I glanced towards Allison, not quite ready to reveal anything before I could figure out if I could trust Rae. "So we're right?"

She nodded, picking up the pace as we wove through the trees. "Governor Mason uses the Chips to control the people of Eden, like that day of the East Division riot."

I was there. All my other memories of my childhood were blurry, but this one was crystal clear. The sound of thundering cries, silenced in the blink of an eye. I shuddered as goosebumps peppered across my skin.

Rae went on as she pushed aside a dewy branch. "Somehow the government invented technology that allowed him to do that."

I flinched as the banging against the walls rang in my ears. "And they transmit the hammering into the Mason Chips as well?"

She threw back a look at me. "Right. We'll help you take your Chips off once we arrive in camp."

I glanced at the back of her head, realizing there was no Chip there. "Oh," I said softly.

Chase spoke up, looking like he was about to burst. "What happened to Noah? Please, I need to know- did he join the Hopefuls? I got his message..."

I had never seen him this frantic. His eyes darted from Rae to Oliver, as if begging them to tell him that Noah was safe, alive, waiting for him.

But I knew from the look in Rae's eyes that Chase would be disappointed.

"Noah was a good friend to everyone, Chase, but there was a skirmish at the border with the Hopefuls..." Rae trailed off, giving him a pained look.

Chase put his head in his hands, rubbing his temples, and blinked frantically. I reached carefully to try and place a hand on his shoulder, but quickly second- guessed myself and withdrew. I didn't know him well enough to do something like that.

But you let Allison touch you, I reminded myself.

She's a friend.

And Chase isn't?

He... I paused from my mental argument, reaching for my head. That's different.

"You okay?" Allison whispered in my ear. "What are you thinking?"

"Just trying to process everything," I replied, nearly biting my tongue as I stumbled over a damp log. "It's a lot to take in, you know?"

Allison didn't look convinced. Dang it. She's good.

"We'll talk later, okay? In private. Figure everything out." She traced her fingers over a cut on her cheek, as if still feeling the window as it shattered. "I want to know what happened."

"I don't remember much," I admitted, lowering my voice as the measly chatter died out for good. The only sounds were our footsteps squelching against the wet moss.

"You should talk to Chase," Azura put in, coming up on my other side. Her piercing eyes settled on where he walked, eyes downcast, ripping his hands through his dark hair.

"Why me?" I asked, a little too quickly. Azura definitely noticed, I could see it in her eyes, but she didn't say anything.

Allison shrugged. "You know him best."

"I've only known him for two days," I argued. "That's hardly enough."

Azura smirked, winking at me. "I think it's plenty."