I stared at myself in the mirror, sliding my fingers down the dress. It was black and loose at the bottom. It was simple—plain. It couldn't have been made by Sebastian.

I should have known that it wasn't Sebastian's when I had first entered my room. A large machine had taken over the entire room. I had stared at it, confused. Before I could ask the guard what it was, he had left.

After a minute, I recognized it as a machine identical to the one I used to get my disguise. I remembered what Aster had said to me a while back. We get dressed by the machines, remember? No designer needed.

I turned it on with trembling hands. The light blinked. I was only given one option. I clicked the outfit. When the machine tried to slide the dress on, I considered turning it off. I wanted the dress to fall onto the floor and for me to not pick it up.

But what would happen if I got rebellious? Would my friends get hurt?

No, I couldn't let that happen. The machine slid the dress on my body.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and wiped my glossy eyes. I couldn't cry again. I had already cried one too many times.

The machine had even managed to do my hair. I touched the knot on my head. My hair was crispy from the overwhelming amount of hairspray that had been used.

I looked awful. If Sebastian had been the one to design my dress and do my hair, he would have done it much differently. He would have ensured that I looked gorgeous. It had been the confidence boost that got me through before the Pestilention or the Eradication began. Now I had nothing.

A guard didn't come to bring me to the Welcoming Ceremony. He had told me to just go down to the stage when I was ready. My picture wasn't going to be taken in advance. They must have not been able to get a camera crew last minute.

I walked to the stage, the click of my heels echoing through the empty rooms. I bit my tongue so that I didn't curse too loud. The heels were too high. They were taller than the ones I had during the Pestilention.

Broderick was sitting on the stage when I arrived. I looked at the rows of chairs. They were empty.

"Kat, welcome!" Broderick exclaimed. I slowly climbed down the stairs. My eyes didn't tear away from the seats. They were usually filled with runners. I don't think I had ever seen it abandoned before.

"Come on stage, sit with me," Broderick said. I looked up at him. There was a chair next to him. I was used to seeing only one.

I came up onto the stage slowly. The atmosphere was chilling. The silence contrasted with the noise that typically filled the room. The emptiness made everything seem surreal. I felt like I was walking through a dream instead of reality.

I finally made it up next to Broderick and sat down. He had on a purple suit with lavender flowers hanging from his shoulders and collar. His hair was the same shade. However, his eyes were blue and red.

"It's great to have you back. I thought that we had seen the last of you after the Eradication."

Broderick wasn't looking at me. He was staring ahead. I tried to find what he was looking at. Then I found it. There was a camera in the middle row. No one was manning it, but it was on.

Why was it on?

"So tell me, are you ready for this year's Pestilention? Do you think that you have an advantage since you've run it before?"

I didn't respond. I didn't want to satisfy his interview. There wasn't any point for it, after all. There wasn't any reason for any of this. I could be running the obstacle course right now. No one was actually watching. They were wasting my time.

"Where's Sebastian?" I asked.

Broderick laughed. "Wonderful! Now—wait...what?"

"Where's Sebastian?" I looked at Broderick. His eyes. He was wearing the same contacts as Sebastian had two years ago. I couldn't possibly be a coincidence.

Broderick's face contorted into a frown. His artificial happiness snapped. He leaned back in his seat and smiled again. This time, it wasn't ecstatic. It was malicious.

"You weren't ever supposed to meet him," he said. "He was supposed to give you boring dresses and to stay out of our business. But he did neither. You know how it is. People who disobey pay."

I stared at him, shocked. I couldn't decipher how I was feeling. Too many emotions were overwhelming me. I didn't know what Broderick meant. I didn't want to.

I didn't want Sebastian to be gone.

"Anyway." Broderick laughed, returning to his sickeningly-cheerful self. "Who's supposed to be asking the questions, you or me?"

My lips parted, but no words emitted. I felt numb. As time continued, my situation seemed to worsen. My brother and friends were hostages, Sebastian was gone, and I didn't know where Hiram and Marcus were. Everyone I had ever loved and trusted were being ripped away from me. And instead of saving them, I was sitting next to a colorful lunatic.

No. I was helping. By doing this interview and the Pestilention, I could at least save four people. I just needed to remember what Sebastian had once told me. Go through the motions.

"So, Kat, are you ready to endeavor the Pestilention again?"

"Yes."

"Do you think that you have an upper hand this time?"

"I don't know."

"Are you confident that you will win?"

"No."

Broderick huffed, frustrated by my short answers. Too bad for him—I didn't have anything else to say.

"Who is this for?" I asked. I cut through one of his questions, leaving him baffled and irritated. "No one's watching. It's just you and me."

"Oh no, my dear." Broderick's smile stretched to his ears. He leaned over so that his lips nearly touched my ear. "Very, very important people are watching."

Happy Tuesday! It's actually almost Wednesday where I am, but it still counts!

I hope you like this chapter. If you do, make sure to vote, to comment, and to share this story with a friend. Vote for this story with a big smile! :P Stay amazing.

This song is called Medicate by Gabbie Hanna. Enjoy!