Independent Study (The Testing 2)
Page 61
Raffe waves again, but I don’t put my feet on the pedals. Instead, I hit the Call button and say, “Hello.”
The seconds stretch to minutes as I wait for a response.
Finally, I tuck the Communicator into my bag and head across the bridge. As I stash my bicycle in the outbuilding, I look for signs of my confrontation with Damone. But all I see is grass deepening to a rich green. Trees stretching to the sunlight. Spring is ready to bloom, bringing with it another demonstration of how the conviction of a people to bring hope to the world can succeed.
I don’t know if I am ready to be a leader or if I can stop the war that threatens all I love, but as I hurry up to my rooms and close the door behind me, I know I will do everything in my power to keep the hope of our country and those who struggled for it alive.
And that’s when I hear it. The sound of static. A muted voice. It makes me want to cry with relief and fear.
“Cia. Are you there?”
Tears threaten as I lift the Communicator out of the bag and answer, “Yes, I’m here.”
I just hope I am ready for what comes next.
CIA HAS LEARNED A TERRIBLE SECRET about the rebellion that has arisen in an effort to put an end to the deadly University selection process known as The Testing. One that not only could ensure that The Testing continues but could also guarantee the death of all those who oppose it. No longer depending on those in charge of the United Commonwealth to end The Testing on their own, Cia knows she has to step up and finally become the leader she always hoped she’d be.
Now determined to put an end to The Testing once and for all, Cia must assemble her own rebellion from the best and brightest who surround her—if she can trust them. Gambling the fate of not only her friends and family but also her country with her plan, Cia needs to find a way to bring down The Testing without launching a civil war that could destroy their world for good. And because leadership comes with a price, Cia finds herself having to choose between not just what is morally right and wrong, but what is necessary. For this GRADUATION DAY, Cia must decide how far she is willing to go to achieve her goal.