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But in an instant he’s awake enough to know exactly what’s going on It’s a kidnapping But you can’t call it kidnapping when transfer papers have been signed in triplicate

“Verbally confirm that you are Mason Michael Starkey”

There are two officers One is short and muscular, the other tall and muscular Probably military boeufs before they took jobs as Juvey-rounders It takes a special heartless breed to be a Juvey-cop, but to specialize as a rounder you probably need to be soulless as well The fact that he’s being rounded for unwinding shocks and terrifies Starkey, but he refuses to show it, because he knows Juvey-rounders get off on other people’s fear

The short one, who is clearly the ets in his face and repeats, “Verbally confirm that you are Mason Michael Starkey!”

“And why should I do that?”

“Kid,” says the other rounder, “this can go down easy or hard, but either way it’s going down” The second cop is more soft spoken with a pair of lips that clearly aren’t his In fact, they look like they caet with the program”

He talks as if Starkey should have known they were co, but what Unwind ever really knows? Every Unwind believes in their heart of hearts that it won’t happen to theet, will be sh not to fall for the net ads, TV co: the sensible solution” But who is he kidding? Even without the constant media blitz, Starkey’s been a potential candidate for unwinding since the moment he arrived on the doorstep Perhaps he should be surprised that his parents waited so long

Now the ets deep in his personal space “For the last time, verbally confirm that you are—”

“Yeah, yeah, Mason Michael Starkey Now get out of my face, your breath stinks”

With his identity verbally confirmed, Lady-Lips pulls out a form in triplicate: white, yellow, and pink

“So is this how you do it?” Starkey asks, his voice beginning to quaver “You arresthere at all”

“Quiet-or-we-tranq-you,” says Mouthpiece, like it’s all one word

A part of Starkey wants to be tranq’d—just go to sleep and if he’s lucky, never wake up That way he won’t have to face the utter huht But no, he wants to see his parents’ faces Or, more to the point, he wants theet off easy They won’t have to look him in the eye

Lady-Lips holds the unwind order in front of hiation Clause”

“Mason Michael Starkey, by the signing of this order, your parents and/or legal guardians have retroactively terminated your tenure, backdated to six days postconception, leaving you in violation of Existential Code 390 In light of this, you are hereby remanded to the California Juvenile Authority for su”