The assembly hall swallowed us whole—a massive, sterile chamber with stadium-style seating and perfect rows of desks stretching in every direction. Holographic blue light bathed everything in a cold glow, emanating from the massive NVA eagle-and-shield emblem suspended in the center of the room. The ceiling soared at least fifty feet above us, creating the unsettling feeling of being trapped in an enormous, high-tech cathedral.
"Single file! Move to your assigned stations!" A uniformed proctor barked, ushering us through the entrance.
I glanced at my ticket. Seat 217-B. Looking at Natalia and Emi's tickets, I confirmed my suspicion—we were being deliberately separated. Natalia's seat was nearly thirty rows away, while Emi was assigned to the opposite side of the hall entirely.
"Good luck," I murmured to both of them.
"You too," Emi whispered back.
Natalia just nodded, but her eyes said everything: Don't fuck this up.
