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I absolutely saw his point It was logical He’d decided he wanted to save his people--the Reboots--and he illing to take risks and make terrible sacrifices to do it Hadn’t I done the sa with Callum? Hadn’t I let Addie coh I kneas dangerous? Hadn’t I risked my own life, as well as those of at least twenty human rebels, to save one person?

Hadn’t I known that if we succeeded, plenty of huuards would be killed by the freed Reboots? Hadn’t I decided that was acceptable?

"Wren," Micah said quietly

I sed, looking up to meet his eyes "I see your point"

NINE

CALLUM

I STOOD BEHIND THE CROWD AT THE FIRE PIT THAT EVENING, watching as a group of young Reboots pulled out instruathered around and started singing and dancing It seemed odd for the one on a killing spree

Some of the Austin Reboots had joined in the festivities, the firelight flickering off their happy faces as they grabbed hands and laughed, but the riroup about Micah’s plans, and most of us were not pleased

Wren stood not far aith Micah, her face tight as she nodded at so as it had been, but they were clearly civil and she hadn’t eed from his tent earlier that day with his head on a stick

She caught htly, like she was annoyed at being stuck with hihed and a sestured for her to co rapidly, and rolled her eyes

Solanced back to see Isaac walking toward the tent at the entrance of the reservation with a plate of food in his hands The new Reboot was still in that tent, the one they’d killed earlier

"I don’t understand why they put up with this"

I turned at the quiet voice to see Addie standing next to ed, because I didn’t know, either I scanned the crowd aroundteauess" That’s what he’d said when I asked how he came to live at the reservation He said he wasn’t born here

"No one tried to put a stop to it?" Addie whispered

"Maybe they don’t care," Ifor her to follow , hand poised to pull back the tent flap A flash of nervousness crossed his features and he scanned the area behind us

"I’uys should come in," he said

"Why not?" Addie asked

"Micah likes to introduce new Reboots slowly You know, so they’re not overwhelmed"

"You don’t think they’ve already been overwhelave me a look like he didn’t think that was very funny, and I quickly shutoing to give this to her," he said "She’s not talking right noay" He disappeared into the tent

Addie crossed her arht air "Have you talked to Wren?"