T W EN T Y - O N E

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 kept my fears to myself. I didn't see a reason to worry more people. Xerses and I had enough on our plates. I thought that if more people knew, they're either 1) think we were lying or 2) panic along with us. Chaos was never a good reaction. The outcome meant mayhem. And with the Restoration project reaching its end of days, there was no reason to add to the stress of the world. Codes dealt with enough.

As Xerses worked in the background—digging through files, monitoring Polk's data from within the Province—I stayed outside. I remained on the streets, sorting through the requirements for the Domes.

The structures were complete. Livable. Apartments were constructed just for us; out of the buildings that previously stored our data. Codes were excited, watching from the gates surrounding where they'd soon be living. When they saw me, they smiled; I returned the gesture, but not for long. I couldn't afford to be distracted.

Prime had assigned Polk as 'assistant' to help with the Domes.

Knowing I had no choice but to agree, I allowed him to stay. And it worked in my favor; while Xerses dug around through a digital mess, I was able to keep my eyes on Polk. Physically. He moved around the Dome Sector; checking buildings, checking off boxes. And as he moved from Dome to Dome, I slowly followed from behind. This had become routine for more than a week.

Until today.

"What are you doing?" a voice spoke to me. Clara's voice.

Gripping my tablet tight in my hands, I quickly turned and faced her. Clara normally looked happy to see me. Especially as of late. I'd come home late, and stay out all day; I worked with Xerses for hours on end with the Restoration project, with my issues. So, when Clara saw me, she grabbed me and held me as if I'd disappear. And each time, I felt horrible; I loved her and never meant to ignore her the way I did.

But, as I looked into her eyes, I didn't see the yearning need for affection. I didn't see my sweet, gullible, kind Clara. The woman in front of me was angry, lips pursed. She pressed her tongue into her cheek as she shook her head.

I gave her a weak smile. "Doll, I—"

"You know," she bit her lip, "you've kept me so far out of this loop you and X have that neither of you told me Polk was back."

I straightened. Was it wrong that I'd forgotten, that Clara of all people, would be able to recognize Polk a mile away? Yes, it was. Could I forgive myself? In a way, yes. I'd been so busy, stressed, and lost with time, that it'd slipped my mind. The moments I saw Clara late at night when I got home, I didn't want to tell her what I'd done during the day. It went against the rule we'd made for our sanity:

Don't tell me about your day.


Don't tell me about yours, either.

Don't bring our pains past those doorsteps. Ever.

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I shook my head. "Clara, what, I—"

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Clara moved closer, hands still gripping her arms as she inhaled sharply. Then she lowered her voice. "Did you forget I fought alongside you when the VFs took over? We were always together," she pointed at the two of us with one lazy finger, "you and I were a team. And now you're—"

I couldn't let her be mad. The entire reason we'd establish the rule was to avoid these conversations. We accepted each other's faults and found comfort within the ignorant bliss of our apartment. Was it smart? I always thought it was... until today.

Placing my tablet down on a chair close by, I quickly moved back to her, grabbing her hands in mine. "Clara, listen, we never talked about anything, remember?"

Her brows shot up. "Yeah, about shitty days. About run-ins with protesting. About a disgusting lunch. Not this," she hissed, pointing at the Domes behind me.

"Clara, don't do that," I whispered. Our secrets went beyond a normal shitty day. We hid things from each other about work all of the time. She'd done it. That was how all of the Malfunctioners were created.

I understood what she was saying, but still, I had to be justified.

"Doll, listen to me," I tried to pull her closer, but she fought against me, "I was trying to protect you. You know I've always done that. I've—"

"I can't believe you." Clara shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

She glanced at the Domes. I followed her line of sight. The both of us watched as Polk greeted Codes who hung by the gate, showing them the flyers he'd been setting up all morning. While I scowled, Clara smiled. "You know, maybe Polk's better in person. People changed." She looked back at me. "Like you. You're better in person. You changed."

I couldn't believe she used me as a comparison for Polk. Yes, people changed. And yes, I had, too. But she didn't know the extent of my crimes and why I'd done what I'd done. I looked out for others. Polk currently looked out for himself and his needs. Zara was his prize, not the success of the Restoration Project.

"So, because he's different, I'll forgive him." Clara through both of her hands up in the air in defeat. "And I'll go help him. Because, you know," she glanced at me as she started to walk away, "I'm sure he'll tell me more about what's going on than you will."

What? No!

I reached out to grab her hand, but she'd already moved too far. She had no intentions of coming back to me, especially not after Polk realized she had walked toward him. He smiled at her before glancing at me. "Miss Burrows," he said.

I ground my teeth.

A part of me regretted this peaceful approach. If peace worked a hundred percent of the time, then none of this would've happened. Wars wouldn't start. And I... I wouldn't be alive over eighty years after I was born.

"Roger?" a voice called to me from behind. I held my breath, hoping they'd leave. I had done enough meet and greets for one day; Polk needed my undivided attention, especially with Clara siding with him.

What I hoped for didn't happen. A hand fell on my shoulder. "Roger?"

I glanced at the fingers before turning, looking up at a tall man. Catching the sight of his face, I smiled and laughed. A small sense of relief came over me. "Matthews?"

Matthews, with his curly hair and big eyes, grinned at me before he opened his arms. I greeted him with the hug he silently asked for as my long-lost brother.

Laughing I extended my arms and separated us. "Matthews, what—" Really looking at him, I caught his clothes. The dark colors, the badge on his chest. He wasn't in uniform, but his presence was noted. "When did you become Enforcement?"

Matthews chuckled and shook his head. "It's been a minute," he said. "After the beginning of the Restoration project, I found something else."

"And you became a cop?" I lifted my brows, snickering. "After rebelling and Peace, shit, I wouldn't have expected that out of you."

Matthews cocked a brow. "I think ya would've, but," he shrugged, "like I said, it's been a minute."

It had. He was around when I came back, newly created with the Province's updated design. But it wasn't long. He'd even said it, then, he wanted to try something else. And maybe I should've expected him to take the Enforcement route; Matthews wasn't one to just sit down and be quiet.

So, when he looked past me and his eyes widened, I knew exactly what went through his head. I put my hand out to stop him before he could go toward Polk. "Don't," I said.

With pinched brows, he looked at me. "What do ya mean don't? You don't remember him, Rog? The things he did and put us all through. I need to take him in and—"

I glanced behind me. Polk had handed Clara a tablet, pointing at the screen as if explaining what was there. It wasn't his fake eagerness that bothered me. It was Clara and her blindness. I was wrong to keep her so far out of the loop... With my health and issues, I didn't want her to worry about me, as well as the world.

If only I had told her everything from the beginning, she would be on my side.

"Prime and a lot of others believe he's changed," I whispered.

"Man, people don't change," Matthews hissed. When I glanced at him, he shook his head. "I'm not including you in this, what I'm saying is, the shit that happened, him?" He pointed at Polk. "We can't just ignore that. So, I can talk to my sergeant and see what will happen because I don't believe this..."

"Right..." Folding my arms over my chest, I stared at the two of them at the other end of the Domes. Codes remained; excited Clara was there, too. I would've felt happier if she was beside me. I clenched my jaw. "I don't believe it either..."


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