Shutdown (Glitch)

Surely that was a lesson I’d learned by now. Life wasn’t always pleasant, but you couldn’t hide from it. Not in sleep, not in the Link. And this was my last day to be with my friends. I didn’t want to sleep through it.
    I made a quick sandwich by tossing a protein patty and some sliced tomatoes between two pieces of fresh-baked bread. I looked back and forth between the two groups. I guessed, according to my vote last night, I should go sit by Ginni and Juan.
    But then I looked over at the other group. Xona was watching me. Adrien sat on the other side of Cole.
    Ginni came running up from behind me. “Come sit with us,” she said, her voice falsely bright. I let her drag me over to the group sitting nearest the kitchen.
    “They’re a bunch of cowards,” Juan said to the others sitting with him. “Too afraid to risk their own precious necks.”
    I sat down cross-legged and put my plate in my lap. I thought about what Xona had said to me in the plane. I wondered if she’d explained her reasoning to everyone, or if it wasn’t common knowledge. I glanced over my shoulder at the other group. If that was the case, it wasn’t my place to share what her brother had made her promise.
    “And now Molla’s out there all alone, probably terrified.” Juan put down his half-eaten sandwich as if he wasn’t hungry anymore.
    “Molla won’t be scared if she’s under the Chancellor’s compulsion,” I said, hoping that offered a bizarre sort of comfort. “And maybe the Chancellor has kept them all together. Ginni said they’re all in the same compound. Jilia would take care of Molla.”
    “I just can’t believe the others voted not to go back for them,” Juan said.
    “I know!” Ginni piped in. “Especially Xona. It’s her brother—”
    “Don’t judge her so harshly, Ginns,” I said. “She’s your friend.”
    Ginni didn’t look mollified. “A friend who apparently would leave me behind to save herself without a second thought.”
    “You haven’t spent your life on the run like she has,” I said. “And as much as I don’t like it, maybe she’s right. What would an all-out assault on the Chancellor’s personal compound accomplish except getting you killed or captured under her compulsion, and lost yourselves?”
    “I could make sure the Chancellor was away when we attacked,” Ginni said, speaking so quickly in her eagerness that her words tripped over one another. “With all our Gifts, Henk’s stockade of weapons, and with you , we’d have a fighting chance at freeing them.”
    “But there’s still so much that could go wrong—”
    “Are you suddenly switching sides or something?” Ginni’s eyes narrowed.
    I munched on a bite of my sandwich before responding. “No, I’m on your side. But I’m also on Xona’s. The three of us have become best friends, just like you hoped when we first became roommates.” I put the bowl down. “I hate to see this come between you.”
    Ginni hesitated a moment, then spoke firmly. “As soon as she sees reason, I’d be happy to be her friend again.”
    My shoulders slumped. I guessed I couldn’t fix everything before I left. But I still could have a moment of good-bye, even if I didn’t tell Ginni that’s what it was. I moved closer and hugged her hard. She hugged me back, always so quick to give affection, always so hungry to receive it.
    “Love you, Ginns,” I whispered into her frizzy hair.
    She giggled. “Love you too, Zoe.” She pulled back, then popped to her feet. “Now come on. Let’s see if there’s any sandwich makings left. I’m still starved !”
    Throughout the next few hours, I tried to unobtrusively make the rounds to each of the people who’d become important to me over the past year and a half. I was careful not to spend too long with Xona, afraid she’d see right through me and know what I was planning.
    And finally, there was only one person left to say good-bye to.
    Adrien.
    I walked up to him as he washed dishes. All day he’d been volunteering for whatever tasks needed to be done. Folding laundry, even scrubbing the floors of the small square entryway room. I didn’t know if he was avoiding me or just wanted to keep his hands busy. Either way, I was determined to talk to him before I left. It wouldn’t mean anything to him, but it was a memory I wanted to take with me. Maybe it was selfish. I pursed my lips. Okay, it was definitely selfish. But that didn’t stop me from joining him at the sink as he washed