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being a hero is who they are. We’re making a big mistake teaching our kids that bravery is the absence of fear, and that being afraid is the same as being weak. Bury your fears, Adam, and they’ll bury you right back. I say if you’re afraid of dogs, it’s time to get a puppy.”
    Keller smiled then tapped the box of chocolates, offering Adam another. “Do you think you can be brave?”
    “Yes,” Adam nodded, taking one more chocolate from the box.
    “Good,” Keller said with a smile. “We’re going to take a little walk, together, just the two of us, back into the TV hall so you can show me everyone who was in the kitchen with you.”
    Adam froze. “What? But they’ll be mad at me,” Adam said, too whiny. He swallowed, then tried again. “I’m not afraid, but if I tell on them, then they won’t be my friends anymore.”
    Keller closed the lid, made his chocolate box disappear, then leaned forward, closer than ever. For a moment his eyes flared, and Adam was certain Keller was angry. But he wasn’t. He set his hand over Adam’s, the one without the chocolate.
    “They’ll get over it,” Keller said. “Besides, as I said, it was one of them who ratted you out to one of your counselors.”
    Adam wanted to ask which friend it was, but was afraid he’d anger Chief Keller.
    “You and I are friends now, Adam, and when you’re friends with me, people have no choice but to be nice to you.”
    “Really?” Adam asked as he stood up from the desk to join Keller at the door.
    “Really.” Keller winked. “Now let’s take that walk.”
    **
    Adam and Keller left the schoolmaster’s office in silence, walking the corridor then taking the elevator back upstairs before heading into the TV hall.
    “Are you ready?” Keller asked, leaning into Adam as they approached his only friends in the world.
    They stopped in front of Morgan, who turned to Keller with eyes so wide they looked like they would roll from their sockets. Morgan looked from Keller to Adam, then back to Keller and swallowed.
    “Are these the friends who were with you in the kitchen?” Keller asked, turning from Morgan to Tommy, then over to Daniel.
    Adam nodded, avoiding eye contact with any of them.
    “Anyone else?” Keller asked, though he knew the answer already. He wanted Adam to say it.
    Adam slowly nodded, then pointed across the room toward the trio of girls, grateful that Jayla wasn’t with them at the moment.
    “Just to be clear,” Keller asked, “these are the thieves who helped you steal the rations?”
    “Yes, sir,” Adam said.
    “Fucking liar,” Morgan screamed.
    “Silence!” Keller roared. Before Morgan could take a step back, Keller’s hand tore across his face, sending his knees crashing hard into the floor. His cheek was bright red, glowing from the five-finger outline Keller left behind.
    “Are you calling my friend, Adam, a liar?” Keller loomed over Morgan, glaring, his face red and scary.
    Morgan whimpered, “No.”
    “No, what?” Keller said, backhanding Morgan across the top of his head.
    “No, sir!” Morgan yelped, putting a hand over his newest bruise.
    “I’d like you to apologize to my friend,” Keller said, forcing Morgan to stand and say he was sorry right into Adam’s eyes. Tommy and Daniel shifted on their feet.
    Keller turned to Adam, his face and voice suddenly calm, and said, “We’ll be speaking soon, Young Lovecraft. Thanks for being such a fine little Watcher.”
    Keller tousled Adam’s hair, then turned to the group. “You will all be coming with me.”
    Keller then led the pack over to the girls, instructed them to follow, and led the six of them from the TV hall as every accusing eye settled on the Chief Keller’s new friend, Adam.

CHAPTER 20 — Jonah Lovecraft
    J onah tried pulling free, but the rope bit deeper into his flesh, threatening to tear his wrists off if he continued.
    His captors were smart, putting him in a room with no view of anything else and far from any sounds that he could identify. All he knew was that he was underground in an old train station, but he had no clue where he was in relation to the parts of The Barrens that were walled off for The Darwin Games or City 6.
    To make matters worse, he had no idea what lay directly past the room he was in. Was he in a remote part of the refugee village, or right in the center of their version of a prison? Even if he could break free from the ropes, he had no idea what he’d be walking into. Nor did he