Unplugged: The New World (#1, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Thirty Three

"Sorry," he whispers. I nod in reply, because it hurts to move my mouth. Peering around Oscar, I notice that we've stopped in the middle of a small, empty square. Crumbling apartment buildings stand to one side, and a large park with browning grass stands to the other.

"Alright, everyone," Sam calls out. "Since this is a mock mission, I want you all to split into your Squads and choose a section of sidewalk to patrol." After a moment of watching him, I realize that he continually searches the skies behind us. He must be worried about being bombed again. I find myself doing the same thing after a while, out of paranoia. A tall boy at the front of the crowd of Trainees raises his hand, and Sam grudgingly acknowledges him.

"Yeah?"

"What will we be doing?"

"Excuse me?" He snaps forcefully. I wonder why he's acting so tense. The intervals between his quick skyward glances have shortened.

"I just want to know why we're just standing here." Sam slowly advances towards the boy until their faces are inches apart. All of the Trainees seem to hold their breath. He whispers something so quietly that I can't hear it. When the boy turns around, his face is plaster pale.

"Any more questions?" Sam roars, his voice echoing as it bounces off the buildings surrounding the small square. He is replied with a fearful silence, then all of the Squads begin to separate, each heading to their own spot.

"What crawled into his bed this morning?" Leah mumbles. I shrug, glancing towards the sky again.

"Well, this sucks." Oscar leans against the nearest building and we gather around him, standing awkwardly. "What are we supposed to watch for? Pigeons?"

"There's one." Josh suddenly points to the park across the street, where a small gray bird nibbles on the dead grass then promptly takes flight.

"Wow!" Sara exclaims, her eyes wide. "I've never actually seen one!" Most people haven't seen them. Wild animals seem to have given up on life in the city; after all of the plants died and the oceans became too polluted to drink from, they were forced to migrate elsewhere.

"I feel bad for it," Josh mutters pensively. "It hoped that life might change for the better, at least once, and it was disappointed. Just goes to show that misery is inevitable." Leah raises her eyebrows at me and I give her a silencing look. Even Leah picked up on the depressing sentiment.

"Don't say that," I mutter. I try out Matthew's phrase. "You can always find happiness if you look for it, no matter where you are."

"Do you really believe that?" Josh asks. I look into his clear eyes.

No. Yes. No?

"Of course." I force a smile.

* * *

The sun begins to dip behind the skyscrapers in the distance, bringing darkness in its wake.

"What time is it?" Leah asks, her eyes still closed. Hours ago, she decided that sleeping was more important than standing around and doing nothing. I believe her. She sat on the ground and leaned against the brick building we were "patrolling" in front of. Personally I long to do the same, but I'm not eager to be screamed at by Sam: especially not now, when he seems so tense. Almost every second now he snaps his head towards the sky, searching frantically for something that isn't there.

"This is ridiculous. I'm going to talk to him," Josh mutters, getting to his feet and starting towards Sam, who stands in the openness of the empty park. I find it odd that no Members have passed through here today.

"Are you nuts?" Oscar hisses, grabbing his wrist. "He'll rip you to pieces!" Josh yanks his arm from Oscar's grasp, glaring back at him determinedly.

"I don't care." Sara, Leah, Oscar and I anxiously watch as Josh struts towards Sam. Sam turns on his heel, on the verge of yelling, and then the coldness leaves his gaze to be replaced by discomfort. He begins to talk quickly, staring at the sky, and I think he is telling Josh to go away. Josh doesn't leave. I can't hear what he's saying, but the anger in his gaze is unmistakable. After thirty tense seconds, he starts back towards us. Sam seems even more nervous than before.

"I can't believe this!" Josh fumes. "Why do we have to sit out here when obviously nothing is happening?"

But I can't hear him. Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to focus on what he's saying. Overhead, five helicopters fly swiftly towards us. I can see small, black objects falling from them. Bombs. Sam must see them too, because he starts sprinting towards them.

"No!" I scream. My legs act of their own accord, carrying me towards the bombs. I hear the others break into a frenzy, following close behind me. I don't know why I'm running towards the danger. Maybe I'm running towards the Depot. Maybe I'm running towards the ones I love.

Because if I'm right, the government's attack has begun.