Maddie was slow to rise from the floor after Laura finished the last of the complementary oath before each meal.

She sat at the table, a bowl before her. One she didn't earn. One that costed her block.

Priest picked up his bowl and waved a 500 Volunteer aside before he sat.

"Four other blocks have donated parts of their rations to the 500s. So don't worry. This first helping's from us over at the sixes. Make sure you finish it fast. The boys did go a bit overboard after I told them about the baby.

It was rare for Volunteer blocks to mingle. Priest's presence was impossible days ago. Now with this child....

"Listen," Maddie began.

A man approached and told Priest, "The 800 block's refused to help with the rations, sir."

Priest nodded, annoyed. "Just about had enough of that block."

He watched Maddie, eager to see her accept his men's gift.

Bringing it to her mouth and allowing the tube to extend out and suck up the white nutritional mixture was the hardest thing Maddie'd done in a long time.

The Vagrants refused to feed.

The feeding tube meant this food wouldn't be coming back up again, but Maddie had to remind her gut that. She felt terrible.

"They're not feeding," someone whispered. "This morning's breakfast, no one came out."

"What if nobody comes out tonight? What do we do?"

"Me mah's sister still lives in there."

The chorus of worries carried but Maddie still watched her now empty bowl. For the two days she recovered, no one ate. This morning's fiasco with Gus should have been the end of it.

"It's a trick," another whispered.

"And what if it isn't? They were barely getting by with the amount. What if...what if we waited too long?"

"What about the children?"

"What about the Volunteer roster?"

Although Maddie acknowledge the chatter, Priest kept his eyes on the table.

"What was Gus like?" Priest met her gaze. "The 800s are no joke. What was his ranking?"

"846," Maddie admitted. "And what was he like? I don't know. Ruthless. Rough enough to get that ranking."

Priest was shaken by what he saw today. Whether it was seeing another Volunteer lose his mind, or whether it was seeing a Volunteer's life thrown away with such ease was hard to say. Having a Volunteer parent meant some training before attempting the tests, but no guarantees in success. Volunteers fought like animals to survive the trials. Most thought that meant they were someone special. Once they got in, though, they learned fast—once a Vagrant, always a Vagrant.

Today was Priest's reminder.

"They left him down there," Priest said. He looked about to spit. "Who leaves the body of a Volunteer?"

"He's alive," Maddie said—she really couldn't offer any other comfort. "Maybe Andy'll help him."

Priest nodded. "Maybe."

The lights flashed and they bowed their head.

"Today's feeding has ended," Laura said. "We thank those in the Inner City for their generosity and swear to earn our keep yet another day. Let us not forget how fortunate we are, and those who are our kin. The Outer Limits need food, and today we will provide that."

In a chorus, they said, "Volunteers."

With that dismissal, many stood. One woman called out, "Ma'am, do we give a larger portion to make up for the days missing? And it has been days."

Laura shook her head. "That is not our way. As of now, the water still runs so that means people are drinking. Today they will come to eat. I'm sure of it."

But they didn't. One hundred Volunteers from the 500 block waited in the proper attire, pots of rations at the ready—rations that hadn't come easy.

After one hour, LOLA signaled an end to the offered food.

Ray looked up as the lights indicated rancid air would come in. She pulled her helmet on, grumbling. "Those idiots."

"They're probably too hungry to even stand," Laura wondered.

It was rare she came down to offer food with them. That night when Maddie took her post on the wall with Ray, looking out at the Outer Limits, a chill fell over her.

Ray adjusted the hand-size radio.

"No A-CAN for the Vagrants," a voice erupted. "We do so much for them already. It's their own fault if they don't seek precautions in fending off the cancers. We do too much for them already."

A glance from other Volunteers in proximity conveyed disgust. One of the 500s even stood and gave Ray a wide birth.

To Maddie's surprise, Ray turned the volume down but listened.

Maddie tuned out the rest and instead focused on the uncharacteristically quiet Outer Limits. She'd lived there in her youth. Most fresh Volunteers were born there but Maddie and Ray and even Laura were born in the barracks.

The first stage of training started in the Outer Limits, however. And they lived like Vagrants for months to...toughen up. It was also to bring appreciation. A Volunteer needed to remember these Vagrants were people; not chores; not burdens; not throwaways but people—vulnerable people—their kin.

"They're not eating. What are they planning to accomplish?"

Radio turned off, Ray shook her head. "Never thought I'd see the day. Bet you they don't mean anything by it—just too stupid to come out." She brought the rifle to her helmet and took aim. "Can't see any lights, either. It's like they just upped and left. Running water don't lie, though. They're in there. Probably eating one another at this point. Or one of the young."

"Stop it." Maddie lost her breath. "What's happened to you?"

The rifle fired. Ray lowered it then looked through the lens again and cursed, "Muck."

Maddie snatched it from her. "Have you lost your mind?"

Ray yanked it back. "It's just Vagrants."

Instead of aiming the rifle again, Ray sat back against the wall, arms folded.

"What happened to you in there?" Maddie asked. "And this morning with wanting to shoot a man taking refuge in a regenerative cocoon? This isn't like you. Weren't you the one talking about sticking up for the voiceless? You fought so hard for this baby when you thought I wasn't gonna keep it and I know you meant it. So why.... Why?"

"Why don't I feel anything towards Vagrants, you mean?" Ray scoffed. "Maddie, there are the helpless and there are the hopeless. I'll always fight and protect those who have no power."

"Vagrants have no power."

"No. They only think they don't. And I hate them for it. Do they collectively threaten to refuse to volunteer up their children until their demands are met? No Volunteers, no security. No. Nothing. They attack each other. They think only of themselves. They fight each other like animals. So they don't get my protection," Ray admitted. "They get my scorn. When you have the gift of life and yet do nothing with it? No. Then don't come to Ray to huddle behind her for safety. She'll shoot you. And then she'll curse you for wasting her ammunition."

An explosion in the distance rocked them.

LOLA said, "Attention. Air filter compromised. Air filter compromised. Warning...."

"Or they band together and sabotage their filters, forcing us to listen to their demands?"

Ray got to her feet. "What are they doing in there?" She raised the rifle again. "I have movement." She tapped her helmet and said, "Permission to go live."

"Denied," Laura called from the speakers in the helmet. "Stand down."

An hour later, the faces in the ready room looked grim.

"No food, no air..." one of the 600s said. "No air...?"

"They want Gus," Priest admitted. "This is about Gus."

"Why?"

Andy approached the table and put down a data tablet. Its contents flashed on the large screen.

"Because he's filled their heads with nonsense."

Priest focused on him. "There's no cure?"

"Hardly." Andy gestured to the large screen. "Take a look."

The diagram made several Volunteers wince in sympathy.

"Nothing's changed for, Augustus. He is dying. Whatever he's told them, it's a lie."

Maddie forced herself to look. Something caught her attention. "No tumors of the throat?" she puzzled over that fact. "Never seen any afflicted Volunteer without those."

Andy turned to her, smug. "What are you inferring? That he was cured but became ill again?"

Face heated, Maddie stepped back, intending to butt out.

"Whatever he's done," Laura said. "People aren't eating. And they're about to open themselves up to an endless supply of poison air."

Ray shrugged. "They probably want just water." All eyes gravitated to her and she said, "Because we control it, and that dome blocks out the rainfall."

"Rainfall that's corrosive, yes." Andy told Laura, "If they damage enough of those generators, there's no cleaning up the bodies when they pile up."

Laura closed her eyes, agreeing.

Giving them Gus might fix this, but how? How? When Gus encourages them to self-harm? And Gus's execution might not be any better.

"Has he come out of the shell yet?" Andy asked. "I'd rather him in my care."

"Can't do that, doctor. He has to go to you by choice." Priest hove a sigh. "Alert the crews. We need to go in there...tonight."

Maddie let out a sound. She pulled herself together but not by much. "Can we think about this before we do anything rash? Night fighting is not our forte."

"Five's right," Laura said, "this is deliberate. They know we're coming in. They're probably counting on it."

"So what?" Ray shrugged. "They won't stand a mijin of a chance. Not against the lot of us." She looked between them. "I say we put some lights onto our rifles and go return order."