to hear.

"Prove yourselves. Show what you care about most. Steal some cuttings and protest - maybe then Pearilia will think about it." Pearilia - everyone had heard about her. Been warned about her.

"Maria. Cool it." Its the girl from earlier - damn it. "You. Do you know how much fumes that thing gives off; a simple apology won't compensate for the damage that thing causes. We need more oxygen the more you use that - and,where exactly do you get the fuel from? Our supply ran out years ago. Oops, I forgot, you're a Prime - everything you want, you get."

"Finished?" I asked, daring my luck to change. And it does. She may be small, but she could sure slap hard. Her hand met my face, leaving it red and painful - it felt like a thousand pins were being stabbed into my face.

"My name is Alina Riley and you should have listened to what Maria told you. Show who you trust and maybe then, she will see."