“Welcome back, everyone.” Whitney’s voice rings out from the stage. A chestnut-haired beauty, she stands next to her equally appealing husband, Jeff. I met them—Garrett-the-Energy-Boy’s parents, who run Keystone—yesterday. They were super nice, giving no indication I was different than any other trainee. It was weird to be treated like I was normal when all my life I’ve been told I was special, but I liked it.

“I’ll keep this short. We have a few announcements to make and then we’ll get you to your rooms,” Whitney says, slowly crossing the stage as the room quiets. Behind her, the rock fireplaces blaze, having been lit after everyone entered. Even though it’s warm outside, the Lodge’s stone walls and ivy-covered windows manage to keep the grand room cool. “First, a reminder that data devices are banned outside the Crypt. You may practice wearing AMPs there so you are familiar with augmented reality, but the Crypt is the only place we can one hundred percent guarantee you can’t be tracked. We live in an age of transparency, but never forget—at Keystone, we have everything to hide.”

Including me. A shiver runs down my spine. Above my head, a deer-antler chandelier twinkles against the wood-paneled ceiling, and a little brown bird hops from antler to antler.

“And please remember you’re required to use analog data and, on top of that, original data,” Jeff says, his eyes glinting. “If you can get your hands on it.”

Energy reverberates through the room. The kids lean forward in anticipation I don’t get. They’re excited about a challenge. Weird.

Trained to seek beauty, I spot a familiar face in the front row, and my pulse quickens. Garrett. Legs extended and arms crossed, he’s the only one who looks like he couldn’t care less what his mom is saying. Maybe he doesn’t need to listen—he’s probably been stealing since birth. I admire his chiseled jaw and dark hair mussed to obscure one eye, his puffy—if I’m honest, totally kissable—lips. He’s so perfect he can’t be real. My heart swells, and the chandeliers glow brighter, as if ignited by his presence. The air hums, atoms vibrating. He turns, his eyes connecting with mine, and sweat erupts on my forehead. I blink, finding fascination with the deer-antler chandelier overhead before he thinks I’m staring.

Again, this reaction. Maybe it’s because he’s the only person I recognize…

The little brown bird takes flight and heads straight for the closed window to my left. My body reacts before I think, and I hurl myself in front of it, my shoulder slamming against the window with a loud thud.

The bird changes trajectory and disappears into the rafters as everyone turns to stare at me.

Oh. My. God.

“There was a bird,” I whisper, my face burning so hot as I slink back to my seat it’s probably fluorescent.

Whitney smiles. “I trust you will introduce yourselves to our newest Disconnect, Elisha Dewitt, at an appropriate time. Now, where was I?”

“What’s the point of succeeding if nobody knows you did?” Jeff interjects, his bold voice making everyone jump.