Shock is painted across Piper’s features. “What?”
“I don’t need to do what you say. You can’t force me to do anything. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the offie Leader.”
“This isn’t about me forcing you to do anything at all. This is about giving the people a chance at defending themselves. If you don’t, they’ll all die.”
“They’re all going to die anywhere when they’re twenty years. What does a couple years mean?”
Piper puts her hands down on the table, staring Christopher directly in the eyes. “If we were to overthrow the Heads, what do you think would happen? What if everyone can live past twenty years? What if we were able to offer people a life double the length they expected? You know you’d get the same.”
Christopher’s eyes flicker with confusion. He searches Piper’s face for lies. “Are you serious?”
“Would I drag all these people into your office just for a joke?”
Christopher stares hard at Piper before asking, “What do you want? I’ll have anyone do anything you want, as long as I am allowed to live. And,” he adds after a moment of thought, “I want a position on power.”
“Done.” Piper nods shortly.
She quickly explains our plan to Christopher. Under his critical stare, it sounds less achievable. When Piper finishes, he raises his eyebrows, “That’s all?”
Piper is confident, even though his words are dripping with disbelief. “We don’t know what Ellen is going to throw at us. We can’t form a tightly structured plan when we don’t know what’s going to happen. The most important thing is rolling with whatever she gives us.”
Christopher presses his lips together, dramatically running his fingers ‘anxiously’ through his hair. “Okay, then. I guess you are in charge, right? I mean, it’s risky and not planned out really well, but…”
Piper snaps, her face red. “Would you like to suggest something better?”
“Actually, I do have a few suggestions that might help our chances. I say we get technology involved. Ellen doesn’t know half the things we’ve been able to create. I say we call in the two Tech prodigies and discuss with them what we can do.”
“Prodigies? Can’t we discuss it with the Tech Council?”
Christopher shrugs, “We could, but I think we’d have more success with Josh and Benson. They’ll be much more creative.”
Something unreadable crosses over Piper’s face. “Josh and Benson?”
“They are geniuses. They’ve reworked the entire Notice system, making it ten times more efficient.”
Piper mutters something under her breath before nodding, “Okay, you send a Notice in. I’m going to try to learn the time of Ellen’s arrival.”
Christopher and Piper begin typing into their Notices. I think of Theo’s stolen Notices. What does he plan to do with them? Who can he contact? What if he’s a spy, just like Charlotte and he needs the Notices to contact the Heads? Should I say something?
The thoughts are pushed out of my mind as Piper says, “Ellen’s going to be here in three hours. Just after Mid-day Meal. I’d say we have everyone start eating right now, so that they’ll have enough time to eat before they have to fight.”
Christopher sighs, “I have to send out a mass message. How do I tell everyone that we’re being offie attacked and they need to fight?”
“Let me write it on your Notice. I’ll make sure it’s worded right.”
YOU ARE READING
274 (Complex Series, #4)
Science Fiction-fourth book in the Complex series- Claire, known to most people only by her Complex number as 274, has always obeyed the Official's rules. You have to, unless you want to be sent away to the Unknown. Until, she meets Marie and everything changes. ...
