"When will I see you again?" Will sits up, watching me as I dress.

I grin at his rumpled appearance and pull my green shirt down over my shoulders, tugging fruitlessly at its many wrinkles.

"Let's meet after the evening's announcements." I say, shaking out my mass of hair and finger-combing the knots. "Lara will have to go out for the night and I don't want her seeing you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's bad enough she knows that I'm here. If this whole thing goes tits-up I won't be dragging you down with me." I grimace when my hand catches on a particularly stubborn knot.

"If anything happens to you, you can be certain that I will be making myself known." He says evenly. "It won't matter whether I meet her now or later."

I give up on the snag and twist the gnarled ends of my hair into a hurried braid, slinging it over my shoulder. "That is an incredibly romantic proposition for meeting my friends."

"She isn't your friend." He knits his brows together. "Showing her that I am here with you could be advantageous. Lara might be less inclined to scarper if she's sees me on your side."

"And what would she be seeing, precisely?" I tease. "Some big, brawny guy looming over her, ready to leap to the rescue of poor, helpless me?"

A flash of his half-grin. "That's right."

"Will Cain, striking fear into the hearts of consorts since 209 A.B.." I remark dryly, then yelp as he jumps to his feet and grabs me around the waist, twirling me into his chest.

"I get the feeling that you don't take me seriously." He growls down at me and I stifle a laugh. "I'll have you know that I can be very intimidating."

"Is that so?" Tilting my head. "Then why is it so easy to kiss you?" I reach up and pull his chin down, pressing my lips to his and laughing into his mouth when he tilts me backwards in an exaggerated motion.

"Kissing is a privilege I afford very few." He slips seamlessly into an courtly persona, speaking in haughty tones. "Only a small handful of women are immune to my intimidation tactics."

"A small handful? That's good to know. I didn't want you to be upset when you found out about the large gathering of men I afford kissing privileges."

His lips seek mine again, silencing my words and turning my legs back into jelly. I nearly allow myself to melt against his lean torso, in the last instant finding the strength to push him regretfully away.

"I have to get back." I tell him, still a little short of breath.

"Are you going to bring me to meet Lara?"

Damn him. The man has focus, I'll give him that.

"I'll think about it." I acquiesce, moving towards the window to keep from discussing the matter any further. "Come find me after the announcement, I'll be by the West gate."

"All right." In a single long stride he is next to me, holding my hand as I step over the window ledge and out onto the grid on the other side.

I look down through the gridwork, orienting myself relative to Lara's flat before glancing back up at Will. He is studying me, his grey eyes flicking across my features. A moment later the side of his mouth is tilting up into a rueful grin and I am leaning across the divide, letting his hands further tangle my hair as I give myself one last taste of his mouth.

I pull away before I can be coerced into climbing back through the window. The grid flows fluidly below my feet, leading me a safe distance from his Will's hideout before I begin to descend.

The iron pathways and ledges are still slick with rain, the drops shimmering as they catch the late afternoon sunlight. I alter my path towards Lara's brothel and approach it from the far side, unable to shake the nagging need for extreme caution. Now that I know Will is alive, I intend to keep him that way.

I swing down next to Lara's red-curtained window and peer inside. Finding it empty I crack open the glass pane and slink down to the floor, landing in the soundless fashion I perfected years ago.

I furrow my brow as I glance around the room. Where would Lara be, if not here? Will has unwittingly re-awakened my paranoia about Lara's intentions and I can't help but imagine any number of worst-case scenarios.

To distract myself I move over to the vanity, absentmindedly rifling through the contents scattered across its surface before taking a seat and pulling open the drawers.

A vivid splash of colour catches my eye. I pull out a stack of heavy parchment, placing the pile carefully on top of the vanity while pushing aside Lara's various pieces of jewelry to make room.

The first piece of parchment has been coloured over with shades of gold and blue. I lean in closer, feeling a tug at my heart when I recognize the image. It's the City, painted with a skilled hand and into a stunning likeness. The artist has managed to capture one of my favourite moments of the day; when the sun is highest in the sky and hits the walls of Meg's glass Palace just right, sending rays of blinding whiteness cascading over the rows upon rows of flat rooftops.

My eyes trace the familiar peaks and valleys, recognizing the shabby apartment I once shared with Lara in the fringes of the former Commons.

I gingerly replace the parchment and pick up another. Harry the baker's ruddy, smiling face beams up at me. He has been drawn leaning up against his cart in the market with a smattering of flour dotting his apron.

The next picture is drawn from the perspective inside my City apartment. it is a simple rendering of a girl staring out the window with her back turned to the viewer. The first thing I notice is the tangled mass of braid cascading down the girl's back, wayward strands lifting slightly in the breeze. The second is the fierce grip she has on the ledge. Her shoulders are drawn up tightly, giving the impression that she is completely absorbed in whatever is occurring outside.

"What are you doing?"

I jump at the sound of Lara's voice and the stack of parchment goes flying. A strange sound escapes Lara's lips and she hurries forward, scooping up the papers and stuffing them, red-faced, back into the drawer.

"You drew these?" I ask as I crouch down next to her. I pick up a piece of fallen paper, studying the picture.

She snatches it from my hands. "That's none of your business. Who said you could snoop through my things?"

"Sorry." I put my hands up in mock-surrender. "Don't be so testy. They're really good."

That stops her for a moment. She glances down at the messy pile of hastily-gathered parchments in her hands and back up at me. "You think so?"

"I didn't know that you could draw."

"Yes, well." She seems to remember that she is in a huff and tucks the last of the papers away, shoving the vanity drawer closed with an assertive thrust of her hip. "You never took much notice of anything I did."

I think back to her drawing of the girl with her back turned and my heart thuds once heavily in my chest.

"You haven't drawn any scenes from Babel." I sink down onto the edge of her bed and cross my legs casually. "Don't you think it's pretty here?"

"It is pretty, but it isn't real." She speaks with such bitterness that I start, raising my eyebrows in surprise. "I can't look at anything here and not see the ugly truth of how it came to be."

"That never used to bother you." The words slip unchecked from my mouth but I don't regret them. Instead, I fix her with a withering glare, genuinely curious about how she will respond.

"I've changed." She says bluntly, matching my gaze. "I am not such a fool that I can't recognize the irony of my situation. I made some terrible choices but living here has forced me to learn from my past mistakes."

"A shame you couldn't have learned earlier, it would have saved me a lot of trouble."

She flinches at my words and finally has the grace to look away.

I rub the back of my neck, trying to alleviate the knot of tension that has gathered there. "How much time do we have before the evening announcement?"

"A couple hours, still." She straightens her shoulders. "Have you eaten?"

I shake my head and hop down off the bed to follow her from the room, mentally scolding myself for not keeping a more civil tongue. As much as I don't trust Lara, it wouldn't do anyone a bit of good to get on her bad side.

Lara escorts me down to the kitchen she shares with the other consorts and makes a show of flitting about sociably, laughing and gossiping with two girls I remember vaguely as 'Mary' and 'Shelli'. My host's trademark brassy, breezy presence ensures that every eye is on her and not the silent, red-headed stranger at her side.

With my hunger satiated I am able to pay close attention when we find ourselves standing amongst the crowd at the evening's assembly. The Madam's voice projects over our heads, rhythmically counting off the number of remedies supplied that day and relaying the growth potential of food following the afternoon's rainstorm.

I find myself subconsciously scanning the sea of Enforcers for a glimpse of Will and feel a brief jolt of dread when I fail to locate him. One thing's for certain, the Madam's strategy of gathering all of her Enforcers together nightly to face down Babel's citizens is undeniably effective. The sight of rows upon rows of armed and grim-faced guards standing at attention while a faceless woman's calm, measured tones reverberate through the square is a sobering experience, to say the least.

Glancing up towards her balcony I swallow my annoyance. The doors to the third-storey lookout are shut tight, concealing the woman inside. What I wouldn't give to catch even a glimpse of this woman, to finally put a face to the crackly voice glaring out over the speakers.

"The application of remedies continues to be on the decline." She says smoothly, almost cheerfully as though she were not discussing a method of execution. "I am pleased to report that Babel is operating at its highest level of efficiency since our creation."

Lara twitches next to me, ever so imperceptibly.

"The continued cooperation of our citizens while we deal with the ongoing situation in the Wastelands is much appreciated. Remember, your safety is our number-one priority."

I glance around at that comment, noticing more than one grimace etched onto the faces of the crowd surrounding me.

"That concludes this evening's announcements. As always, stay vigilant and stay on task. Progress is power." There is an ear-piercing screech of feedback as the speakers shut off, finally releasing the tense crowd.

"That was uplifting." I mutter before turning to Lara. "I suppose you'll be off, then?"

"In a moment, I think I'll take a walk first. Care to join me?" She inclines her head, motioning for me to follow her around the side of the gate.

I stay rooted in place. "I'm actually feeling a bit tired. If it's all the same to you, I'm going to head back to your flat and turn in early."

"Let's just get one drink first." She reaches for my hand and I snatch it away, glancing around at the crowd of people streaming past us. The Enforcers have broken rank and are now mixing in with the citizens, walking in groups of two and three as they make their way to the pub. A niggling warning pulses in the back of my mind and I take a single step backwards.

"What's wrong?" She laughs but it sounds forced. "It's only a drink, nothing to be concerned about."

"Maybe some other night." I take another step back, inadvertently colliding with an Enforcer. The man grumbles and shoves me bodily aside, shooting a suspicious look over his shoulder as he continues down the street.

Lara takes a tentative step towards me, closing the distance between us. "There is something we need to discuss." She speaks in low tones but her blue eyes are stretched wide. "Please, I need you to come with me."

I feel the muscles in my legs stiffen instinctively, preparing for flight. With so many people surrounding us, how far could I run before being caught? Shit. I force myself to stand my ground and desperately urge my mind into action rather than my feet. Will is around here somewhere, I can't leave him.

"Hey, Lara." A familiar voice speaks up from behind me and I spin around. It takes me a moment to recognize the lanky, black-clad figure as Gus, Lara's Enforcer friend from the Irrigator. His boyish smile is drawn tightly and he rests his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

A low buzzing sound begins to fill my ears. My gods, it's happening again

"Gus, you were supposed to meet us at the pub." Lara's voice is strained.

I whirl back to face her. "Lara, what have you done?"

"Nothing! It's all right, he's a friend." She extends a reassuring hand but I duck out of her way, at the same time reaching for the sword in Gus' belt. He grabs my wrist with a surprising quickness, holding it tightly as his eyes dart around the street.

My heart thuds heavily in my chest as the reality of my situation finally dawns. I bite down hard on my lip and consider my options, trying desperately to come up with a solution that keeps Will free of the danger.

Those scant hopes are promptly dashed, however, when he inserts himself forcibly into the scene.

Will's broad physique dwarfs Gus' slight one, appearing suddenly out of thin air. Gus drops my wrist instantly, his eyes stretching wide when he catches the expression on Will's face. The four of us stand motionless in the middle of the street amidst the still-teeming crowd. Men, women and children continue to pass by, completely oblivious to our uncomfortable little party.

I don't know what the hell is going on, but I am fairly certain that this location is not the optimal place to figure it out.

"For gods' sake." I mutter. I grab hold of Lara's forearm and tug her into the nearest alleyway. A moment later Will follows, pushing Gus ahead of him.

"What...." Lara seems to be struggling to catch her breath, her eyes continually darting between myself and Will. "Who is he?"

I speak up before Will can. "What does it matter? If you've already given me over to the Enforcers then Gus here should be happy for the assistance." My voice quakes slightly from a combination of rage and fear and I feel Will shift behind me.

"I haven't done anything." She does a convincing job of appearing close to tears. "Gus only wants to help."

I blink, straightening. "What?"

"It's true." Gus pulls off his headscarf, revealing a mop of unruly black curls. His bony knees fairly knock together as he twists the dark fabric in his hands. "I'm on your side."

My mouth opens, then closes again. I exchange a look with Will, who appears every bit as bewildered and suspicious as I feel.

"Kay." Lara breaks through the silence and I start at the use of my name in front of this Enforcer. I look over at her, my shoulders heaving up and down as I fight to contain the anger bubbling over inside of me.

Her blue eyes are wide and pleading. "I can explain everything, I promise, but not here. It isn't safe." She speaks slowly, in careful, measured tones.

My hands curl into fists at my sides. I force myself to take a steadying breath, reminding myself that so long as we don't make a scene, then there is still a chance that Will and I can get out of this alive.

"Fine." I speak through clenched teeth. "I guess we just picked up our first clients of the night."

We emerge from the alleyway with Gus' arm slung across my shoulder and Will holding on to Lara. I can feel Gus trembling slightly as I guide him along, keeping my head ducked low while we weave our way through the remaining horde of people.

As we pass beneath the Madam's balcony I can feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I suppress a shudder and increase my speed, keeping my eyes trained on Will and Lara's backs until we finally arrive in front of the brothel.

Once we are safely ensconced in her bedroom and away from any prying eyes I immediately cast Gus' arm aside and move to stand next to Will. The two of us remain with our backs to the window, eyeing Lara and Gus warily as she secures the door and he shifts awkwardly in place.

"All right." Lara steps between Gus and I while continuing to cast furtive glances at Will. "Perhaps we should begin with some introductions. I assume that this is a friend of yours, Kay?"

"My name is Will." He speaks up before I can stop him.

"I'm Lara." She makes an attempt at a watery smile.

"I know precisely who you are." He says sharply and she shrinks back. "Who is he?"

"Gus." Gus' voice breaks slightly. He clears his throat and tries again. "I'm Gus. I work as an Enforcer down at the Irrigator but I'm not loyal to Babel."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Are you kidding me?" Gus seems genuinely surprised and forgets his fright momentarily. "You've seen what's going on inside this place. It's a nightmare."

I rub my eyes forcefully. "Lara, what is this?"

"I told Gus why you're here." She says bluntly. "He can help us."

I glare daggers at her. "Who else have you told?"

"No one, I swear."

I look over at Gus. "And you?"

He raises his hands in surrender. "Not a soul."

The frantic pounding in my chest dissipates slightly. "And you realize, of course, that we don't have a single reason to believe you."

"Then nothing has changed." Lara's weak attempt at a joke falls flat but she recovers quickly. "Just hear us out."

"If you are going to talk, talk quickly." I instruct.

"I...I know my way around the Irrigator." Gus' gaze darts earnestly between Will and I. "I work down there, and I am apprenticing as a mech."

"What's a mech?" Will's brow is furrowed.

"Mechanical. We create the machines."

A jolt runs through me. I can tell Will feels it too by the way he perks up, as if suddenly seeing Gus in a whole new light. "You know how to operate the drill?"

Gus nods eagerly, his rumpled hair flopping against his forehead. "Yes, sir. Not only the drill, I have done work with our radio towers and lift as well."

I feel my eyes stretch wide and cast a glance towards Lara. She is standing off to the side, wringing her hands together as she watches the exchange. A timid smile plays at her lips when she catches me looking her way.

Will runs a hand over his scruffy hair, clenching his jaw as he thinks. "What reason would you have to help us?"

"The same as Lara." Gus inclines his head towards her. "I want you to get me out of Babel."

"Why?" I cut in. "Have you ever even been outside of this dome? Do you think it will be easier for you out there? Let me tell you something, Gus." I lean in towards him, feeling no small amount of satisfaction when he jumps back. "That 'situation' your Madam talks about in the Wastelands, that is no small matter. What you can expect on the other side of these walls is a full-out war between us and you."

He flinches and rubs his forehead. "If that is the case, then I will join ranks with you and fight against the Madam."

I feel the heavy weight of Will's hand on my shoulder and straighten, aligning myself with him. A steady throb pulses behind my eyes as I consider Gus' words. If he really can help us, then his knowledge could be the key to getting our people out.

He seems scattered, but sincere. His freckled face and messy hair give him a naturally innocent appearance but there is something else beyond that, something honest. A kind of desperate cry for help that I can sympathize with.

I look past Gus and towards Lara. She is watching me, biting down on her lip as she waits for my reaction. I narrow my eyes, thinking. If she wanted to turn me over to the Madam, why would she involve Gus? Any reason would be ridiculously convoluted, but I don't wish to underestimate the Madam's tactics.

Will nudges me and raises his brows in question. A million possible scenarios play themselves out in my mind, each result worst than the last.

To hell with it. This grave we find ourselves in is already too deep to climb out of. What's the harm in digging a bit further?

"Fine." I sink down onto the bed, suddenly exhausted.

A wide smile stretches across Gus' face. "Really?"

"Yes. Help us get our people out of that pit and we will take you and Lara with us." The painful throb in my temple eases somewhat. "But there are going to be some conditions."

"Sure! Sure, whatever you say." Gus nods eagerly. I think he might have given Will a hearty handshake if it weren't for the danger of putting himself so close to Will's sword.

"One, and I cannot stress this enough, you will tell no one else about this." I fix Lara with a steely gaze. "From now on, we keep our collective traps shut."

She makes a crossing motion over her heart. "I swear it."

"Second condition." Will speaks up. "Once you're out, you're out. If you're in this with us, there won't be any going back."

"That isn't going to be a problem." Gus shrugs his narrow shoulders. "My parents have been remedied already, I don't have anyone left to go back to."

"Both of them?" I ask before remembering myself. "Sorry. What I meant was, you don't seem like the type to come from insubordinate parents."

Gus looks puzzled. "They weren't remedied for breaking the rules. They reached the end of their life cycles."

Now it's my turn to look confused. Gus' wide-eyed stare darts between Will and I before he looks back at Lara. "Do they not know?"

"Know what?" Will demands.

"Have you noticed that there are no elderly people in Babel?" Lara prods gently.

I try to form a response but no words come out. I am left staring at her stupidly, my mouth hanging open as realization slowly dawns.

"The Madam has imposed a mandatory remedy on every one of Babel's citizens." Gus' voice seems to be coming from somewhere very far away. "No one here lives past forty."

"Why." How many times can I ask that question and still expect a reasonable response?

Lara's face is drawn helplessly. "No one knows. At some arbitrary point you are no longer considered 'productive' and receive a summons to report for your remedy at the lab."

"They treat it as some kind of celebration." Gus says angrily, bitterness lacing its way through his words. "Like we should be grateful to give ourselves up and make way for the next generation." He makes a quoting gesture with his fingers. "She calls it 'optimal productivity'."

Will's legs finally give out and he sinks down onto the bed next to me. "I can see why you might want to leave."

My head is spinning. "How can anyone bear to stay?"

"People are sheep." Gus tosses his headscarf away in disgust. "They believe whatever they're told and never stop to ask if it's right."

"But you're an Enforcer." I feel the need to point out the obvious.

"Mandatory conscription." He runs his hand through his hair. The wayward strands stand up in tuffs, giving him an erratic appearance. "All of the men over eighteen are expected to serve in the guard, at least part-time until they complete their apprenticeships."

"And you chose to apprentice as a mech, is that right?" I say, slowly as my addled mind gradually catches up with the situation. "You understand the machines."

Gus nods and stands up a little straighter. "Yes, ma'am."

"He's a genius." Lara breaks in, causing Gus' cheeks to redden visibly.

I sigh, rolling my head back towards the ceiling before glancing over at Will. He looks as though the wind has been knocked out of him, pale beneath his tan with his hands clenched tightly around the rolls of bedsheet.

"All right, Gus." I lean forward over my knees, my elbow brushing against Will's. "You seem like a nice person. I trust that you understand the risks of what you are getting yourself into."

A small grin twitches from the corner of his mouth. "I do indeed."

"In that case, whatever genius you possess in machines, you clearly lack in common sense." I offer him a small smile back.

He laughs, a genuine sound that does a handy job of dissipating the room's lingering tension. "You aren't the first to tell me that."

"Then you should fit right in." I look up at Will. Some of the colour has returned to his face but his brows are still pinched. I can fairly see the gears in his head turning as he rubs his chin thoughtfully, his eyes trained on Gus.

"I assume that all the water pumped up by the Irrigator is stored somewhere." Will says.

"Yes. It's kept in a reinforced tank on the topmost floor of the 'L' level." Gus gestures vaguely out the window. Confusion must show on our faces because he hurries to explain. "The 'L' stands for 'lab'. There are five levels between the ground and the Irrigator tunnels. The techs work in the labs and yes, that is also where they store the water tank."

"And where does the water come out? Only as rain through the roof?" Will presses and I find myself struggling to catch on to his train of thought.

Gus' eyes widen. Clearly, he has no such problems following. "Not just the roof. There are pipes feeding into the rivers." He positively vibrates with excitement. "You could easily overload them."

"What are you talking about?" Impatience gets the best of me. "What good would that do?"

Will quirks his half-smile. "It's not a full plan but it's a start. If we are going to break out hundreds of people then we are going to need to buy ourselves some time."

"A flood." I say, slowly. "That would be one hell of a distraction."

"And you mentioned the radio towers." Gods, Will is a trial to keep up with. "Could we rig them so that they block all communications from outside the dome?"

"Absolutely, and I can do you one better." Gus grins. "I can get you on a secret frequency, one that the Madam won't know about. You'll have your own radio so that you can communicate with me inside of Babel while you are in the Wastelands."

It's almost too good to be true. I look disbelievingly at Lara. She is watching me carefully, the beginnings of a hopeful smile playing at her lips. I find myself wavering uncomfortably between the spark of betrayal I feel every time I look at her and the rush of gratitude towards her for bringing us this mech genius. If the two of them are indeed telling the truth, than the tides of this war may have just changed.

Will is nodding approvingly. "I think that you and I are going to be very good friends, Gus."

Gus' freckled face positively radiates happiness. "I won't let you down, sir."

"Call me Will." He cocks his head towards me. "This is the one you should be calling 'sir'."

I throw Gus a wink and his cheeks redden again. Behind him, Lara finally ceases twisting her fingers together and instead absently strokes the necklace at her throat. I picture the ugly scar marking her as a breeder hidden underneath and my resolve to hate her falters further.

"One last thing. Do you know a way we could sneak out a small group of prisoners?" Will asks Gus. "Think of it as a rehearsal before the big show."

"How many?"

"A dozen."

My head snaps over towards Will. He is wearing a look of total concentration, every muscle tensed to hear Gus' response. If I didn't know any better, I would say that careful, patient Will Cain intends to break out Marc and the rest of our troops ahead of schedule. My heart swells with a little more love for him. Perhaps some of my bullheaded influence has finally begun to break through his shell.

Gus considers Will's words for barely an instant before his eyes alight with the triumph that comes with realizing the perfect solution. "That should be fairly simple. Why not take the stairs?"