UPRISE

003

"No way," Corbin calls Edison's bluff. The kid looks scrawny and pale, exactly like the kind of guy who'd spend all day fiddling with a computer, but not nerdy enough to figure out how to hack the bands. "I call bull."

Edison didn't come here to waste his time arguing with anyone, especially not a kid as self-righteous as Corbin. So, Edison shrugs his shoulders and shoves his hands into the wet pockets of his pants. The chill has stopped bothering him.

Edison learned in one of his classes, that you can tell when hypothermia begins to set in as your body feels hot. It's not there yet, but it's close.

"We should at least try it," Harper suggests. He scans Edison, trying to find a fracture in the boy's façade. However, Edison isn't a textbook, though he is close.

"Why don't you hack them for everyone?" Aeryn asks. Her curiosity claws its way to the surface. It's too big to be contained by her small body. How could she restrain herself when so many people are suffering?

Edison rolls his eyes, shaking his head back and forth. "I don't want to get caught by the researchers and ejected, now do I? I'll do it for this kid, just this once, if everyone goes and waits just outside."

The group looks around, waiting for anyone to make a call. Eventually, Wren nods. It's his life on the line after all. Wren doesn't catch the frown on Corbin's face. Instead, he steps forward and offers a hand to Edison. The blonde boy stares at it for a second, before pulling his hand out of his pocket.

"Thanks," Wren offers, shaking the guy's hand. "Wren."

Edison smirks, staring at Wren's eyes. It's not often he sees someone act as confident as him yet is willing to trust anyone else. Having been across the world and back, Edison wouldn't trust anyone else with his fate. He is thankful that the boy across from him seems willing to swallow his pride. "Darby. Edison Darby.

With that, Wren lets go of Edison's hand. He heads to the door and holds it open for the others to follow. They oblige, heading out of the room and waiting on the porch.

As they move, Edison grabs the arm of Reagan. The boy seems surprised but holds back to look at Edison.

"Compile a list of the items you all came here for," Edison bites his lip, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll get you those first, so you don't have to wait in the cold too long."

Reagan nods. The gesture is a bit too eager for Edison, who drops Reagan's arm.

Reagan doesn't notice. He follows the others outside.

Once they are all camped out on the curb, and Reagan has counted the items everyone needs, he dips back inside to tell Edison. "Do you want me to just read them to you?"

Edison nods. Reagan tries to see what Reagan is tapping on the screen over his shoulder, but Edison keeps blocking him. Finally, Reagan relays the list. With only the flick of Edison's wrist as acknowledgement, Reagan turns back outside.

Corbin waits for them to shut. Once it does, he turns to the others and scrunches his nose. "That Edison guy is so suspicious."

"I don't care if he is secretly a serial killer if he can fix my band," Wren rolls his eyes. From where he sits on the ground, he rests his head against his curled-up knees. "I don't think that's your call to make either, but whatever."

Aeryn shrugs. Edison seems fine to her. At least, he doesn't seem to be acting any differently from the rest of the people around her. They all have tense shoulders and straight faces. However, she decides to keep her mouth shut. There is no use going up against someone like Corbin.