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isn’t right for them to hog it for themselves.”
    “When they leave, they’ll lock down everything, so we won’t be able to come back up.”
    “No worries. I’ll find a way.”
    “Look, this was fun, and we had a great time, but we really oughtta go. We shouldn’t press our luck. We’ve been up here a lot longer than the five minutes I agreed to, and Walter, Chad, and Melvin might come back at any minute. What will they do when they find us up here lounging around like we’re on some beach?”
    “You’re right.”
    She stood and reached down to give me a hand. “Really, this was great. Thanks for talking me into it.”
    Just then, we heard the chutes dispatching.
    Crap !
    Rachel and I looked at each other in complete shock. If we hid, we’d be locked out for good; whenever they left for land, they locked the chutes. But if we got caught, we’d be punished severely. Dante Marcellus didn’t like me very much as it was, since he considered me to be somewhat of a rebel who enjoyed bucking his authority, and I didn’t want to give him more ammo to use against me.
    “Hide!” I said.
    “But how will we get back in?”
    I didn’t even think about it. I just jumped into the water behind the dock, and Rachel reluctantly followed. I held on to the support beam as waves gently swished against me. A chill shot up my spine when the doors opened and they got out. I debated giving myself up, but my stubborn side wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t about to stand there and watch Dante wear a smug smile on his face while he punished me. All things considered, it was a whole lot better to be locked up than locked out. 
    “I love seeing them,” Chad said.
    “Well, don’t get too attached,” Melvin said.
    “I feel bad for them.”
    “Just remember what Dante said. We’ve been divided, but it’s for good reason. We’re just lucky he picked us to be on the winning team.”
    “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Do you have the tools?”
    “Got ‘em right here.”
    “Good,” Melvin said. “Then let’s get this thing fixed and head to lunch. I’m starvin’.”
    The door closed with a hiss, and the men disappeared down the chute.
    I let out a long breath, then climbed back on the dock. My shoulders shrugged in relief. “Man, that was close.”
    “We’d better give ‘em a minute or two to get back to whatever they’re doing.”
    I nodded, then turned to look at the gorgeous sky one last time. I was still utterly captivated by its breathtaking beauty, and I couldn’t believe it had been hidden from me for my entire sixteen years of life. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
    After a few minutes, we climbed back into the capsules and returned to the city.
    As the glass lid opened, I held my breath and clutched my heart, hoping we wouldn’t get busted. “All clear,” I said, looking around.
    Rachel grabbed my hand, and we bolted all the way back to my room. We looked at each in stunned disbelief.
    “This has been the best birthday ever!” I said.
    “I know.”
    “We just saw the sky, the ocean! Can you believe it? It’s up there. It’s all really up there,” I screamed in delight.
    Her eyes widened in delight. “I know. I can’t believe it.”
    Joy surged through me. “It’s gonna be so hard not to tell anybody.”
    “We have to keep it a secret.”
    “I know. I feel like screaming it from the rooftops, but don’t worry. My lips are sealed.”
    Her gaze narrowed. “Sky…”
    “I have to tell Brett. We can’t possibly keep a secret like this from him.”
    “I guess it’d be all right to tell him. I know he can keep his mouth shut, but nobody else.”
    “I swear. Mum’s the word.”
    “You’ve kept all my secrets, so I trust you.”
    “I promise,” I said, nodding. “Hey, what do you think they were talking about? The one man said it was great to see old friends, which I can understand, but the other told him not to get too attached.”
    “Yeah, I found that odd too—and a little