Defect - By Ryann Kerekes Page 0,66

moment, revealing each little piece at a time, so he wouldn’t overwhelm me with the whole plan all at once. At first that idea bothered me, but I’ve grown to appreciate it.

I know he and Rena are assembling supplies and studying the guards’ movements at the fence, but I haven’t pressed them for additional details. I don’t want any doubts planted in my mind about my ability to do this. I have to do this.

That night after showering, I lay in bed waiting for Will to come for me. Only when I hear the footsteps, instantly I know they don’t belong to Will. A moment later, Rena appears in the doorway to the dorm.

I sit up in bed, fearful that something’s happened to him, but she shakes her head, and offers a small smile. Air rushes into my lungs again.

I climb down from the bunk and follow her into the hall. “Where’s Will?” I whisper once we’re out of ear shot from the bunks.

“He didn’t want to risk being seen with you.” Rena keeps walking. “Come on.”

I follow her to her room, where Will is waiting for us. There is a large backpack and supplies scattered across the floor. Will’s packing my bag. My heart hammers in my chest, as if realizing this is really going to happen.

Rena paces the room.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” I ask.

She stops in front of me, her eyes wild and chaotic. “A former government official posted an article yesterday about the mindscan process. He revealed that – in addition to testing for future crime – it disables a small part of the brain, and that’s why people become docile after it.”

The blood drains from my head, and I get dizzy. I reach for the edge of the bed and collapse onto it. Will’s jaw is tense, and he’s looking at me. I can tell Rena has already told him, but his reaction at hearing it a second time is still pure anger.

Rena turns and keeps pacing. “There are a small percentage of people it doesn’t work correctly on – those are the Defects. It has only a minor impact, not enough to subdue them.” I tried and failed to understand what she was saying. What it meant about me. “And there is a tiny fraction of people it has no effect on.” She tipped her head towards me. “Eve.”

My brain isn’t working correctly right now. And I can feel a headache forming behind my eyes. “What does this mean?”

She sucks in a deep breath and continues wearing a path in the floor. “The article claimed that Ward A or B was basically determined by a fight or flight response.”

I tip my head, confused.

“Those who see normal images and situations in the mindscan are taken to Ward A. Those with some fight in them – the people who see violent images or imagine themselves in defensive situations – are taken to Ward B.”

I remembered the day of my mindscan and Dorie and O’Donovan deciding which Ward to send me to.

Rena continues, “Those with the fight response, the government uses for military service. They put to use their nature and skills in a disciplined way.”

“What’s going to happen?”

Rena doesn’t acknowledge my question; she just turns at the end of the room and continues her story. “McGregor, the man who wrote the article, was found dead in his home today. They needed to shut him up. But more than that, they need to put an end to this speculation, this doubt that’s been created.” I look at her, still confused. She turns to face me. “It means they’ll be coming for you next.”

“Enough,” Will says, his voice low, yet commanding. “You don’t need to scare her. It doesn’t change anything. We knew they were corrupt – and now we know more – but we have a plan. We’re getting her away from here.” He says it like he desperately needs to believe it’s true.

Rena nods curtly. “Tonight is your last night in the compound. We’ve arranged everything for you to go tomorrow night.”

I nod, but barely register her words. I’m still looking at Will. He’s kneeling on the floor beside my backpack. I soak him in, memorizing every detail: the broad span of his shoulders, the tense set of his jaw, the way he’s looking at me, and the way his gaze makes me feel – like I’m strong enough to do anything. I will need that feeling when I’m alone on the other side of the