“He deserved it.”

“Maybe, but we don’t want to make enemies.”

Ashley smiled, “I can deal.”

I made a face, but I didn’t say anything.

Ashley added, “I’m sorry for the comments. There really are no hard feelings, Sveta. My brain comes with zig-zagging chemicals and I would understand if you didn’t want to risk that.”

“That wasn’t why.”

“It’s fine. I’m not bothered—”

She’s bothered.

“—and I’m sorry for the inbred comment, Rain.”

“It’s all right. I don’t love my family enough to care if it’s insulted, and I don’t think it’s likely. It was funny.”

“You were sounding like you enjoyed yourself,” I commented.

“I was. But I felt bad. Both of those can be true.”

“Tristan and I play-acted a fight this morning,” Byron said. “Started out, uh, getting good things off our chest. Might’ve cut a little too close to the bone a few times by the end. We’ll have to negotiate rules before we do it again.”

“It’s good though,” I said “Frustrations are mounting, we’re at our limit, and Teacher’s won. Our worst traits rise to the surface. We play that up, create a narrative. Do what we can to look like we’re broken so they don’t have a reason to break us.”

“It’s easy for the act to become reality,” Rain said. “Especially when we’re playing the role at any time we’re not here.”

I nodded. He wasn’t wrong.

“Just gotta keep the peace and keep up the act until we’re sure we have enough points of access. Then—”

“A heist,” Sveta said.

“Not really a heist,” Byron said.

“I know. But heists are cool.”

Ashley put an arm around Sveta’s shoulders. “They are. But I would characterize this as a raid.”

“I was thinking surgical strike,” I said.

“Is it really a surgical strike if it’s large numbers, large scale and high on the collateral damage?” Byron asked. “It’s a raid. We’re raiding Teacher.”

The Bunker was now in view. People were gathered around outside, letting snow fall on them while they talked, and others were inside. Construction was ongoing, and would be up until the meeting started, at which point they’d all be told to quit it.

I watched the faces within, tracked the people, and I couldn’t help but imagine that much like my group had tested boundaries and found the willful backslide into bad behavior to be an easy and comfortable slide, there was more chaos and more energy in the mix. All from a little bit of acting, a few pre-plotted incidents.

“Whatever it is, I hope we do it soon.”

Breaking 14.2

What was the saying? Three could keep a secret, if two of them were dead?