Sensation slowly trickled back into Ari's body, although her head was still numb. It'd been a good while since she'd been electrocuted and feeling was just as unpleasant as she'd remembered. She blinked. It really was an auditorium inside. Someone lashed her wrists and ankles together with tight rope, binding her to the wooden chair in the middle of the room. Rows upon rows of young, fresh faces stared at her with curiosity. She was relieved to see none of them was Mina. Whatever they were going to do to her, at least her little sister wouldn't be there to see.

She flexed her fingers. At last, she could feel where they were.

"No use trying your little tricks, Ari," said the speaker. "She got you when you weren't looking. I knew you had a weakness beneath all that arrogance."

"You talk like you know me," said Ari with little patience. The ropes were tight.

"Oh, don't I?" The boy's face came into view. Little rat-like features glared at her. His hair was gelled into spikes – there was so much gel the spikes reflected most of the weak yellow light from above. She remembered seeing agitation on that face and some stammers of protest.

She frowned.

"Who are you again?"

A few younger ones snickered in the background. The boy flushed, his teeth grinding together so hard she could almost hear them.

"The arrogance," he seethed. "Oh, what I'd do to kick in that smug face of yours... maybe I will, later on."

Ari still looked blank. This boy was familiar-looking but she wasn't going to waste time pondering about his identity. Ari scanned the crowd again. Mina definitely wasn't there. From the way the terrorists talked about her, it seemed unlikely she would be in chains.

Which meant she would be easy to get out.

"I'll kill you!"

Ari jumped. Her distracted thoughts had phased out the boy's monologue and that seemed to have infuriated him. She stared, bewildered.

"I'm Hine, you insufferable cow. We've been in the same class since first year, but, of course, your fame all went to your head. Nobody was worth a second glance because they weren't worth your time."

"That's not true." It was bizarre seeing the high-strung monitor go off like this. The fact that she finally remembered him didn't appear to placate him in the slightest.

"That is true. We all made the effort to attend classes, do our assessments, go to tuition groups. And you just waltz in whenever it pleases you and leave whenever it pleases you. You've no idea how much an insult it is to us hardworking citizens."

"You really don't have to look at me if I offend you that much," Ari said mildly. "And it's not my fault I do well."

Hine looked as though Ari had just spat in his face. She couldn't see why he was so mad at her when they've not exchanged more than two words in the past five years. She couldn't even remember the last time they'd spoken.

"Oh, how I'd love to wipe that stupid look off your face." He took a deep breath. "Nevertheless, it's so satisfying to see you in this sorry state, all tied up and helpless. You're really nothing without your ability, are you, Transformer?"

A silly comment, Ari thought. March City put heavy emphasis on ability prowess, so of course all of them would be insignificant if they had no abilities.

"Even a lowly Rank D user can take you out." He sniggered. He looked quite crazed by this point. His eyes flicked over Ari's head. "Good work, Fris."

Ari felt like she'd been hit by the sky train. "Fris?!"

Her best friend was thrust into view. Ari blinked, disbelief turning her sensations numb. Her friend's ragged red hair and downcast blue eyes didn't fade. This was real.

"How does it feel to be taken down by your own best friend?" sneered Hine.

"I didn't know it was her!" said Fris, stricken. "I only shot because she was using her phone – and we got so much warning about security—"

"Don't make excuses. You enjoyed downing this arrogant cow. Admit it."

Ari caught Fris's eyes. Fris looked down again, twisting her fingers in front of her.

"How could you?" Ari whispered. Fris knew how much Mina meant to her. She knew how vulnerable her little sister was. She knew what Ari was doing – and she stabbed her in the back.

"It's not what it looks like," Fris said in a tiny voice. Ari shook her head. It was perfectly clear what it looked like. Fris used her. Ari was so stupid.

"Enough excuses," Hine said, glaring at Fris.

"Mina and I trusted you!" shouted Ari, ignoring all the eyes that leapt onto her. "We were friends! Did that mean nothing to you at all?!"

Fris's eyes welled up, but Ari could strangle her. All this time she thought Fris was just an innocent bystander who had her hands tied about the terrorism business, but she was one of them all along. Was it her idea to kidnap Mina and experiment on her? Was the blood of all the dead students on her hands?

"Enough with this noise. Let's—"

"Shut up!" Ari snapped. The constant nasal whining was getting on her nerves. Mountains of information swirled in her head, overwhelming her senses.

"You shut up, Ari!" he screamed. She jumped again. Hine's face was red. Spit frothed at the corners of his mouth. "Shut up, Hine. Mind your business, Hine. Get out of the way, Hine." His voice became increasingly shrill. "I've had enough of you strutting about acting like you own the place when in fact you don't deserve any of the credits or accommodation you own! All the showing off – I'm sick of it!"

Ari knew he was always high-strung, but never imagined he would have such fire. He always struck her as too timid, too boring.

"You and your lot, always scoring so high when you've not done a day's work in your lives, but live like kings. The city's messed up. How can they favour one lot and leave another to die? How is that fair?!"

"It's not my problem," said Ari, disturbed by his tirade. "I only want Mina. You can take your complaints to Area Ten."

Her disinterest incensed him even further, if that was even possible. She couldn't see why she was the one at fault for how the system works or how she was responsible somehow for his lack of stellar achievements. Fris's face drained of blood. Even the other terrorists behind Hine took a step back, looking wary.

"You're so thick and selfish." Hine jabbed a finger at her. "That's why everyone hates you! Even Fris couldn't stand you—"

"Hine!" Fris protested, but cowered under his frenzied glare.

"—and Mina's your price!"

Ari's heart stopped. He'd struck a chord. Her mouth fell open.

"She's innocent!"

"Aren't we all?" he snarled, shoving his face in hers, saliva flying everywhere. "But do the likes of you give a toss? No. Not until it affects you – to hell with all the others, right? As long as you can go on your merry way?"

"Hine – Mina shouldn't be involved in this," said Fris, her face white.

"You shut your face!" he shrieked. Fris took a step back. "You've been fully aware of all this from the beginning, so don't go feigning your innocence now! You know about the bombings and what we've done. You know about the experiments. Don't play the saint!"

Fris started to sob. Looking crazed, Hine turned to one of the other terrorists.

"Get her out of here. The leader needs help. I need her to get out of my sight."

The girl with the side ponytail glanced at Hine with a worried look before ushering Fris away.

"Perhaps you shouldn't be doing that in front of all the students, Hine," said one of the boys, giving the crowd a sideways glance. Ari followed his gaze. Hine's rants appeared to have frightened a few of them. Some whispered to each other, their eyes darting from Ari to Hine and then back again.

"They'll sit and watch, Wyld." Hine turned back, a grimace on his face. "They'll see what our leader will offer them. When they see me destroy the Transformer, they'll see the greatness in our cause."

Ari blinked. Hine – defeat her? He was a Rank D user at best. In fact, she couldn't even remember what his ability was. Something to do with movements. But if the best he could do was run fast, he was no threat at all. She'd be surprised if he could even touch her.

She decided not to say anything to avoid him spraying her with saliva again.

"Are you sure?" said one of the girls, looking worried.

"You doubt the transplants?" said Hine, his eyes bulging. "You're saying you don't believe what we can do? You still think we're failures?"

"N-no."

"Untie her."

Nobody challenged him again. Someone cut the ropes around Ari's wrists and legs. She stood up, rubbing the irritated skin. The students started muttering amongst themselves again. The other terrorists stood back, leaving the auditorium floor free for the two.

Hine was going to fight her? Here?

"I only want to get Mina," said Ari, wondering if anything she said was actually penetrating Hine's crazy head. Maybe if she kept repeating it, her lack of interest in engaging would sink in.

"What, are you too scared to take me on?" Hine sniggered. He hopped from foot to foot, fists at the ready, his eyes bright. "Frightened you'll lose to someone like me? Whatever will these students think?"

"Taunts don't work on me, Hine," said Ari with a sigh. "And I don't care what they think, either. You care too much about what others say and you'll never get to do what you want."

Hine scowled at her. It seemed he hadn't bargained on her not rising to his bait. If Ari reacted to every taunt made to her since she gained her title, she would have been incarcerated by the Peacekeepers for disruption of peace by the age of thirteen. It was lucky other people's comments meant little to her, whether it was praise or criticism.

"You want Mina back? You'll have to defeat me."

"Then you'll let her go?" It seemed too good to be true, and she wouldn't trust Hine further than he can jump, but it wasn't like she had much choice. Nothing worse could happen to her – not after what Fris had already done.

"Yes."

Ari sighed again and nodded. She could finish this in seconds, but would have to disable him enough to stop him making all these grand statements – for her own sanity as well as his.

"Fine."

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