I hear a few laughs from the audience, and several gasps. Obviously, most of my classmates don’t know what to think of what Harlowe’s just said. I wouldn’t if I were them.

“That’s right,” Harlowe continues, milking every second of this. “I have reason to suspect that one of the Similars has a unique ability to tap into others’ thoughts.”

“That’s impossible!” a kid shouts from the crowd. Others react, agreeing with him.

“I assure you it’s not, though I wish it were,” Harlowe goes on. “This Similar was likely programmed from birth to be able to do this. And, as you know, that kind of genetic programming is illegal. It’s against the law to choose your baby’s hair and eye color. That’s called eugenics, and it’s dangerous. Just like it’s dangerous for people to possess the ability to invade our privacy. Think of the power she could wield—”

“Enough!” Willa shouts over the crowd. Kids seem to be rallying behind her, nodding and standing around her in an ever-growing clump of solidarity. “We don’t care what you have to say!”

“But—but this is my group,” Harlowe answers, finally looking flustered. “I’m the president!”

A second later, someone grabs the mic out of Harlowe’s hands. It’s Ivy, and she’s crying. In a rush, stringing all her words together almost incoherently, she blurts out into the microphone, “I want to say one thing, I’m so sorry, I never meant to hurt anyone or cause anyone pain. I just wanted to fit in.”

“What are you saying?” Harlowe hisses at her.

“You’re a bully, and I quit,” Ivy whispers. She drops the mic and flees.

Without warning, Jane’s Duplicate approaches Harlowe and picks up the dropped mic. I hear her say something to Harlowe, who looks increasingly pissed—and maybe even on the verge of tears.

Duplicate Jane taps on the microphone. “Attention, students. I have an announcement to make, and I’m afraid it’s an unpleasant one.” She addresses the crowd solemnly. “Not ten minutes ago, I received concrete evidence that three of our junior members of the Ten—Harlowe Shaw, Graham Rosen, and Ivy Li—hacked into the stratum system at the beginning of the school year in order to fix their scores. As of this moment, they are officially no longer part of the Ten.”

A deafening silence fills the room. You could hear a pin drop. I look from Harlowe, who appears totally stricken, over to Ivy, who is openly bawling. In fact, it’s the only sound anyone’s making at all. I hear her hiccupped words between sobs, something to the effect of how she deserves this.

It only takes a moment for Harlowe’s shock to morph into outrage.

“Evidence?” Harlowe protests. “I demand to know what this evidence is!”

“I can assure you, it’s irrefutable,” Duplicate Jane answers her, her voice emotionless.