TWENTY-ONE

A week passes without Juliette speaking to Adam. Warner keeps Juliette under constant supervision, escorts her everywhere, monopolizes her time, and talks about destroyed books, burned artifacts, and his plans for a new world. Juliette cannot tell whether Adam is still committed to helping her because cameras, guards, and Warner’s possessiveness prevent any private contact.

At breakfast, Juliette demands that Warner remove the cameras from Juliette’s room. Warner refuses and says Juliette cannot be trusted, then shifts the conversation from Jenkins to a deeper wound: the little boy Juliette once accidentally killed. Juliette remembers seeing the boy mistreated by his mother in a grocery store, trying to help him, and causing his death with Juliette’s touch.

Warner uses Juliette’s guilt and anger to argue that Juliette is like Warner and should embrace power instead of morality. Warner admits The Reestablishment wants Juliette to torture captured rebels because Juliette’s touch is cheap, fast, and effective. Juliette rejects Warner’s vision, insisting that Juliette values human life and does not want to destroy anyone.

Warner then claims Adam volunteered for the assignment in Juliette’s asylum cell because Adam knew Juliette from school and wanted a closer look at the freak Juliette had become. The claim devastates Juliette and makes Juliette question whether Adam’s kindness was a trap. In anger and humiliation, Juliette tells Warner to take off his shirt, apparently agreeing to touch Warner in exchange for removing the cameras.

Before Juliette follows through, Warner reminds Juliette that Warner’s promises are unreliable because Warner is an exceptional liar. Juliette realizes the bargain is a mistake and refuses to touch Warner. Juliette tries to leave but finds Adam waiting outside; Warner orders Adam to take Juliette to her room and disable all cameras, while warning Juliette that Warner still expects Juliette to fulfill the bargain.