“Seconded,” Tony agreed.
“Hear, hear,” Heath agreed. He smiled down at Julia, rocking her in his arms. She reached up, wrapping a chubby fist in his beard.
I closed my eyes as her happy burble joined her sister’s, filling the room with all the beautiful possibilities of a future filled with love, safety, and family.
SECOND EPILOGUE
Ruby—Subject 8008
THE EXERCISE AUDITORIUMin the lower levels of the Vault was as gray and depressing as always. I trudged around the perimeter in slow circles—blending in with the other hundred and fifty or so omegas in my shift, while trying not to let on how terrible I was feeling today.
The guards were always watching. A dozen or so stood in a loose circle at the center of the echoing space, staring at us impassively with tasers and truncheons at the ready. Another dozen looked down on us from the level above, armed with tranquilizer guns. Acting in a way that attracted their attention rarely ended well for anyone involved.
Once upon a time, I’d appreciated the brightness of our orange jumpsuits is such a dull and cheerless place. Now, they just hurt my eyes. Orange stood out from the background. It made us easy to see. Easy to catch if we tried to run.
Not many people tried to run.
At least, not more than once. Where would we even go?
A hand brushed mine. I flinched hard, barely able to stop myself from jerking back and whirling around to see who had touched me.Making a scene. Then I caught a whiff of crisp lemon and rosemary omega perfume. It was soured byloneliness and confinement, but still as familiar as my own papaya and ginger.
Del.
My sister, Delilah; kidnapped at the same time as me and brought here from our home, to be poked and prodded and experimented on by the white-coated doctors who seemed to run this place.
I risked a sideways glance, keeping my head facing straight forward. Del’s curly, short-cropped brown-black hair and umber skin greeted me—a mirror of my own, even if she was several inches shorter and a couple years younger than me.
My jaw ached with the need to speak to her... to ask how she was doing and if they’d hurt her yet. But speaking during the exercise hour brought swift and certain punishment.
We walked side by side, both facing forward and not changing speed. Her hand brushed mine again, and this time, a wad of something was pressed into the loose cage of my fingers.
I didn’t look. Didn’t react. Just twisted and wriggled my arm, poking and shoving the wad as far up my orange sleeve as I could get it, since pockets weren’t a luxury we were allowed.
With a final brush of her pinky against my skin, Del increased her pace just enough to draw away from me, disappearing into the crowd. The soft bundle of mystery burned against my forearm, as though desperate curiosity could somehow generate its own heat.
I had no idea how much of the exercise hour was left. The muscles in my legs ached, but that didn’t mean much. Every other part of my body ached, too, after the last round of bone marrow injections the doctors had given me.
Eventually, we were herded back to our cells. I sent a covert glance toward the door of the cell just beyond mine, watching Del’s back as she disappeared inside. The heavy door clanged closed behind her.
“Move.” A hand shoved me between the shoulder blades, drawing a startled gasp from me as I stumbled forward, my own door slamming behind me. The noise echoed in my ears for a long moment before my heart rate slowed from its startled jump.
The narrow cot in the corner beckoned me like a lighthouse in stormy seas.
Lie down, it whispered.You’ll feel better if you sleep.
