Welcome to the nation. Welcome to the place where everything is monitored... everything is portioned... everything is perfectly under control...
Everything except the SkyTrain Holland Renner was aboard.
In a matter of seconds, Holland finds herself...
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to inevitxble for making an amazing cover for Enhancement right here:
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She also made a cover for Instability, which i love a lot, so everyone go follow her! If you want me to use this cover, comment HERE!
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As I train my eyes on the Equinox lady, I lace my fingers between Stephen's. Not only do I want to keep him close, but I also feel safer when we're within each others' touch. Anything could happen in the next 10 minutes.
"Alright, let's begin the finale of your Equinox," the woman says. She begins an applause, and the rest of the room claps with her.
I don't bother clapping; no way am I letting go of Stephen's hand. To settle my uneasiness, I scan the dining hall for Nicolette. I spot her easily on the clear other side of the area. She's secure over there, away from the dangers Stephen and I impose on her.
After all, she burned the fear technology in my neck with a table knife. That makes her an accomplice to treason. The best I can do is ensure her Equinox is normal.
I brush a flyaway hair behind my ear. On stage, a large hologram springs awake behind the woman. A reel of patriotic symbols swirl on the hologram. The images are so fake, so phony in their powerful appeal. How was I able to believe all this crap for so much of my life?
But like always, Stephen and I blend in. We pretend to be focused and gullible as the woman continues. When we need to strike, we will... somehow, somewhere.
"Let's begin our ceremony with our nation pledge. Everyone rise from your seats and face the hologram."
I glance at Stephen as we ease our hands apart. Turning around again, I face the patriotic display. The room recites:
I pledge my allegiance Now and always Forever to my country. My loyalty will never falter, My obedience will never halt, And my actions Will always reflect these words: Timeliness For the sake of productivity; Control For the sake of order.
"Your pledge has been accepted, ladies and gentlemen. You may be seated again," the woman says crisply.
The room seats itself, tempted to chatter but resists. "The Equinox each year is about categorization. As you recall from your most recent interaction with your glass boxes, the system ranked your tendencies, likelihoods, possibilities, and confirmations using your behavior in the tasks. We also tap into a few behaviors from throughout your life to form those scores."
