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Butto the future Myabout the possibilities Ten years is a long time I’ll be twenty-seven years old Maybe I’ll bea life sentence in prison like Papá Orother foster kids like myself With Aether Corp’s money, that dreao

No matter what the risks are, I’m all in I mean, ouldn’t want to see the future?

Lunch is served in a cafeteria where employees probably spend their breaks, except today it’s cleared out I grab a tray and load it up with food—lasagna, salad, some sort of fancy chicken dish, french fries They even have a frozen yogurtthis much food in front of foster kids is almost cruel I eat pretty well at the Robertsons’, but that wasn’t always the case

Out of the corner ofa roll out of the basket and slipping it into his pocket Food hoarding I’ve seen other foster kids do that He er Chris catches rab a slice of cake

They’ve set up a long table for us so we can all sit together Guess we’re supposed to be bonding or so No thanks Chris and Trent take a different table and I sit at another one, by irl, whose badge I finally see—Zoe Chang—hovers between our tables with her tray She’s tiny, probably not even five foot tall, and with her bright bob, she looks like a pixie or so She studies Chris and Trent, who eat in silence, hostility rising off theure I’m a safer bet because she finally joins me Of course

“Thanks for your help earlier,” Adam says, as his tray hits the table He sits across froive a curt nod and avoideye contact Maybe if I don’t answer he’ll leave ht? This time travel stuff?” He doesn’t touch his food, and instead folds and unfolds his napkin over and over Must be a nervous tick

I ignore hi withquickly, and I don’t want to talk to this guy anyway I’ll be spending the next twenty-four hours with hih time already I’h this day so I can get on withacross the table towardNo, a horse With a horn

An origami unicorn

“You made this?” It’s a dumb question since I just saw hiift that I don’t knohat to say

“Yeah” He shrugs and pokes at his food with his fork “Sorry it’s not very good It would be better with the right kind of paper, but all I had were these fliaers over the precise folds of the napkin People don’t s for me Not like this anyway

“Thanks” I ent, shining out frolasses The kind of eyes that neverHe smiles and I quickly look down athis voice “What was that all about anyway? Did I say soht I don’t want to answer him, but he should probably know “Your question pissed them off They’ve probably spent time in juvie”

“Juvie? I had no idea”

“You’re not a foster kid, are you?”

“No…” His voice trails off “Are you?”

“Yeah And uess is the other three are too” I look to Zoe for confirmation and she nods, her eyes locked on her plate

“Oh I didn’t realize…” Adalasses and studies ht Haven?”