12 Chapter 12

"Wait, please, tell us what's going on. How do you know about us? Who did you call?" I'm panicking now. Am I going insane? Did she call the asylum to lock us up?

She smiles again, replying, "All will be explained in a few moments. Please, sit down." She gestures at the couches spread across the room.

I'm ready to argue when Thomas grabs my arm. "If we don't sit down, we won't get answers."

I grudgingly follow him and sink into a large blue armchair. We wait in silence for what seems like forever, but was probably only a few minutes. The secretary comes over to us, saying, "They'll see you now. If you'll follow me…"

We jump up and follow her through winding hallways and into a clear glass elevator. She presses the button for the top floor, and we're there within several seconds.

We're escorted out and into a large conference room. There's no decorations on the walls, and the only furniture is a long mahogany table and black chairs. There are three people at the end of the table watching us: a stout, bald man with glasses, a woman with kind brown eyes, and a strict looking woman with her hair pulled back severely. We turn around to thank the secretary, but she's gone. They all get up, walking towards us. "So nice to meet you," the man says. "You must be Quinn," he says, gesturing to me. "And you…" he continues, walking over to Thomas, "You must be Thomas." We nod cautiously, and I have to admit I'm a little scared. The kinder looking woman cuts in. "These are my associates: Nicholas and Madison. My name is Celia."

I smile a little, not wanting to seem hostile or anything. We all take a seat in the black chairs, which are surprisingly comfortable. "You made it over the fence," Madison says. "We didn't think you would."

I look at Thomas confusedly, but he looks just as disoriented as I do. "What do you mean, we didn't think we would?" he asks. "And how do you know our names?"

They all glance at each other. "You don't know?" We slowly shake our heads, and I'm dreading what they're going to say. The man, Nicholas, interjects, saying, "Your city has… brainwashed you generation. That isn't exactly the word, but… basically, they wanted to create a perfect generation to fix the problems of the world. Their intentions started out good, but they began creating problems to be fixed, knowing that their 'children' could fix them. The United Nations met to abolish your city from the civilized world and to build a fence around you, never hearing about the city again. There were two children- yourselves- whose brainwashing 'backfired,' if you will. We don't know the details, no one really does, but it's something to do with your genetic material."

"We knew all of that but the last part," I say. Even though I'm shocked on how much they know, I try to look unfazed. "Why were you waiting for us?���

"You two are what we need to overthrow that dark spot on the planet -your hometown- once and for all. Their government functions on the premise that if you disobey or rebel, you'll be brainwashed. You are both immune, so their idea of punishment and torture will have no effect on you."