At least one thing was consistent about her life: It just kept on getting more complicated.

you're infamous, Tally. Everyone's terrified of you. The new system may have made the other cities nervous, but they seem to think my little gang of psychotic sixteen-year-olds is worse" - Cable to Tally

I feel like sometimes my best friend is not my best friend but my mortal enemy

She smiled, turning toward Alek. "You don't know what a friend you have in Dylan.

Surely no one would ever use such a weapon against a city." "There are no limits in war," Volger said, still staring out the window.

Junkies might be easy to knock down, but they're never fragile. They have souls like old leather shoes studded with steel, and they're about as much good as friends.

Not everything made you stronger. It was possible to survive, yet still be crippled for your trouble. Sometimes it was okay to run away, to skip the test, to chicken out. Or at least to get some help.