Read United (The United Trilogy Book 1) for Free Online Page A

sometimes they don’t do even that.  As soon as Spencer Goldman steps on the stage I can feel the tension and excitement radiate off of Wes.  This is it, he is finally going to be placed…and apparently so am I since there are only four of us left.  Wait four?!  The medical and science divisions have never picked that many students from one zone before.  I am trying not to break Wes’s hand but I can't help squeezing it.  He is trying to let go but there is no way I am giving up his grasp.
    Mr. Goldman starts to speak, “This year we are only taking one student”
    Wait, huh?!  That’s got to be wrong, there are at least four of us left, and only one is being taken?   I’m sure it’s Wes, so where do the rest of us go?  There must be another career I have overlooked.  Looking at Wes’s expression he did as well.  Just as I am racking my brain to figure out what it could be I hear the name, “Stuart Phelps.”
    “WHAT?!”  Both Wes and I blurt out at the same time.  Everyone turns to look at us and I’m too confused to be embarrassed and Wes just doesn’t care.
    Just then the President takes center stage once again as if this can get any weirder, “Hello again,” he states like he has all the time in the world.  “I can see from your faces…and outbursts...that a few of you are a bit confused.”
    “This is the understatement of the year,” bellows Wes, who I would normally shush, but the boy has a point.
    The President narrows his eyes a bit at Wes and continues to speak, “It’s not common every year that the Ministry receives placements; however, people need to work there as well.”
    Ah, and it all falls in place.  Of course the Ministry would need to have people, it just never crossed my mind before. But with the appearance of the President, who runs the Ministry, it is all becoming clear.  I look back at the blonde as understanding finally begins to dawn, but the look on her face is causing my heart to skip a beat.  She isn’t looking at me anymore.  Her full focus is on the President, which wouldn’t be unusual since he is the one speaking, but it’s the look of unease across her face that has me wanting to throw up.
    The President pauses for a minute, looks up directly into my eyes and then transfers his focus to Wes.  “Wesley Sanders you will be placed in the Ministry along with Molly Henderson and Rosaline Thatcher.”
    Wes looks down at me, both of our faces full of puzzlement.
    “As for you, Rosaline Thatcher, I would like you to come up here please,” President Vaughn continued.
    He’s joking.  He’s got to be joking right?   But as I look up, his face doesn’t hold even a hint of merriment.  In fact disdain is the only word I can think of.  Everyone is now turned and looking at me, the blonde is nodding at me to follow with a smile on her face.  She still has a bit of trepidation, but mostly pride is showing now.  I am literally stunned, frozen to my chair.
    The President, growing more impatient by the second, stares me down raising his voice, “Rosaline, come now!”
    He manages to keep a fake smile in place while being firm in speaking to me, leaving no question as to what I should do.  I stand  up, and so does Mr. Masters, the head of Ministry of Defense.  My first thought is ‘Oh great, he thinks he has to come get me,’ but he didn't head towards me, but instead is moving to take his place behind the President. As I slowly make my way to the stage, I notice two troopers make their way to the sides of the stage, keeping their eyes on the President the entire time.  Everyone else seems completely oblivious of this except for me, and maybe the blonde.  It feels like she is watching me watch them.  I can tell she knows exactly what I am seeing, so I know I'm not imagining it.  To most I'm sure it looks like the President’s security, but I see something else: they don't trust what he may do.
    Oh great!  If these people don’t trust him, how am