𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭

18

He was tall, with curly blond hair and hazel eyes that were too warm for someone who went around attacking people. He pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh. We can't alert the Hopefuls of your presence. We need to get you all outside of the tunnel and into Tempest territory."

"Hold up," I demanded, squinting at him. "You expect us to go with you? After what you just did?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and lifted a hand from his ribs, showing where bright red stained his shirt. "You should be lucky the Tempests are taking you in, after what you just did. Now come with me, before the Hopefuls-"

"Who are the Hopefuls?" Chase questioned, closing the distance between them. "And what do you mean, the Tempests are taking us in? We can take care of ourselves."

"Cute, but I don't mean monsters. I meant all the Offerings against the selection. We live on one side of the border." he began walking, beckoning them with his hands. "But the Hopefuls live on the other. They insist on finding a peaceful resolution."

The time for pleasantries is over, and I am not sure what to believe. My thoughts echo back in my head. To be honest, I'd rather fight the government than try to reason with them. But that still didn't mean I trusted him.

Hesitantly I began to follow him, peering back at the others. Chase was shaking his head, but Allison was fast to trail after me. She trusts me. I glanced over at Chase. I thought you did too.

He let out a sigh as Azura sprinted to catch up and started walking, dragging Jack, who had nearly frozen in place, behind him.

"I still want more answers," I said, my voice a little shaky from my still- racing heart. "Is there seriously a rebellion of Offerings? How big is their group?"

"About a hundred and ten."

"And the Hopefuls?"

He stared back at me, as if trying to see right through me. "Two hundred."

The number took a second to process in my head. A couple awkward beats of silence passed before I spoke. "How have they not beaten you yet?"

He glanced back at the tunnel ahead of them. "I sometimes wonder the same myself. The government sends them supplies to try and get them to do their dirty work, but we usually intercept them."

"Why doesn't the government keep us locked up in the Prime House, then?" Azura asked.

"That," he said as their flashlights hit the exit door, "Is a very long and complicated story. Not one we have time for right now." He motioned for me to step closer and give him enough light to find the door handle. "Do exactly as I say." His hands shook slightly as he pulled open the enormous door.

Light flooded into the tunnel, blinding me for a second, but I could still hear the voice.

"Well, Oliver," it said, "what's the fun in that?"