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the vehicle and waits for me to get out. The two
Unifers that followed us here—I’m now convinced they’re his
bodyguards—walk on either side of Nicholas and me up to the
podium.
    Mai reaches her arms out to greet me and
pulls my ear to her lips. “My, don’t you look like you need some
happy pills...” she whispers. “Cheer up; this event is for
champions and you certainly don’t look it.” She places me at the
end of the line, next to the tallest, most muscular guy here, and
gives me a stern look. I pull my shoulders back and try to fit
in.
    Nicholas steps up to the stand, and the
gathering—and even the protesters—calm into a low simmer. “Welcome,
citizens of Culmination to the very first Savage Run,” he says.
“I’d like to share with you a silly story, if you would be so kind
to indulge me. As many of you know, I spent a few summers on a
ranch right outside of Culmination. My favorite thing to do was to
play outside—to swim in the lake beside our home and play in the
woods, chasing after squirrels and torturing hedgehogs.”
    The gathering laughs.
    He continues. “But my favorite memory from
there happened one spring morning when I was ten. My father had
sold the ranch and it was the last day before we moved to Asolo.
Before my father could tell me no, I headed to the lake to
swim.”
    I smile a little.
    “ There was a chickadee that
lived in the oak tree right outside of our door. She was constantly
feeding her youngsters, their hungry beaks opening and closing,
accepting the nourishment from their mother. That day, one of her
chicks had fallen out of the nest. I saw the poor little creature
abandoned on the ground, chirping, and left to die from starvation
or to be eaten alive by a predator, anticipating life to end in the
most excruciating way. Not thinking much of it, I helped the poor,
helpless bird back into its nest. Later that day, I saw the bird I
had helped fly away.” He pauses and grips the side of the podium.
“That’s what these young men must feel like now—like that little
bird must have felt. Waiting. Waiting for someone to help them. For
someone…to pick them up and give them wings to fly.”
    The gathering cheers.
    “ As you know, this Master
class recruitment program is closed to the media and the public.
However, I will personally inform you of the results after each of
the three phases directly following the completion of each phase.
Now without further delay, we must bring these savages to Volkov
Village. Thank you.”
    The gathering claps, and Nicholas steps away
from the podium.
    One by one the participants climb the
stairway that leads up to the aircraft. Nicholas stands at the
bottom of the stairs, waiting for me, the last contender to board.
Just as my foot touches the first step, I hear someone yell my
name.
    “ Heidi!”
    My heart plummets into my stomach when I
recognize my father’s voice. My hand twitches and almost reaches
for my locket. But I’m on my own now.
    “ Heidi! Don’t do this!” he
yells.
    I’ve never heard him this desperate. A lump
forms in my throat. I shouldn’t turn around, but since everyone
else is doing it, so they probably won’t suspect that I’m the one
he’s calling for. My father is tripping over his legs to get to me
and some of the people in the crowd shove him and laugh as he
stumbles to the ground.
    “ Heidi! Don’t leave! I’m
sorry I messed up!” He climbs back onto his feet, his gray hair
sticking to his sweaty forehead.
    Seeing what’s happening, Nicholas sends a
couple of Unifers in my father’s direction. Once they arrive, they
pull their clubs out and beat my father against his head and
abdomen until he collapses to the ground. With every blow, I feel
the pain deep in my stomach. My father covers his head to protect
himself from the assaults. I want to yell out for the Unifers not
to hurt him, but I hold back, too afraid it will give me away.
Maybe more afraid my father might think I care.
    “ Do you know