As soon as the Hummingbird landed, I was escorted by, I assume based on the indentations their fingers had left on my biceps, the white-masked soldiers into an elevator. We’d gone down for close to ten seconds before the cart came to a stop and the doors opened. Now, the echoes and the coldness of the air told me I was back to being well underground. The bag was removed, and though the floodlights were dimmer, it was enough to make me squint and ignore the pain from the cloth ripping out my neck hairs as it was yanked off.

The two guards left me, turning down the hallway we’d just come through. I stood at the smaller of the two checkpoints. It had only a few guards, who looked my way with no other extractors checking in. One pointed down the tunnel, where the circular white door was small in the distance, the Undervault behind its closed hinges.

As I started toward it, it opened to let others into the bunker. Four extractors walked together, three of them paying everything else in the tunnel little attention, because their focus was on the man in the middle. He could’ve been a soldier, and I wouldn’t have known the difference. An army green canvas jacket failed to hide how ripped he was, his short spiky hair adding nothing but intimidation to his jawline. The bag on his back could’ve fit twenty of mine.

He couldn’t have been older than twenty-five, but he was the clear leader. The others tried talking to him, but he hardly acknowledged them. Instead, his eyes flicked around the bunker, checking everyone close to him before moving to those further away.

“That was fast,” Chromia said from a foot away, making me jump back. “Come with me.”

“Nice to see you, too,” I muttered.

The man eyed me as we passed. He held eye contact, the others by him joining in. I heard laughing and “Fresh one,” as they kept going.

“Who are they?” I asked Chromia.

“Quinten Brown and his crew. He was first extractor I was in charge of, now our top earner. Earn enough and you may be able to extract with them, though they’re pretty choosy. He’s a large reason I became director of the extractors. You should be honored I’m your guide.”

I stifled a sarcastic comment, instead opting for, “You lead this whole thing?”

We walked through the circular door, the noise of the market flooding in.

“The extractors. Now, whatever you found out there can be traded here. I’ve got others to deal with. You’ll be escorted to your room after; I’ll be in later to discuss your next extraction.”

She left, heading away and into the market. I still stood at the top of the stairs, surveying my options. I don’t know why. I knew where, or more who, I was trading everything for.

A familiar face awaited me on the floor of the market. My dad seemed almost surprised to see me, meeting me at the bottom step. “You’re back?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said distractedly, trying to remember where Chromia had shown me where to earn credits for Skylar. Most of it looked unfamiliar until the bustle of the lounge area grabbed my attention. “Her stand is this way,” I said, turning left and toward the bank of screens in the corner.

I took my bag off as I reached Drenvar and where I could trade for my sister. I’d decided I was going to trade everything in the med kit I’d found. Hopefully, I wouldn’t need any of it. I slid it, along with the batteries and screws, across the table at the FATE member.

He looked at them, then up at me.

“That all?” he asked, amusement evident on his face and in his voice.

“How much does it add?” I asked, returning none of the humor.

He picked up the screws, inspecting them in the light. “Let me guess, Warehouse District?”

I watched him look it over, not answering him.

“You need 90,000 credits.”

“Okay,” I said. The number was displayed on a holotab on the table in front of him, so I knew this already.

“These are worth five hundred.”

“Each?”

“Total.”

“That’s it?” I asked, trying to stuff down the overwhelming sense of dread that was forming. “Chromia said you were fair.”

“I am more than fair,” Drenvar said cooly. “What you brought me is junk.”

“Give him everything else you found,” my dad said, reaching for the bag.

“That is all I found!”

I pulled the bag away, my knuckles going white from how tightly I gripped it.

“Here’s a clue, Mason,” Drenvar said. “Precious or practical. Gems, metals, prewar weapons, technology, things like that. Can it be worn by the wealthy? Can it be used by the poor? If that answer is yes, then I want it. Dead batteries, screws, and expired medicine do none of that.”

“In an hour, that’s all you found?” my dad asked again.

“You weren’t out there! You’ve never been out there.”

Normally, I wouldn’t have even thought of talking back to my dad. He was stern, intense, and I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t at least a little intimidating. But right now, I was frustrated.

“I don’t know what else was out there, but I wasn’t alone. I got scared,” I said, then sighed. “I’ll get more next time.”

A pair of white masks appeared behind me. Both were without their flex rifles; their arms crossed over their chests. “Follow us if you’re done here,” one of them said.

Before I could answer, there was a commotion at the table across the lounge area. Well-dressed people crowded the table underneath a bank of screens, pointing at them and yelling at the watcher through their own masks. The far-left screen had a list of names, with the word “Active” labeling the top of the screen. My name would’ve been up there not long ago. Quinten Brown’s name was at the top of the list, gathering the most attention.

“You have to earn credits, Mason,” Drenvar said behind me. “Build a reputation like our top extractors; you’ll have people lining up to buy your stuff. You’ll have enough to earn her back in no time.”

I turned and started following the guard.

“Mason!” my dad called after me. I figured I was about to be scolded, but his voice was much softer. “I’m glad you’re alive. I’m going to stop by later, okay?”

I nodded, then let the guard lead me through the Undervault and to my room. He took my bag and holotab at the door, telling me they would be ready for me the next time I went, then left me alone.

For a long time. I didn’t want to go back to the Undervault; I had nothing to trade. I contributed five hundred credits to Skylar’s fund today. At this pace, it would only take me around…I was bad at math. It was going to take a lot of extractions.

Precious or practical, I thought. Where am I going to find that? Houses? Stores? What if they’ve all been looted?

I shook my head. You saw the maps on the holotab screens. Charlotte was huge. There’s stuff left.

If nothing else, it was to make myself feel better.

How would Dad think? Yes, I’d gotten mad at him earlier, but I was glad he was here. If there were anyone who would know what to do in this situation, it was him. How would he think? What would he do?

Houses. Assuming they weren’t destroyed, they’d have the precious items Drenvar wanted. Jewelry, antiques. They may even have weapons in them. If not, stores will. I just needed to find which district had all of these.

Think like he would.

I was going to save my sister, but I was going to make him proud while doing it.

———

I was almost asleep when Chromia knocked on the door, entering despite my not answering it. She stowed the holotab under her arm, actually looking at me while she spoke. “Are you extracting again tomorrow or waiting a day?”

I didn’t know I had a choice.

“Can I see my sister?” I asked instead.

“One time.”

My heart fluttered for a second. I didn’t think I’d be able to. “I want to see her,” I blurted.

The holotab came back out, and Chromia navigated through a few menus. “It doesn’t look like you found much to get her back today.”

“It was my first time,” I said back.

“We’ll go with that. I’ll arrange for you to see your sister tomorrow. You should get ready for your next extraction. Are you going alone again or with others?”

“I can go with someone else?”

She tucked the tablet away again, looking annoyed. “Yes, Mason. It’s not your first extraction. You can extract with others who also want partners. Is that your choice?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Okay. We’ll find a couple of others. I don’t know who yet; things change quickly, and you’re not going for over twenty-four hours.”

She swiped a few times on her tablet, tapped to confirm something, the locked the screen. “I’ll be back later,” she said, then left and shut the door behind her.

I don’t know why, but I smiled. I was nowhere near having enough to get my sister back, but for maybe the first time since I’d climbed the ladder that led to the Blitz, I felt like I had a chance. I was going to see my sister tomorrow, then I’d have help to find stuff to get her back. I yawned as I lay down on the bed. Sleep was something I’d gotten little of in the last few days. Even the thin mattress beneath me felt like it was filled with feathers, and I crashed hard.

———

I think it was only a few hours later, but I woke up to the sound of knocking on my door. I sat up, completely disoriented for a moment. The room was unfamiliar in the dim light, and it wasn’t until Chromia opened the door and the hallway light flooded in that I remembered where I was. She woke me up fully, then led me through the Undervault, taking me to a side I hadn’t been to.

After a set of automatic doors slid open, we stood in a cafeteria. Tables with benches connected to them were arranged in rows, all of them empty except for one spot, where a woman in her young twenties ate alone.

“This is where extractors eat. You slept through the normal dinner time, so you missed the chance to make friends. Though most of our extractors grab and go; you guys aren’t very friendly to each other.”

The cafeteria itself was bland. Plain dark green walls were barren of signs or posters. Round metal lights hung from the ceiling, making the room much dimmer than everywhere else in the FATE bunker.

Chromia left as I went to the window to get food. A man looked bored behind the counter, his maskless face annoyed another extractor showed up. I grabbed the tray of food he slid across to me, then looked for a place to eat. The girl glared daggers at me as I took a step in her direction, so I opted to eat alone on the other side of the room.

The food was decent for an underground bunker, I suppose. I ate most of it, wrapping a roll in a napkin and shoving it in my pocket as I dumped my tray. The girl watched me as I did it all, though now with more curiosity than hostility.

In my room, I found my jacket still under the bed. I placed the bread where it had been, putting on the coat. It still smelled like home, comforting me as I got ready for bed. Not having a way of seeing what time it was had thrown off my internal clock. Was it late evening? Did I just eat a full meal at three in the morning? I had to know. I threw the jacket back on my bed, then walked back into the Undervault to look for a clock.

It didn’t take long. The stands were still full of masked workers, but now they traded more with each other. Most of the extractors had returned, and if they hadn’t, they weren’t going to today, if ever. I went back to the corner where Drenvar was, but it was quiet. The screens were still on, but the “Active” list was down to only two names, with running timers next to them showing they’d been in the Blitz for over twelve hours. The map next to it showed an X in an area labeled East District, but it was clear otherwise. Under the screens was a digital clock I wasn’t sure how I’d missed earlier. It showed the time was just after 9:00 P.M.

Not quite a midnight snack, I thought as I navigated back through the market. I garnered a few looks from the vendors as I glanced at what they were selling. I planned on trading everything to Drenvar, but it didn’t hurt to know my options.

At home, I never considered going to bed so early. But the last few days were catching up to me, and my nap earlier had only recharged me enough for eating, apparently. I wrapped myself in my jacket, using the thin black one I’d been given as extra padding for my pillow. After a few moments, I drifted away.

———

I dreamt of Skylar that night. More specifically, her screams when the masked soldiers dragged her away two nights ago. I woke up in a pool of sweat, panting as I looked around.

The screaming stopped as the dream faded, leaving only the silence of my room. “I hate this place,” I muttered as I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I was glad I could see her today, but then it was time to work on getting us out.

The Undervault was quieter as I made my way to the clock I’d found yesterday. I made a note to find one closer; it was already annoying having to walk this far just to see what time it was. The lounge was filling with watchers and what I could only assume were FATE members, betting on us extractors and the items we’d bring back.

It was shortly after six in the morning, but I went to the cafeteria, grabbing food and eating by myself off to the side. It remained quiet, even as more extractors prepped for the day. Like Chromia said, most didn’t spend over thirty seconds in the room, grabbing bags of food and leaving for the day. After a few had come and gone, I kept a tally in my head, the number only reaching twenty-two in the near hour I sat in my spot.

How many don’t get breakfast? I wondered. Are there only around twenty-five of us extractors? Do they keep only a certain amount so people don’t notice? How big is FATE?

I had more questions than answers, all of them bouncing around in my head as I left and went back to my room.

They were silenced when a pair of watchers opened the door a few minutes later, marching Skylar in between them. They shut it behind them, leaving my sister and me alone.

“Are you okay?” I asked as she wrapped me in a hug.

“Have you figured out where we are yet?” She asked instead. “Before today, the only places I’ve seen are that interrogation room and every square inch of my room.” She added, “Multiple times.”

“I’m still working on it,” I said, laughing.

“I just saw some sort of market.”

I told her everything I knew about our situation, from FATE to the Undervault to extracting, and how Dad was here, but I had to earn her back.

She listened to it all, only talking once I was done. “I’m only worth $90,000 to them?”

“Credits, and I’m glad you’re focused on what matters,” I said back.

“Sorry, Macy,” she said with a smirk. “You said Dad is here?”

“Yes. He saw me the next morning after he got off work and followed me. They grabbed him, too.”

“I wish I could see him,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I’m glad I’m not alone.”

I joined her, watching her eyes as they stared at a point on the wall. They stayed that way for a while, even when she spoke to me. “You went into the Blitz?”

I nodded.

“What was it like?”

“Not very fun. I might leave you here so I don’t have to go out there again.”

The corners of her mouth curled up. I may only see her one time until I make enough, but I was glad I chose that time to be today.

“I’m going with others tomorrow. It should be easier to find stuff.”

“What am I supposed to do?” she asked, looking away from the wall and at me.

I wish there was something you could do.

“Do they let you out?” I asked.

“Only the two times I’ve gotten to see you.”

“Then they must bring you food. Maybe you can annoy them enough that they’ll lower the price or just let you go.”

She hit me on the arm, then rested her head on my shoulder. “Just be careful. Someone has to walk me home from school every day. Maybe now you won’t respond to the cloaks.”

I laughed for the first time since I’d gotten here.

“I love you, Macy,” she said. It was something I didn’t hear from her often. Not because we didn’t like each other, but because she believed it would lose its meaning if she said it too often, and she wanted to truly mean it when she did.

“I love you, too.”

We sat on the bed until the watchers came to get her again. “I love you,” she whispered, then stood to follow them.

As they left the room, the back one turned around, its face hidden by the shadows. A gravelly voice emanated from the darkness, then the figure left the room. “Remember who gets hurt the most if you fail.”

———

“Alright if I come in?” my dad asked, jolting me alert. Nerves had been setting back in, and I’d been tracing a crack in the wall with my finger, filing the nail on the concrete enough that it was now shorter than the rest.

He shut the door behind him, then set a new pair of pants, a shirt, and clean underwear on the edge of the bed. “They told me to give these to you.”

He sat next to them, folding his hands in his lap. “They wouldn’t let me come see you this morning. Did you already go today?”

“No, I saw Skylar today.”

He perked up a little. I think she was his favorite. “How is she doing?”

“She wants to leave,” I said as I shrugged. I think we all did.

“That’s what we’re working on.”

After a brief silence hung in the air, he added, “Yesterday, what did you see out in the Blitz? Were there people?”

I shook my head. “Animals. I assume dogs, based on the howling I heard. I shouldn’t have gone to the Warehouse District; there wasn’t much left.”

“Speaking of that, after you left yesterday, I watched the maps on those screens in the market-”

“The lounge area?” I asked.

“Yeah, you could call it that. But I determined those must be the areas you can choose to go to, plus, I remember seeing the Warehouse District on it. This morning, when I couldn’t find you, I did some looking around. I had nothing to trade for them, but at one stand, I found some more maps of the Blitz. Based on them, plus what I know from work, the West District looks promising.”

I vaguely remembered seeing it on the board when I was choosing where to go yesterday.

“It seems like a lot of old housing, but there are some taller buildings, too. It’s hard to know if they were all destroyed, but it might be worth looking into.”

I had no sense of direction normally, especially while flying in a Hummingbird, but I wondered if the West District is what I’d seen outside its open doors. It hadn’t been damaged that much. Surely those houses would have stuff.

He stood excitedly, heading for the door. “I’ll show you what else I found. You can trade what you find tomorrow for all sorts of stuff. There are guns, armor, bigger bags. A lot of it is to help you be prepared and-”

He stopped when he realized I hadn’t gotten up from the bed.

“Mason?”

“I’m just going to put it all toward the quota for Skylar,” I said.

His brow furrowed. “Is that the best idea?”

He said something else, but I cut him off. “Why wouldn’t it be? It gets us out of here the fastest. They gave me a little pistol I can figure out how to use if I have to. Plus, I’m going with others tomorrow. That should make it easier.”

“Okay, that’s good. You were the one out there yesterday. I’m just trying to make sure you’re prepared.”

“I’m nothing if I’m not,” I said. “I will be, I’m your son.”

I still hated the saying, but it made him smile.

“I’ll see what I find tomorrow and how much Drenvar thinks it’s worth.”

“You’ll make us all proud. I’ll see you when you get back.”

He turned to leave, shutting the door and trapping me in the silence once again. I sat there for a while, but soon, I couldn’t sit anymore. I cleared space -not like I had to move much- and got down on all fours. I did pushups until my arms couldn’t lift me anymore, then flipped over and did sit-ups until my stomach hurt. It wasn’t the workouts I’d do some weekends with my dad, but it was enough to make me sweat and breathe hard. I wondered what the holotab would’ve told me my heart rate was.

I flopped down on the bed after my arms gave out on the next set of pushups. My fingers traced the stitching of the fresh shirt.

They’ve got to have showers here. I can smell myself, and not in a good way. I need to eat too.

I dragged myself up again, grabbing the clothes.

It took a bit, but I found two large locker rooms down a hallway connected to the cafeteria. At least FATE had separate ones for the guy and girl extractors.

I peeked in, listening for voices. Hearing none, I ventured further until I found a square room with multiple showerheads, thankfully finding all of them off. It’s not like I was shy or very modest, but I think I’d choose to shower alone than with other guys every time.

I stripped and took a quick shower before anyone else could come in, changing into the new clothes. There was a bin labeled “Expired Garments” by the exit, and I dumped my old ones before heading back to the cafeteria.

I think most of the extractors were eating now. Tables were full, some occupants even having conversations with each other, their voices all muffling together.

I got my tray, then looked for a place to sit. I felt like everyone watched me -I know some did- as I chose a spot at the end of a bench that held two others. They both looked at me and nodded, but neither said anything before returning to their own food. My stomach churned at the thought of going into the Blitz again tomorrow, making it hard to eat. I forced as much down as I could, then went back to my room.

I didn’t stop to see what time it was, but I shut the lights off anyway. Chromia said extracting was a free-for-all, but I was glad I wasn’t going alone tomorrow. They’d have to have more experience than I did. Still, if my dad would’ve told me anything, it was to keep my guard up. Well, that, and to be prepared. I sighed. It was going to be a while before I fell asleep.

The stupid cloaked figure’s words kept replaying in my head.

Remember who gets hurt most if you fail.