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many kinds of workers at the medical center. Everyone knows about the medics because they can diagnose and help people. There are also surgics who operate, pharmics who make medicines, nurses who assist, and physics like me. Our job is to oversee aspects of the medical field—for example, administrating medical centers. Or, if we become Officials, we’re often asked to serve on Committees, which is what I do. We take care of the distribution of tablets to infants and assist in collecting tissue at Final Banquets. According to the Society, this assignment is one of the most important ones an Official can have.
    “What color did she choose?” Official Lei asks as we approach the air car.
    For a second, I don’t know what she means, and then I realize she’s asking about Cassia’s dress. “She chose green,” I say. “She looked beautiful.”
    Someone cries out and the three of us turn in unison. It’s the baby’s father, running toward us as fast as he can. “I can’t wake my older son,” he calls out. “I went in to see if he was still asleep and—something is wrong.”
    “Contact the medics on the port,” Official Brewer calls back, and the three of us move as fast as we can to the house. We go inside without knocking and hurry to the back where the bedrooms always are. Official Lei puts her hand on the wall to steady herself before Official Brewer opens the bedroom door. “You all right?” I ask her. She nods.
    “Hello?” Official Brewer says.
    The mother looks up at us, her face ashen. She still holds the baby. The older child lying on the bed doesn’t move at all.
    He rests on his side, his back to us. He’s breathing, but it’s slow, and his plainclothes hang a little loose around his neck. His skin color looks all right. There’s a small red mark in between his shoulder blades and I feel a rush of pity and exultation.
    This is it.
    The Rising said it would look like this.
    I have to keep myself from glancing at the others in the room.
Who else knows?
Is anyone here part of the Rising? Have they seen the information I’ve seen about how the rebellion will proceed?
    Though the incubation period may vary, once the disease is manifest, the patient deteriorates quickly. Slurred speech is followed by a descent into an almost comatose state. The most telltale sign of the live Plague virus is one or more small red marks on the back of the patient. Once the Plague has made significant inroads into the general populace, and can no longer be concealed by the Society, the Rising will begin.
    “What is it?” the mother asks. “Is he ill?”
    Again, the three of us move at the same time. Official Lei reaches for the boy’s wrist to take his pulse. Official Brewer turns to the woman. I try to block her view of her child lying still on the bed. Until I
know
the Rising is on the move, I have to proceed as usual.
    “He’s breathing,” Official Brewer says.
    “His pulse is fine,” Official Lei says.
    “The medics will be here soon,” I tell the mother.
    “Can’t
you
do something for him?” she asks. “Medicine, treatment . . .”
    “I’m sorry,” Official Brewer says. “We need to get to the medical center before we can do anything more.”
    “But he’s stable,” I tell her.
Don’t worry,
I want to add.
The Rising has a cure.
I hope she can hear the sound of hope in my voice since I can’t tell her outright
how
I know it’s all going to work out.
    This is it. The beginning of the Rising.
    Once the Rising comes to power, we’ll all be able to choose. Who knows what might happen then? When I kissed Cassia back in the Borough she caught her breath in what I think was surprise. Not at the kiss: she knew that was coming. I think she was surprised by how it felt.
    As soon as I can, I want to tell her again, in person:
Cassia, I’m in love with you and I want you. So, what will it take for you to feel the same? A whole new world?
    Because that’s what we’re going to have.
    The mother