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I pick up the disc,It’s a vital part of our plan that this video be shown during the Cleansing ceremony tomorrow Emissary Buchanan takes it from me

"Are you certain you can trust your contact at SBN news?" I say "We need them to override the live television feed so that the whole country sees it at the same time"

"Have a little faith in me, Mr Fisher This isn’t my first rodeo," she replies

I smile a little It’s hard to trust a woman who tortured me and then tried to frame ood time to start I return to Natalie and stay by her side all day, wanting to take advantage of every second we have together I idly play with the ends of her blond hair; she keeps her hand in my back pocket Neither of us says it, but we both know this could be our last day together I suddenly pull Natalie into uard, and kiss her I don’t care that there are other people in the living room with us A few people lift their eyes, but nobody says anything She grips er, before we eventually break apart Her hand slides into ain

The aparteline They’ve been down in the hospital level all night We kept an eye on the security ca room while they slept, but we needn’t have worried Patrick owned this whole building, so apart frouards that were down at the main entrance--they’re currently tied up in a supply rooeline is shaky and pale, but otherwise appears okay Her inky-black hair has been washed and brushed, and she’s wearing a pretty blue bustle dress, with a low neckline, revealing her surgery scar It looks gruesoether with ot his ar over her,her extra pillows Natalie glances at htly

Dr Craven checks Evangeline’s vitals while Elijah sits cross-legged by her feet His tail very lightly brushes against her legs, rubbing his scent on her, claieline doesn’t see?" I ask her

"Sore," she admits "But I think I’ll be okay for toprocess"

My fangs pulse, thinking about how his blood tasted when I drank fro He catches," he says

"In your drea

As the hours slowly hter fades and the conversation di with just nods and shakes of the head By the evening we’re all silently sitting around the fireplace, frightened, anxious Day is on Beetle’s lap, seee in eline is curled up on the sofa with Elijah He runs his fingers up and down her bare arm Natalie’s parents hold hands, and Roach quietly strokes Auis wine as they watch the city below them The seconds tick away on the clock above the ether Natalie sits onto ht; we’re all too pumped full of adrenaline to drift off Besides, I’m not sure I want to sleep anyway These could be my last moments on earth with my family, my friends I don’t want to waste theives a faint nod of the head I can’t believe how far we’ve co out on his barge in Black City, s halfheartedly about revolution Now here we are in a penthouse apart Purian Rose, the fate of the nation in our hands I never thought I’d say this, but I sort ofa kid And toht terrifies hten around Natalie

My skin starts to prickle as golden rays of sunlight spill into the roour and the others come in from the balcony Everyone sits up, alert, our ital screen, a blond and bubbly February Fields is already reporting on the day’s events The cereri toward Rose Plaza Aerial footage shows the cra white, interspersed with pops of color where citizens have opted to wear their norriht to take part in today’s historic event," February says The footage cuts to the Golden Citadel, where Purian Rose is standing on the balcony, staring down at the thousands of Pilgriated in the plaza "In two hours’ ti the first televised Cleansing ceremony, here, in Rose Plaza"

I turn down the volurab their guns Es her husband He tenderly kisses her

"See you soon," he whispers, s down her hair where he’s ainst his "I" She can’t say the words

"I know," he says "Me too"

Natalie cli her ar his face into her shoulder

"Take care, Dad," Natalie says

"You too, Talie," he replies, kissing the top of her head "Love you"

He gives his fa look before he heads out of the apartment with Garrick The door shuts behind theet ready

I have a lengthy shower, the hot water beating offto scorch away my nerves It doesn’t work I turn off the water and wrap a towel around my waist and enter the bedroo a simple white vest and underwear as she injects herself with her Wrath s and the curve of her breasts Natalie catches ot ti her shoulder, forcing down s at my towel as I walk by, and it slips off hs but it quickly dies on her lips We’re both trying to pretend everything is noret dressed in similar outfits, which we found in the wardrobes around the apartray tops and black hooded tailcoats with bright orange lining--Patrick liked the finer things in life Natalie spins her hair up into a bun and pulls up her hood I lowertheir distinctive gli as I keep s I’ it allrooeline, Beetle and Roach are dressed si a cerulean-blue top--the color of the rebellion I can’t help but grin She so?" Roach says, checking the fake rose tattoo on the side of her shaved head in a nearby rabs Day and dips her, kissing her hard When he breaks the kiss, they’re both breathless and flushed Beetle gently cups her face with his hands

"Take care, babe, okay?" he whispers

She kisses hieline’s hand and draws her to the side of the roo her lip Her eyes flick up and hold his gaze for a long ur strolls over to me