I smooth down my hair with a sigh, shifting uncomfortably in my seat in front of the camera. I've been taught my whole life to avoid cameras in order to minimize the evidence of my existence. Even now, I feel afraid in front of one. Or maybe that's just stage fright. Yarrow, however, almost feels a bit of a thrill thinking of the whole city seeing our face.

Part of my nerves comes from the fact that I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to say. I stayed up all night thinking and was still not able to memorize a clear monologue of what I wanted to say.

"Just tell them the truth. It'll be enough," Ash soothes me, taking my hand. He must be able to sense my anxiousness.

"I hope," I say, giving him a small smile. Carnelian finishes setting up the camera and tells the others to leave so I won't feel so uncomfortable. Ash, Flame, and himself are the only ones left behind the camera.

"You ready?" he asks. I nod and he signals me that the video has started. I clear my throat, shifting again, giving Ash one last awkward glance.

"Hello, citizens of Secundus. I am not an enemy to you. In fact, I am your friend and I want you all to know the truth. This might seem random but there is no better time to learn this but now. You are free. Every one of you no longer needs to stay in this city. There is a world out there, living, and ready to welcome you with open arms. You can leave now with your family and friends and start a better life out in the wilderness. And before you dismiss this, I want you to let me explain." I take a deep breath, preparing myself to sound crazy as Ash gives me a confident nod. It feels like when I told everyone about the forest after my surgery, feeling their judgment and skepticism. Except this time it's a whole city. "My name is Rowan and I am a seventeen-year-old girl from a city just like yours named Eden. Eden was corrupt, hateful against second children like me and many of you." I point to my second child eye. "And like you, we fought back against them. And yes, we won. But when we won we didn't seek revenge. We sought peace. And when I discovered there was life outside of Eden, I fought so everyone could be free. First and second child alike. And after the war, we were able to put the order of our birth aside and find forgiveness for our sins in a city called Harmonia. In Harmonia, we lived alongside nature as its child. It may seem hard to believe but nature is alive. It's waiting for you. And if you open your mind enough to just imagine the possibility...to question all the lies you've been told...that will be enough to start your fight to freedom. All hope is not lost. Remember this message and believe in it. Sincerely, your EcoPan."

I signal for Carnelian to stop the video. I stand, looking to Ash for feedback.

"You did great sis," he says as he kisses my cheek. "It was moving. I think you'll rock their world."

"I sure hope so. I hope it's enough to spark suspicion."

"We're gonna have a problem," Flame groans, rubbing her forehead as she looks at the computer screen. "I can't broadcast the video from this computer."

"Well, what kind of computer do you need?" Ash asks.

"It's not the kind of computer really. It's just this computer has no connection to the ones around it. I thought I could hack into the main programming or streaming platform but it's looking like this computer is separate from the rest. I'm going to need a computer with access to all the computers in Secundus."

"Well, what could that be?" Carnelian asks.

"It's going to be dangerous, isn't it?" I ask, taking a seat. "So much for getting in then out no problem."

"It means I need one of the computers that send out alerts like when a child goes missing. It needs to have access to all the technology... It means we need to break into Secundus's Center."

~~~~~