Rewinder by Brett Battles Page A

When it disappears in the trees, I ask, “What did you want to see me for?”
    “You’ve got it backwards. You wanted to see me.”
    “So you knew I was looking for you.”
    “Of course I did.”
    “Then why wouldn’t you see me back at the institute?”
    “Because I have a feeling what you want to talk about would be best discussed elsewhere.” She gives me a sideways glance. “Was I wrong?”
    “No.” She’s given me an opening but I hesitate. “You won’t report what I ask you about?”
    “Would I have brought you here if I was going to do that?”
    I shake my head.
    The original questions I wanted to ask her were about Harlan Walker, but in the time since I first started looking for her, more important ones have surfaced. “Are we really not permitted to leave the institute in home time?”
    “You’ve had the talk, huh?”
    I nod.
    “I’ve been with the institute for fifteen years, and can tell you that since we started using the Chaser, I’ve only set foot outside in our home time twice. Both were as part of recruiting missions such as the one that brought you to us.”
    “They really should have told us that ahead of time.”
    “If you’d known, would you have refused the offer?”
    “I didn’t even know what I was coming to.”
    “But you did know it was going to be a hell of a lot more interesting than the life you would have had otherwise.”
    “You’re right,” I say after a moment. “I would’ve still come. But I don’t think Lidia would have.”
    “Lidia?”
    “She was in my group. Trained in the room next to ours.”
    “Ah, right. Lidia Hampstead. She was a…placement.”
    “What’s a placement?”
    “Rewinders typically come from families who are Threes, Fours, and Fives. Now and then we’ll get the occasional Six.”
    “I’m an Eight,” I say.
    “You were a Eight. Yours was a…rare case. The institute’s only taken two other from that far down, but they couldn’t ignore your test scores. Still, Lady Williams had serious doubts. That’s why you were tested again and why she was personally there. And it took Sir Gregory to convince her to take you. It’s good to see his belief in you has paid off.”
    I never even considered that I was the lowest caste member in my training class. That’s probably why most of the others ignored me, and a few—Lidia at the lead—did nothing to hide their contempt.
    “Why would Sir Gregory do that for me?”
    She looks at me as if I should already know the answer. “Why would you think?”
    A potential answer comes to me, but I find it hard to believe so I say nothing.
    Before the silence stretches too long, Marie continues. “There’s a certain prestige among the elite for having an offspring at the institute. Those with eighteen-year-olds who achieve a certain score level on the tests can request placement within the program. Usually these candidates come from large families who have children to spare. Per the institute’s royal charter, names of new institute members are sent to the king. By offering one of their own, a family can gain favor with the Crown and receive advantages such as tax breaks, knighthoods, and even the possibility of moving into the nobility if they aren’t there already.”
    “I’m on the list?” I asked, surprised.
    “Of course.”
    I can barely get my head around the thought that the king has seen my name.
    Marie looks at me. “Is this what you wanted to discuss?”
    I push away my thoughts of the king and shake my head. “Not just that.” I tell her about Harlan Walker, the adjusted family report, his death, and the mention in the paper of the donation to the Upjohn Institute. “I wanted to get another copy of the paper so I tried to go outside. That’s how I ended up talking to Sir Gregory.” I frown. “If you don’t believe me, you could find a copy of the paper.”
    “I don’t need to.”
    “Hold on,” I say. “You’re the one who left the paper for me, aren’t