She remembers stealing one that said “Leave Home, Find Peace” on the front as a kid, hoping it would teach her how to escape Alan. Instead, it was all about moving on as an adult after you’ve moved out of your parents’ house. “Finding Peace” included working a job or volunteering somewhere that benefits society. Reading that booklet at night after Alan passed out was the first time Lynell learned about vigilante Registration. The booklet’s author started a nonprofit that walked victims through using their Registration for justice, connected them with therapists, and even suggested alternatives to Registering someone if the crime they had committed didn’t call for death. If, however, Registration was the best action, or if several victims wanted justice if a crime had not been met with a just sentence, say, if a violent sex offender or a child-killer was back out in the streets in no time, then the nonprofit helped victims decide who would Register the offender and provide support before and after.

Back then, Lynell called the number listed for the nonprofit with a friend’s phone only to be told that they never advise children to use their Registration.

“Half of those booklets are paid for by Eric Elysian,” Price says. Lynell jumps, having forgotten he was standing behind her.

“I always wondered why a booklet supporting the Registration would be at stores clearly geared toward anti-Registration rebels,” Lynell says. “My mom took me to an arts and craft store once and their most prominent displays were clearly against the Elysians, but there was a shelf full of pro-Registration booklets right by the front door.”

“Shop owners are paid to display them.”

Lynell picks up a booklet that says, “A Fetus Isn’t Human” on the front. It only takes a quick glance inside to know it’s all about how Registrations shouldn’t apply to pregnancies and women should be allowed to terminate several pregnancies without using their single Registration. That is one of the strongest arguments among the rebels, that abortions should be legal, should be a woman’s choice, and that forcing women to use their one Registration for an abortion is the government’s way of taking power back. That was also the deciding argument for Daniel to join the rebels: not that abortion was always the best choice to make, but that people should be allowed to choose.

“What about the pamphlets that are clearly against the Registration?” she asks. “Why does Eric Elysian allow their distribution?”

Price shrugs. “As much as I’m sure he would like to be, Eric Elysian is not the king of this country. He can’t change the laws. And besides, the freedom of speech is still a highly regarded value.”

Lynell puts the booklet back and turns to Price. “You seem to know a lot about him.”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

Lynell doesn’t argue as she follows Price to the elevators. They head to a large room on the sixth floor with two beds against the far wall and a table between them. It’s not even five o’clock yet, but Price sits on the bed. “We’re having dinner delivered. Might as well get comfortable.”