Chapter 316
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Jamal and Eve arrived at the designated spot shortly before 1am. There were thirty people here already. A pastor, whom Eve knew as "Jerry" was reading from the Bible while the crowd silently prayed. This didn't seem suspicious with 109 days until impact, and the recent lottery drawing, these spontaneous sermons were fairly common. Benjamin Weber was amongst this crowd. This gave Eve hope that she was in the right spot. She knew that at least ten of these people were chosen. The others, perhaps they were helping. Perhaps they would rather take their chances outside the sector. Even if they got out, there were few jobs available, practically none for the un-skilled. Likely they'd have to steal or sell their own bodies just to survive. But they'd rather take their chances than stay in Brooklyn right now. The group was suppossed to include fifty total, but they had to arrive by 1:30 am. It was always possible that one or more were informants. This prayer service might've attracted un-wanted attention, people who might rat them out. They were at the edge of the sector. Maybe they could walk the distance to the extraction point. Once they got past the gate they'd be relatively safe. But unless the loyalists opened the gate on their side, they were stuck.
By 1:30 almost seventy people were here. Clearly they weren't all chosen. Eve heard some of their conversations. Some hoped they could persuade the Arks to take them, or at the very least take their children. Either way, they wanted out of the sector, they'd rather take their chances on the outside. Reverand Jerry admitted he wasn't chosen, he also wasn't trying to leave. Jerry believed God wanted him to help save these lives, even if it meant giving up his own. Jamal looked saddenned. Eve figured he felt guilty about leaving these people. She asked him to hold Hope. Reminded him why they were doing this, it seemed to help. At 1:35 the bus arrived. Everyone but Jerry tried to get on. It was crowded, but they all seemed able to fit. There were more than twenty children and infants. They and their parents were the first onboard. Everyone was on the bus by 1:50, everyone except for three people. What were they waiting for? Maybe having second thoughts, believing Barnes' claim that they were safer here. The driver radioed the loyalists to open the gate. But before it opened the sector guards arrived, with rifles showing. They ordered the driver out. The way they acted around the three outside, clearly they were informants. Maybe true believers, maybe they were never chosen, simply informed on these people to increase their own survival chances. Whatever their motive, it seemed unlikely that any of them would ever leave the sector alive.
Eve knew she wouldn't get out of the sector alive. Shot here, or stoned to death later. What might happen to Hope? Maybe, Eve could protect her child. She went down on the ground with Hope in her arms. Jamal placed his body near them, just in case the bullets started flying. Other children went on the floor as well. Some of their parents also tried to protect them. Eve could see some of what was going on. The driver claimed this was approved by two members of the theocratic council. Zoey Allen was on one of her liberal humanitarian kicks. The council was allowing certain people out, for now. To show Zoey how these people wanted to stay and would return to the sector. The guards didn't seem to believe this, but their superior was calling to council. The two guards waited nervously for their orders. Then, as if certain prayers were answered, Eve heard the sector gate being opened. She saw the two guards near the bus, exchanging looks. Before their superiors could stop them they ran unto the bus with the driver and told him to go. He barely hesitated before driving through the gate. The other guards had little time to react. Eve heard some gunshots, not many. When the bus passed through the gate the gunshots stopped. Even religious fanatics knew better than to fire at loyalist soldiers outside the sector. Eve knew that Hope was fine, she and Jamal looked into each other's eyes. They were finally free. At long last, they'd both made it.