Aura choked on her first gulp from the cup, the liquid burning her throat, but once getting it down she giggled. “Fuck, that’s bad,” she said before taking another swig and placing it down on the floor next to her feet. Next, she tugged on the long sleeve thermal shirt that Kieran had placed folded on the bed and let the dress shimmy down to her waste. Then, the pants, which she slid underneath the bottom of the dress until she could take off the dress entirely.

Now that she was comfortable, Aura grabbed her cup and curled herself up into a comfortable position, stretching out and analyzing Kieran’s words: [b]”Whatever gets us out of here.”[/b]

The phrase threw her off entirely, and she shifted again on the mattress as she contemplated how to begin.

“Well,” she sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “As you probably know, Unity was a clan that emerged from…[i]the pathogen.[/i]” The stories she’d heard from the old days, before places like Apex existed, scarred her early in her childhood. Everyone growing ill and dying. Bodies piling along streets. The stench of death that spread over miles. Aura shook herself out of the momentary funk and looked up to Kierans with a nod. “Unity had 3 founders: John Morgan, Amari Jefferson, and Leonard Hutchins. It’s said they traveled hundred of miles with one hundred and fifty others until settling into what’s now known as Apex. More specifically, what Subsection F is now.” 

Aura took another sip of the cup, the alcohol beginning to creep over her slowly, warming her stomach.

“For a while they thrived off the land and kept to themselves, but more and more stragglers began to join the settlement. Supposedly, the land around here used to be lush. It had a way of making you forget all that you’d gone through, you know? Then, the invasion happened. A group of two or three hundred arrived, and it was only weeks later until the fences went up. Next, they began to divide up the land into our subsections. Unity was shoved furthest away from the coast with promise that the crops would be theirs to tend and feed the lot of them.”

Another sip. Another deep breath.

“The original three didn’t like that. They knew what exactly was happening. They watched A and B get more food, more resources. D and F slowly began to fall behind. Blah blah blah, and now we’re here.”

In a drunken manner, Aura rose from the bed and pointed a finger to Kieran. “The cause was born to [i]fight[/i] the caste system. To crumble the borders and let people come and go as they plead. They were told that this was happening everywhere and that they’d need to get used to it. Radio signals stopped working outside of the fences that were littered with the new guard, the AE. But the cause said no. Unity would rise again and escape the grasp of the AA.”

Aura tilted back into the mattress, deflated.
“Over the past hundred years, the cause has turned into a sham. Gregor is bloodthirsty and only wants revenge. I brought up leaving Apex once, and he spit in my face. The original three would be ashamed of what we’ve become.”

After finishing the last of her drink, Aura scurried tipsily to grab the bottle, topping off Kieran before filling her cup halfway.

“I think if we get into the computer, figure out what Gregor really needed, we can stop whatever attack they’re planning next. I need to send it off before he thinks I’ve failed or have been arrested. The guys inside will have the news that I’m not in prison in about two days. Your hilarious and insanely attractive confidential informant and you can take credit for the bust, and we could have tickets to wherever we wanna go.”

If she got on the good side of the AA and didn’t remain anonymous, it’d make her escape that much easier. She didn’t bother mentioning that part to Kieran. Not yet.

“Well then. How about you?” Aura grinned, a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes. “I know you’re Mystery Man and all, but we’re partners in this now whether we like it or not. Why don’t you tell me literally anything about yourself. Your childhood, your parents...anything.”