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Monday morning found us back inside our classroom. The overall feeling of the room was one of excitement. Students were perched carefully on the edges of their seats, ready for action. Edgar, sitting on the far left side of the front row, turned his head just enough to make eye contact. His face was a little more pale than usual, his eyes washed with uncertainty. I gave him a reassuring smile and a firm nod, which he returned before facing forward again.
Mr. Saxon entered the room, his short legs carrying him as quickly as they would move. Emmaline was behind him, her graceful stride a sharp contrast to the man waddling in front of her.
“Good morning, class. I hope you all had a great weekend with lots of rest.” Mr. Saxon turned to face Emmaline. Today she was wearing a slim purple skirt, with a flowing pale blue blouse tucked in. Pearls lined her neck, and I felt a pang of jealousy. I’d never owned any jewelry. Some families would save up enough to afford a necklace for their daughters to wear to their marriage send-off ceremonies, but jewelry was mostly seen as an unnecessary luxury we couldn’t afford. Still, it was beautiful on Emmaline’s delicate collar bones.
“Director Frasier is going to be joining us for the self-defense training this week.”
Emmaline took a small step forward. “That’s right. I’m concerned about some of the rumors I’ve heard circulating, so I wanted to set some things straight before you begin. First of all, please understand that you are all very safe here.”
Lennie shifted in his seat in front of me.
“Some of you may know that there has been an increase in Outside attacks in recent weeks. We believe we have identified a single rebel leader coordinating the attacks, and I assure you the Protection squad is hard at work to eliminate his threats.”
Eliminate his threats? They’re going to kill Frank.
I searched the faces of my classmates, trying to gauge their understanding. Would they even care if they knew? New America strove for a life free from violence. But perhaps they wouldn’t mind killing off an Outsider. They weren’t always viewed as human from those near the Center, those who didn’t personally know anyone out there.
My heart was pounding so hard I feared my ribs might bruise. Calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out. If Emmaline noticed my sudden anxiety, she didn’t let on. Instead, she continued in her calm, soothing tone.
“We have increased security here in Noble borough, so you have nothing to fear. Nonetheless, we will begin the self-defense training a little earlier than planned. Our goal is for you to feel safe, so that you may in turn help the citizens of Classen City feel safe. That is your ultimate goal as Peacemakers, after all.”
Emmaline smiled, her pretty pink lips parting to display sparkling white teeth. She glanced around the room. “Does anyone have any questions?”
Her eyes settled on mine for a brief moment, and I prayed that I was blocking my feelings sufficiently. Emmaline would not be happy to know that I opposed her going after Frank.
“Very well then, I’ll let you get back to it. Thank you, Mr. Saxon.” She gave a quick wave and turned on her heels, which clicked with every step she took on the hard tile floor as she exited the classroom.
—————
Margo stopped me on the way up to our rooms later that night.
“You alright, Claren? You seem a little off today.”
I needed to practice blocking my affect more.
“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I guess I’m just a little uneasy about all the Outsider attacks. I didn’t realize things had gotten so serious.”
Several of the other students were fearful as well—even those from Peacemaker families. I thought this would be a good excuse for my mood. And in a way it was true. I was nervous about the increase in attacks, especially since I knew Frank’s only goal was to educate the citizens of Classen City. He had no plans to hurt anyone. Something must have gone wrong.
Margo nodded, her mouth set in a tense line. “I guess they’re not used to it this close to the Center. Of course, we got the attacks every so often back in Cleveland borough.”
“Right, it happened in Morton, too.” I shook the image of my mother’s blood from my mind. But even apart from that, I’d heard of Outsiders breaking into homes, stealing food and supplies. Sela even had a neighbor who said he was caught in a fist fight with an Outsider one night on the way home from work. He swore the man was trying to hurt him. And Sam had a knife at the aptitude test.
Maybe Frank wasn’t quite as innocent as I thought. Maybe the Outsiders did have nefarious plans.
I thought of Cato and Raf. Surely they wouldn’t get caught up in something dangerous. I’d have known. I could read my brother like a book. Was Frank lying to them?
“I think I’m gonna settle in early.” I stopped at the door to my bedroom.
“Are you sure? Nita found some cards in the library downstairs. We were going to play a game and try to get our minds off of everything after we changed clothes. I’d love for you to join us.” Margo bit her lip, hopeful that I would change my mind.
“I’m sure. I just need some rest.”
“Well okay then, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” Margo continued past me to her room. I ducked inside my door, closing it quickly behind me.
Scurrying over to my bed, I lifted the corner of the mattress, where I had hidden the letter from Raf. I read through again, looking for any signs that things may be getting more serious.
There will be a lot more education in the near future. Exciting things are happening.
What did he mean by exciting things? I’d assumed he meant good things. Change. Freedom. The things they’d hoped for. But perhaps he found danger exciting?
I rubbed my eyes hard with the heels of my hands. If only I could see Cato. I could warn him. I could tell him to keep his distance from Frank. Please be smart, Cato.
—————
After a day and a half of classroom study on weapons, we finally moved into the main hall of the multipurpose building where our training facilities were located. We’d learned a brief history of lethal weapons—how guns of the past led to the Great War, where citizens attacked the government, turned on each other, and destroyed life in the old United States.
As a result of those actions, officials had banned firearms, making them illegal for use in New America by everyone except a select few Leaders. Stun guns were also outlawed for the general public, but as Peacemakers, we would have the clearance to use them when necessary.
I picked up my gun from its case, gently turning it over in my hands as I examined its curves. It was heavier than I expected. The hard plastic grip was rough in my palm, and I resisted the urge to place my index finger on the trigger. It was calling me, like a forbidden temptress—one that I both feared and revered.
“Stun guns have come a long way over the last fifty years,” Mr. Saxon droned on. “There is enough charge in each of these weapons for twelve shots. The most effective range of distance is within ten yards. In this range, a single shot will incapacitate your target, leaving an adult in severe pain and temporarily paralyzed. Your target will regain movement after approximately fifteen minutes, and full brain function will be restored within an hour. So you must be quick with your handcuffs, containing the target before he or she regains full movement and awareness.”
Georgia scoffed. “This is so basic compared to what my mom has. I guess they save the best models for the most important Peacemakers. I can’t wait until I get an upgrade, too.”
Mr. Saxon eyed her warily. “The MX-1640 is best for training. You will all be taught with these. It is sufficient for learning to aim and fire.”
Margo nudged me with her elbow. “Ignore her,” she whispered.
I turned my gaze away from Georgia, taking in the sight of the weapon in my hands once again. It was beautiful in a way, this small machine that held so much power. Not everyone shared my sentiments, though.
Goosebumps dotted my arms—a reaction I couldn’t contain. They were a result of the other students’ fear. Edgar was practically trembling a few feet away from me. Even Margo seemed a bit rattled. Too bad Georgia wasn’t more intimidated.
“Now everyone spread out along the wall behind us. Keep a few feet between yourselves and turn to face the targets we’ve set out on the opposite wall.”
Georgia remained by Mr. Saxon’s side, radiating eagerness to get started. She was already confident in her abilities, per usual. But Margo was right, I needed to stop letting her get to me. We walked the full length of the wall to the opposite end of the room. Edgar followed closely behind.
“Remember what we discussed in the classroom. We are going to practice aiming. Do not fire your weapons. We are only aiming right now.”
Mr. Saxon strode along the wall behind us as we all lifted the guns toward our targets—silhouette cutouts across the room. “Good. Align your sights. Focus.”
He’d make adjustments as he went, helping students straighten their arms, or lift their weapons. He spent a few minutes with Edgar, whose rapid breathing was preventing him from remaining steady on his target.
“Ugh!” Georgia was loudly conveying her frustration from the other side of the hall. “Can we hurry up and shoot already? Those Outsiders aren’t waiting around. I want to be sure I’m ready for them.” She squinted one eye and aimed at the target before her, pretending to fire a shot. Grinning obnoxiously, she turned and looked at me over her shoulder.
“Can she try to not be annoying for one minute?” I looked at Margo who was trying really hard to focus on her stance.
“I don’t think she’s capable,” Margo said, never removing her eyes from her target. “It’s not in her genetic makeup to be likable.”
I snorted and tried to practice my aim again. Mr. Saxon walked back to his starting point, satisfied that everyone had their aim ready.
“Alright, now I want everyone to take a single shot. Remember to concentrate, and keep one eye on your target at all times. Hold your breath as you pull the trigger. You can do this.”
One by one shots of light flew from our line toward the cutouts. The shots were quieter than I thought they would be, just a whiz and a flash before us. My finger pulled against the smooth metal trigger, bringing it closer to my body with a satisfying click. Squinting, I could see the mark it left near the center of my target. Not bad. I kind of liked that.
Georgia’s target was also marked near the center, which was unfortunate. I had hoped she’d be a bad shot. She needed something to bring her arrogance down a notch.
“That’s for the Outsider who stole our ham last month,” she said at full volume, with a sneer. The rest of the class turned toward her, admiring her shot.
Her sneer turned into a full grin. She loved being the center of everyone’s attention. Taking full advantage of her spotlight, she fired off another shot, not waiting for instructions from Mr. Saxon. The attention of our classmates only seemed to fuel her.
“And that’s for the man who tried to jump the Center walls from my backyard.” She turned and looked at me again after the second shot hit the center of her target. Her eyes were narrowed, glimmering with anticipation. “Sure hope it wasn’t anyone’s daddy.”
I swallowed the hard lump that had instantly formed in my throat. That shot was for me. She knows about my dad. My grip tightened around the weapon I still held. I knew I should resist Georgia’s dare. There was more power in ignoring her. But she was begging me to react.
Margo, suddenly aware of the anger I was unable to freeze down inside, reached out and gently placed her hand on my arm.
“Drop it,” she whispered. “She’s just trying to get under your skin.”
It was working.
“Ms. Hines, that’s enough.” Mr. Saxon was making his way back to Georgia, his short legs working quickly to carry his round frame over to where she stood. But he was too slow.
“And this one,” Georgia said, looking right at me before turning back to her target, “is for a thief who is too afraid to face the consequences of his actions. I hope he dies in the Outside.”
My shot fired at the same time as Georgia’s, our movements almost synchronized. Both hit their targets. A third mark appeared on Georgia’s cutout across the room, and at the same time, her body hit the floor.
So much for hiding my emotions.