The shop was deathly quiet as Tack spoke.
Camping lanterns were lit, throwing orange pools of light. No one mentioned our battered faces. What had happened was obvious, but just as obviously, Tack and I had come back united in purpose. I’d called everyone together, then given him the floor.
Outside, night had fallen, and the temperature was dropping rapidly. The wind picked up, raking the mountaintop with swirling crystal clouds. Heavy clunks announced a hailstorm, fist-sized missiles thudding down like icy baseballs. The weather was eerie. Apocalyptic. It felt like a taunt. My anger at the Program smoldered just beneath the surface.
Yet Tack was oddly encouraged. What better conditions for launching a sneak attack?
I’d given him the okay. We would hit town with everything, leaving no one behind. The Guardian had told me to win at all costs, so that’s what I’d do. There’d be a reckoning with him, too. Someday. But Ethan and Sarah had to be dealt with first.
“The plan is simple.” Tack was sitting cross-legged on the floor with everyone gathered around him. I stood at his side, providing implicit approval. “We take the fight to them, tonight, under the cover of this blizzard. We’ll hit hard and fast, no stopping until we torch Emerald Tower and everything inside. Then we’ll set a trap for anyone coming back to help them.”
“And if they’re waiting for us?” Leighton asked, knees pulled into his chest as he sat on a sleeping bag beside the space heater. “No offense, Tack, but I doubt they haven’t planned for an attack. Our last one sure didn’t work.”
Tack nodded at Leighton’s concern. “Last time, you had fewer people, and didn’t use a distraction. We won’t do that again.” He avoided glancing at me, for which I was thankful. My previous attempt had been stupid and costly. I prayed we weren’t repeating that mistake.
“What distraction are you planning?” Richie asked, yellow eyes gleaming in the lantern light. “That means some people won’t be making the charge.”
Tack hesitated, running his tongue across his teeth. His gaze bounced from face to face as he fidgeted with his fingers. I waited impatiently. We hadn’t discussed this part. I could sense that whatever was coming next, I wasn’t going to like it.
“Okay.” Tack cringed a little, one hand scratching at his cheek. “This is going to sound crazy at first.”
Bad start.
He took a deep, committing breath. “We need to pool our resources.”
I looked down at him. “Pool them how? Everyone has access to the arsenal. We share everything already.”
Tack squinted at the floor, then his head came up, a new resolve hardening in his eyes. “I mean our human resources.”
For a moment, I just blinked at him. Then my eyes widened. “No.”
His hand shot up, index finger extended. “Just hear me out!”
“Tack, you’re out of your f—”
“There are people in this room staring at the death limit,” Tack blurted quickly, over a rising chorus of murmurs. “We can’t go on the offensive knowing some of you might not come back.”
Cash and Richie shifted nervously. Jamie began chewing her hair. I moved around so I could see Tack’s face, my implicit approval revoked.
“Further,” he forged ahead, “Ethan’s best people are jacked up on eliminations by now. We’ll have the element of surprise, but we need to match their speed and strength. And the only way to do that is by . . . sharing.”
My mouth was hanging open. I glanced around, saw eyes widening as more of the others comprehended what Tack was suggesting.
Tack continued doggedly. “But there’s another benefit. Ethan has two-or three-man teams at every reset zone, in the four corners of the valley. Any attack on downtown leaves those people at our backs. Bad idea. But my plan solves that problem, too.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. “You want us to kill each other. On purpose. That’s what you’re suggesting.”
Tack winced, shifting his weight. “Well, I wouldn’t describe it like that. But . . . yeah.”
“Dude.” Cash’s hands rose to grip the sides of his head. “Dude.”
Leighton was staring at Tack as if a stray dog had wandered into the room and thrown up on the carpet. Richie and Jamie were both shaking their heads. Akio kept his face guarded, but worry lines creased his brow. Only Kyle seemed to be giving Tack’s insane idea any real consideration.
“We kill two birds this way.” Tack made a face. “Okay, poor choice of words. But I’m serious! Our attack squad will get stronger while at the same time we’re secretly sending people to ambush Ethan’s reset teams. They’ll never see it coming! It’s perfect.”
“Problem,” I said immediately. “Weapons don’t reset. We’d be sending unarmed people against armed groups that are specifically watching for them.”
“Not true!” Tack countered, bounding to his feet. He took off his jacket and then, with a flourish, unzipped its waterproof liner and removed a long, thin knife. “Weapons integrated directly into clothing travel with you. I’ve tested it.”
This stopped everyone short. If Tack was telling the truth . . .
“Guns?” I asked sharply.
“I’m not sure,” he admitted, but then hurriedly added, “Knives definitely do, though. I haven’t had the chance to test a gun, but that doesn’t mean the same principle won’t apply. And either way, our people won’t be totally unarmed. Plus, it’ll be pitch dark out, and they won’t be expecting resets during a blizzard. Who’d be out fighting in this? They’ll never see us coming!”
I opened my mouth to end this nonsense, but hesitated. There was a certain brutal logic to what Tack was saying. And if guns did slip through, that was a game changer. We could seize control of the valley in one swoop.
“Think about it,” Tack pressed, clearly sensing an opening. “We hit downtown and torch their base of operations. While it’s happening, they’ll think help is coming, but instead our people attack from behind. We’ll smash them! Ethan’s crew will be totally uprooted, waking up at the reset points without weapons or supplies, in weather you can’t survive overnight outdoors. If everything goes right, they might even surrender!”
Skeptical looks were fading, replaced by hungry expressions. Even I found myself daring to believe. If this worked, we’d rout those arrogant pricks. One bold, daring raid to finally break the stalemate.
“Let’s do it.”
The words were out before I could stop them. Tack beamed. Eyes shot to me. Suddenly it was my plan, and the others needed more.
Adrenaline surged through me as I barked out orders. “We pair off. One for the zones, the other for town.” I felt invigorated. Inspired. We could do this. We would do this. I did the math in my head, sorting who needed a reset and who could spare one. “Strike team: Me. Tack. Jamie. Richie. Zone team: Akio. Kyle. Leighton. Cash. Wherever you guys reset, hit Ethan’s people while they’re zipped in their tents, then come join the assault on town.”
Nods. Scattered cheers. Kyle circled the room, pounding people’s shoulders, trying to jack everyone up. We were united in purpose. Then a pit opened in my stomach as I thought of the next step.
I’d just sentenced four people to death.
We assembled in the courtyard. The storm had risen in intensity, sheets of razor-fine snow blowing sideways and abrading exposed skin. Our jackets had been altered, handguns and tactical knives sewn directly into the lining. I prayed the ploy would work.
“Time to go!” I shouted over the wind, waving a hand. Everyone was bundled up like Arctic explorers, ski goggles in place so you couldn’t see their eyes. It was better that way, given what we were about to do.
Four pairs reluctantly faced off in the snow. I removed a pistol from my jacket pocket and pulled the slide. Felt a deepening horror steal over me.
This isn’t right. It’s not how decent people act.
I shoved the thought away. It was too late for second-guessing.
Akio stood before me, trembling, and not likely from the cold. I was stronger than him and didn’t need the kill, but Tack and I had to lead the town assault. Akio had the wiggle room to provide a life and would be invaluable attacking the zones. He’d go from one to the next, hunting Ethan’s teams and keeping them off our backs. So I fiddled with my weapon, giving him a moment to compose himself.
Akio nodded. Stiffened.
I put the gun barrel to his forehead. Watched his chest heave in and out.
The revulsion inside me grew. My hand shook and I hesitated, but I was only making this worse for him.
A shot rang out to my left, followed quickly by two others.
Three bodies slumped to the ground, then vanished. But I stood there, frozen.
“Do it,” Akio whispered. Head down, shaking all over. “Please, Noah, just do it now.”
I bit down hard on my tongue. Felt tears freezing on my cheeks. Tack was striding over, chambering another round in his pistol. If I didn’t shoot Akio, he would, and I’d look soft in front of everyone.
I’ll give it back. I promise I’ll give it back.
A cold wind swirled up from somewhere deep inside me.
With a silent scream, I pulled the trigger.