Numbers Game Read Free

destroyed. If I chose the work camps, at least that part would end. But so would my freedom.
    Not true. I didn’t know what freedom was anymore.
    Poly wanted my decision. So far, my decision was to not decide at all. “City center,” I told the driver and sat back for the ride.

 
    3

     
    W elcome to the class of 2094’s Rating Ceremony.” The official over Level Three education, Professor Bold, ran his hand over his head as if making sure his hairpiece was in place. Or maybe he was making sure we could see the green number on his forehead: 883.
    The students and parents in the audience gave an excited cheer. My stomach felt tingly, but one glance at Dresden soothed my fears. He sat with his khel team on the boys’ side, relaxed as always. I turned and looked for my mom, Lanah, in the parents’ section. I caught a glimpse of her near the back, staring at the floor. Her husband wasn’t with her. Good.
    I caught a glimpse of Tali’s mother as well. She owned a stonecutting shop and was a bit eccentric, but I liked her. Last time I’d visited, she’d gone on and on about how the posterity of NORA’s founder, Richard Peak, were all named after stones and how rocks had life cycles just like people did.
    “Watch and see if I’m right,” Taliyah whispered into my ear. Luckily, her anger at me seemed to have dissipated. She was focused on her latest conspiracy theory—something about the government purposefully creating more yellows and reds than in years past. “It’s like the foundation of a pyramid,” she had explained. “You need more people at the bottom to support the few on top.”
    Tali refused to believe the truth. People earned the Ratings they got, and that was that. I shrugged. “Sure.”
    She gave me a sharp look. “Don’t ‘sure’ me, Treena. I’m right.” When I didn’t answer, she turned away, crossing her legs in complete confidence. Her face faded into the darkness as the lights dimmed. The room quieted and we settled back in our seats.
    Suddenly the auditorium doors slammed open. Dozens of blond-headed monitors in silver uniforms streamed in and lined up along the walls and down each aisle. The audience murmured. There was usually high security at an event like this, but there had to be over a hundred of them. Were they looking for someone?
    “Wow,” Tali breathed. “Check him out, Treen.”
    A dark-haired guy with broad shoulders had just taken his place at the end of our row and now scanned the audience with his stunner raised. I blinked. He wore black, not silver. Military, maybe? But I caught my breath at the sight of his Rating. Bright red.
    A red soldier? I didn’t know that was possible.
    “Fates,” Tali said. “Look at his shoulders. I’d love to uncover those rippling biceps.”
    “Tali!” I hissed.
    His dark eyes narrowed. “Keep talking, ladies, so I can arrest you. Didn’t want to stand here for two hours anyway.”
    “Anything for you, baby,” Tali muttered.
    “My friend says she’s very sorry,” I told him. “She prefers to look at you rather than Professor Bold, for some reason.”
    Our gazes locked. The hardened mask slipped for a split second, and there was a hint of amusement. My face grew hot, but I couldn’t look away. He watched me for a moment more before breaking eye contact.
    Fate’s sake, Treena. You have a boyfriend. I focused on the stage.
    The shuffling noises died down and the auditorium went still. Professor Bold looked uneasy, but none of the monitors approached him. He cleared his throat.
    “Here we go,” Tali whispered. “My favorite history lesson again.”
    That got a half smile from me. Professor Bold was known to ramble on about NORA’s proud past. He’d done it at every school event since we had entered Level Three. I almost had it memorized. Taliyah did. She began mouthing the words as he spoke.
    “The New Order Republic of America, or NORA, has a ninety-year history—one that began after the old America broke apart, when