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Atlantia Ally Condie 17510K 2023-09-01

When I crouch down beside him, True has already found a way to open a panel in the boat It’s strange to see the o," he says "It ht not take us all the way down to the deepet there faster this way"

"The peacekeepers will see the gondola," I say "Or hear it"

"Of course," he says "But if the fog is like this all through Atlantia--like it was after your ine takes, starts whirring "Get in," True says "Get low I’ll be right there"

I climb over the side and sink down between two benches After a htly, and as he does the gondola , whisper-white

Neither True nor I say anything

When we kissed under the trees, anyone could have found us and still there we stood, touching each other, clinging on Now that we’re alone, we don’t do anything but look Even when the wisps of clouds coaze on mine, as certain and deep as the way he kissed

No one stops us on the gondola It’s eerie how eet closer to the deepathered near a barricade They are either i or so worried about someone in the deepmarket that they are able to resist, for now One wo her head back and forth against the song, her body tre

Peacekeepers call out to us to leave "There’s nothing you can do here," they say "There are no survivors Go home or you risk arrest"

"Tell us," a man calls out "Was it water or air?"

"Did they suffer?"

"It ater," someone says, and everyone turns to see who’s spoken

Maire

She co dry clothes, but her hair is braided back and wet

I thought she was in prison What is she doing down here?

"And it was air," Maire says "It ater that drowned them, but they may have been unconscious if there was a loss of air pressure first, which we believe was the case"

Everyone listens to her, even the peacekeepers, although she’s not using her voice in the way she usually does She’s si,

At least that’s what I think

"They are recovering what they can," she says, "and they hope to have bodies to be identified soon"

Soony