“Environment?” Zayne questioned. Nora walked over to the kitchen to view his PPT results.

“How on Pluto did you get a perfect score on the Environment section? Dude that’s like 85 questions that you got right…” commented Nora.

“I actually don’t know how this happened,” Zayne Responded. A perfect score on the PPT gives the test taker a highly ranked job in the subject they received the score in.

“Well it looks like you failed Math, Zayne,” Nora said, looking over Zayne’s shoulder.

“Ugh, that was the one I wanted to do the best in.” The jobs offered by the government for Environment vary from a worker that tests and observes the environment to a branch supervisor.

Zayne flipped the page to find his job assignment:

Dear Zayne Harrison,

Congratulations! We are thrilled to admit you into the Pluto Environment Department (PED.) The job we are offering you is Pluto Pollution Branch Supervisor. We would love to have you on the team, or you can go back to school for another year to retake the PPT to open up another job department option for you.

Sincerely,

Art Cosmo

PED President

“Are you going to accept this job?” Nora asked.

“Yeah, I mean it’s a pretty good job, I get to supervise people, that’s pretty cool, right?”

“Yeah I guess, but it isn’t your first choice. Do you really see yourself working for the PED for the rest of your life?”

“Eh I guess, but I can’t stand to go to school with Mrs. Peterson teaching for another year.”

“Yeah, true, she’s complete trash,” Nora agreed.

“Isn’t she going to be your writing teacher next year?” Zayne asked, giving her a look.

Nora sighed. “Unfortunately...”

Zayne’s parents had been outside working in the Biology department when the mysterious pollution was released, and they were just two of millions that had been killed. Zayne knew that accepting this job would provide enough income to send his sister to school for another year. The money he received from his insurance company was starting to dwindle. If he declined the job then there would be no way for his minimum wage pizza job to cover both his and his sister's education.

Keeping these thoughts in mind, he began writing a response to Art Cosmo.

Dear Art Cosmo,

I would be delighted to accept the Pluto Pollution Branch Supervisor position. Thank you for the opportunity.

Sincerely,

Zayne Harrison

“And... sent,” said Zayne.

“What did you decide to do?” asked Nora.

“I accepted the job.”

“When do you start?”

“Um... I don’t know.”

Two hours later Zayne received a message from Art Cosmo:

Zayne,

Perfect. You start tomorrow at 15:00, can’t wait to meet you in person.

-Art Cosmo

PED President

After he received the message from Art, Zayne went to the pizza place to quit his job. The manager was pissed, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Zayne talked to his friend Willow and found out that she got into Environment as well. Her position was below Zayne’s, and he secretly hoped that he would be her supervisor.

The PED was one of the largest government departments due to the current changes in the environment and the lack of knowledge about the environment.

The next day...

Zayne arrived at work right on time. He had to attend a meeting and a presentation for newly hired members of the PED. He recognized some familiar faces as he had gone to school on Education Mountain with most of the new employees. Zayne was ready to begin his new job, and he was excited to see what he was going to do and who was going to work for him.

After the presentation, Zayne received his job assignment. He would be supervising the pollution branch. He read the sheet to find Willow also in the pollution sector. His job would be to try to figure out the effects of the pollution on the environment, and in addition supervising his branch. Many of the workers below Zayne were furious: despite only just being hired, Zayne's rank was much higher than theirs. Some had even been working in the pollution branch for years without advancing.

As Zayne was walking home in the underground tunnel, many of the low-ranked workers jumped him. They quickly blindfolded him, so he couldn’t fight back or see who was attacking him. They beat him up, stole his money, and injected something into him.

Zayne didn’t know what was going on until he fell unconscious, and his body appeared lifeless on the floor of the tunnel, waiting to be found...