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Aria looked down at the table There was a long, deep scratch in thescars She didn’t want to picture him at all

"Reverie hasn’t suffered a security breach in over a century It’s both absurd and iroup of Second Gens could do what Aether stor" He paused "You realize how close you ca the entire Pod?"

She nodded without erous it was to start a fire, but she’d sat and watched it happen She should have done so sooner Maybe she could’ve saved Paisley’s life if she hadn’t been so scared of Soren

Aria’s eyes blurred

Paisley was dead

Hoas it possible?

"With the nonfunctioning ca 6 and your Smarteyes deactivated, we find ourselves in a bit of a primitive situation We have only your accounts available to tell us what transpired that night" He leaned forward, his chair scraping softly on the floor "I need you to tell lanced up, searching his cold stare for a clue Had they found her S? "What did Soren tell you?" she asked

Consul Hess’s lips thinned into a smile "That’s confidential, just as your testiation is completed Whenever you’re ready"

She traced the scratch on the table with a gloved finger How could she tell Consul Hess what a monster his son had become? She needed that Save thericulture dome

"The sooner we settle this, the sooner you can go," Hess said "You need tirieve, as we all do We’ve cancelled school and unessential work for the rein I’ a tribute for Paisley" He paused "And I can iine how you’re anxious to see yourup "My mother? Ward said the link was still down"

Hess waved his hand dismissively "Ward isn’t on ed for you to see her as soon as we’re through"

Tears of relief wobbled on her lower eyelids She was sure now Luht She’d probably tried to reach Aria while she was in Ag 6 and left the e when Aria hadn’t been available "When did you speak with her? Why was the link down for so long?"

"I’ questioned here, Aria Your account Fro down their S confidence as she described the gaht her nearer to seeing Luot to the part where the boys chased her and Paisley, she faltered, her voice cracking "When he--when Soren--tore off uess I went unconscious I don’t re after that"

Consul Hess propped his arms on the table "Why would Soren do that?"

"I don’t know Ask hiaze bored into her Were the other Consuls feeding questions through hi there was your idea That you were after information about your ed as the ache in her head flared Sedatives Pain Grief She didn’t knohat hurt o on a real adventure He caht he’d be able to tell me about Bliss"

"How did you come to be found in the exterior airlock?"

"I was? I don’t know I told you I blacked out"

"Was someone else in there with you?"

"Someone else?" she said Who else could have been in an off-lie appeared in her mind Had that truly happened? "There wasthere was an Outsider"

"An Outsider," Consul Hess said evenly "How do you think an Outsider caht you went there, at the same ti e into Reverie?"

"I’ht to the safety of an airlock? Why weren’t you attacked?"

"Your son attacked me!"

"Calm down, Aria These questions are standard procedure, not intended to upset you We need to gather facts"

She stared at Consul Hess’s S "If you want to gather facts," she said firmly, "then find my Smarteye You’ll see what happened"