The names of our members stationed in America must be kept hidden. They should exist on no piece of paper or electronic document.
—Internal memorandum from Affinity
“I know that most of you have had the pleasure of meeting our newest recruits, but tonight please allow me to formally introduce Mia, Andrew, Carter, and Rex,” Zack said.
The four of them rose from their table. The whole room was clapping. Andrew didn’t seem upset this time, more embarrassed by the attention. Carter cracked a small smile, the first Mia had seen in days. Rex’s smile was almost too large. His toothy grin made him look like an eager child.
“As is our way,” Zack said, “tonight there will be a celebration in the field in their honor.”
Now everyone really clapped. This was news to Mia. All of her colleagues seemed surprised too. Mia saw Carter’s smile fade though. He was always so social. It didn’t make any sense.
“We hope to see everyone there,” Zack said.
The applause died down and people started leaving. A small girl came running up to them. She had a piece of folded purple paper in her hand. She handed it to Andrew and then ran off right away.
“What was that?” Mia asked playfully.
Andrew opened the paper up. Mia leaned over his shoulder to read. In childlike handwriting it said:
Welcome to Affinity Andrew. We are happy you are here. Love your friend Stella
“I think someone has an admirer,” Mia said.
“She must be seven,” Andrew said. He looked concerned.
“When I was her age I had crushes on all the older farmhands,” Mia said. “I guess that’s just human nature.”
“What?” Andrew asked. “Liking older men?”
“Liking attractive men,” Mia said.
Andrew shook his head, but Mia watched as he folded the note back up and slid it into his pocket.
“Can we talk?” Carter asked. “Just the three of us.”
Rex had already walked away. He was speaking with Katie. Andrew looked concerned.
“I’ll be right back,” he said.
He walked away from the table and over toward Katie and Rex.
“It’s important,” Carter said.
Andrew didn’t seem hostile. In fact the opposite; he seemed almost happy.
“Mia,” Carter said.
“What?”
She turned her head back to look at Carter. His forehead was crinkled up and his arms were crossed.
“Do you ever pay attention to anything I say? Or are you too obsessed with Andrew to spare me any thoughts at all?”
“I care about you,” Mia said. “That’s not fair.”
“I want to talk to both of you,” Carter said. “Before the party.”
Andrew came back over. Carter pushed away from the table and walked toward the door.
“What’s his problem?” Andrew asked.
One detail Mia had left out when she was describing the past month to Andrew: her fling with Carter.
“He’s feeling a little left out,” Mia said.
She started after him and Andrew followed. Carter went straight to their bunk. Mia pushed the door open; Carter was pacing back and forth.
“We’re here,” Mia said. “Our attention is all yours.”
“They introduced us as recruits,” Carter said. “When did we agree to stay here?”
“Where else would we go?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know,” Carter said. “Anywhere. We could go back to Mexico. We could stow away on a boat. Anywhere.”
“That’s crazy,” Mia said.
“I’m not crazy,” Carter said.
“I didn’t say you were,” Mia said. “Sit down.”
Carter stopped pacing and took a seat on the lowest bunk. He hung his head between his legs, then brought his hands up through his hair and down his face.
“I don’t want to stay here,” he said.
“Why not?” Mia asked.
She glanced toward Andrew. He was silent, leaning against the door.
“I feel trapped here,” Carter said.
Mia didn’t understand. They had a lot of freedom here. Carter seemed very frustrated.
“Are you two together now?” he asked.
Mia’s eyes widened. She was going to have to find time to tell Andrew everything, before Carter did and Andrew hated her for it. She remembered the look of betrayal on his face when he’d walked in and Mia was on top of Carter.
“Yes,” Andrew said.
“Perfect,” Carter said.
“It doesn’t mean we care about you any less,” Mia said.
“Get over yourself,” Carter said. “Everyone thinks your life is so precious. That you are worth more than anyone else. I don’t see what the big deal is.”
“Hey,” Andrew said.
He started to walk over from the door. Mia felt guilty. She hadn’t realized Carter’s feelings for her were that serious, but she wanted to avoid having this conversation right now.
“Carter,” Mia said, “you’re frustrated. I understand.”
“You don’t have to stay,” Andrew said.
“Andrew,” Mia said. She shot him an angry look. “If one of us leaves, we all leave,” Mia said.
Carter seemed to relax a little at that comment. His face loosened up and he sat up tall.
“I want to leave,” Carter said. “Tonight.”
“Give it a week,” Mia said. “Let’s spend one week here and then have this conversation again. Can we all agree on that?”
Carter glanced around the room and nodded his head. Andrew was indifferent.
“But you have to give it your all,” Mia said. “Is there any position you’re interested in?”
Carter shrugged.
“Teaching,” he said. “I like the kids.”
“Tell Zack that,” Mia said. “Then spend the week at the school.”
Carter nodded his head.
“We should get to the party,” Andrew said. “It is in our honor.”
Carter stood up from the bed and walked toward the door. He brushed past Andrew on his way out. Whatever camaraderie the two had built over the last few weeks was dwindling down.
“Why did you say that?” Mia asked Andrew.
“What?”
“That he could go off on his own?”
“I don’t want him to,” Andrew said. “But I also don’t want him to feel like a prisoner. If he’s not happy here or happy about us he needs to know he has options.”
“Well, there are better ways to say that,” Mia said.
“Why are you so upset?” Andrew said. “He just insulted you.”
Mia took a breath. Now was her moment to come clean.
“Andrew, I didn’t tell you everything earlier,” Mia said. “Before we left America . . . Carter and I were . . . together.”
Andrew looked like he’d been punched in the gut.
“Did I know?” Andrew asked.
“You found out,” Mia said.
In true Andrew fashion he sucked up whatever he was feeling and his face went blank.
“We should get to the party,” he said.
“Does this change anything?” Mia asked.
“No,” Andrew said.
Mia knew he was lying. He wouldn’t look at her as he turned and left the cabin. Mia stood alone in the empty cabin, regretting her time with Carter and her decision not to tell Andrew about it this afternoon.
The party was in full swing. There was a campfire set up with people sitting around it. A band was playing music on the field and people were dancing. Children were running all over the place. Mia watched as Andrew chatted with Rex and Katie, while Carter played games with some kids. Mia sighed and decided it was best to give Andrew some time to digest the news. She spotted Sarah sitting by the campfire and went to join her friend.
“Congratulations,” Sarah said.
“For?”
“Joining Affinity,” Sarah said.
“We haven’t yet,” Mia said. “Well, not officially.”
“Oh,” Sarah said. She crinkled her nose, then let out a small laugh. “Did you give any thought to your job?” she asked.
Apparently formal acceptance was a minor detail.
“I was hoping to talk to you about that,” Mia said. “I received an offer, from ET.”
Sarah’s eyes bugged out of her head. “Are you going to take it?”
“I said I needed some time,” Mia said.
“You’re crazy not to,” Sarah said.
“You said you would be unsure.”
“I said that because I’ll probably never get asked,” Sarah said.
“I thought you said they were so intense.”
“Well, it depends on your goals,” Sarah said. “You’ll be separated from the group some of the time, but you’ll be in on everything. You’ll have a say in the master plan.”
Mia looked over at Andrew. He smiled and laughed.
“Part of me wants a somewhat regular life,” Mia said. “I wouldn’t get that if I was focused on America all the time.”
Sarah shrugged. “I think you’re worried you won’t get enough time with Andrew,” she said.
“No,” Mia said. “He knows and said he’ll support whatever I choose.”
“See that man dancing?” Sarah asked. She pointed her finger at someone who was waving his arms in the air, carefree. Mia nodded.
“He’s a member of ET,” she said. “And that woman over there? She is too.”
“How many members are there?”
“Eleven,” Sarah said.
“Eleanor said my invitation was open-ended,” Mia said.
Sarah’s eyes popped back out again.
“That’s unheard of,” she said. “You must be pretty special. Did someone else join too?”
“Rex,” Mia said.
“Well, if you don’t accept by next week someone else will get an invite,” she said. “They always have an odd number.”
“What if I change my mind?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know,” Sarah said. “Eleanor doesn’t lie, but she doesn’t mess around either. Maybe they’d kick someone out?”
Mia glanced at the two ET members. They seemed fairly happy. Maybe it would be possible to have both. A normal life and one devoted completely to the cause. She stopped glancing around the crowd when Andrew came into view again.
“I’ll be back,” Mia said. “Thanks.”
She stood up and made her way toward Andrew. He saw her coming and broke away from Rex and Katie.
“Can we talk?” Mia asked. “Somewhere private?”
He nodded his head and walked along the jungle, away from the party.
“I’m really sorry,” Mia said. “I should have told you right away. I was nervous about how you would respond and—”
Before she could finish Andrew wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her forward and up on her tiptoes. She met his mouth with hers and wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt like she was flying as his energy made its way through her body. After a few moments he pulled back, giving her a tiny kiss to end their embrace.
“You should have told me,” Andrew said. “But it was in the past. You’re my future.”
Mia felt like her body was melting. She went back up on her toes and he met her kiss. They moved their heads in a rhythm and Mia felt like it was only the two of them left on the planet. She pulled away this time.
“I’m not going to join External Tactics,” Mia said.
“Why not?” Andrew asked.
“Because I want to stop the Registry, but I want this too,” Mia said.
“You’ll have me either way,” Andrew said.
“Not just you,” Mia said. “I want as quiet a life as possible. At least for a little bit.”
“Nothing about you is quiet,” Andrew said.
A ball came sailing across the grass, stopping right beside them. Andrew broke away and picked up the toy, tossing it back. He came over and grabbed Mia’s hand.
“Come on,” he said. “It’s our party.”
Mia was happy to follow him. This was what she had been waiting for. She felt like she belonged here. She had the best of both worlds. She was able to continue fighting injustice while starting something more with Andrew. She couldn’t imagine anything more perfect.