A SWEEPING POLITICAL AND SOCIAL EXPOSE TOLD FROM TWO INTIMATE AND CLASHING PERSPECTIVES. A TALE UNLIKE ANY THAT HAS COME FROM ALYDIA RACKHAM BEFORE.The electoral college was eliminated. The Supreme Court was packed. Policies implemented. Borders thrown open. A massive quarantine isolated the center of the country. Now, seventy years later, a once-mighty land is ruined, her purpose vanished, her resolve gone, her spirit broken. And her flag is lost. Or is it? EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER TWO: Esther broke into a jog, swinging her basket beside her. She couldn't be out in the open when that thing came tearing through-it could suck her into the fence, even under the fence for all she knew, and tear her to pieces. In a moment, she had closed the distance between her and the station. She could use it as a buffer between herself and the train, especially if she ducked low to the ground...She swung around and pressed her back to the wall and quickly sat down, holding tight to the basket.Here it came. The rushing turned to a roar, and the ground trembled. Pebbles bounced all around her feet. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her hands. Any moment now, the train would scream past her and be gone in a matter of seconds. She just needed to hold on...The roar deepened. Hot air gushed toward her, rolling in billowing, invisible clouds. Out of reflex, she clutched her sling and pressed the pocketed stones tight against her belly.The walnut tree thrashed, throwing down more nuts. She bared her teeth as they battered the cement around her like huge hailstones. An electric hiss, like coiled lightning, snapped through the air. Metal snatched metal-and a deafening screech blasted her hearing. She covered her good right ear, grimacing. What was that?Movement. She jerked her head around and stared to her left. There it was: the bullet train-a shining, silver tube built like a missile, hurtling toward her on the track. But...It didn't seem to be going as fast as usual. In fact...It seemed to be slowing down.SCREECH!The train screamed again, and sparks flew out from beneath it. She flinched back...It was slowing down. The train heaved back on its inertia, almost as if it were leaning-like James did when he was pulling Lex out of a full-on gallop. Now, Esther could clearly see its sides for the very first time-and she gaped when she glimpsed that the perfect metal flanks were tarnished with strange, painted letters and nonsense words, and seemed to be peppered with round punctures. It heaved and leaned back, spitting and groaning as it fought to control its speed. And with a sudden thrill of terror...Esther realized it was going to stop.Stop. At the station. For the first time in her entire life. But why? Was someone getting on? Impossible! Her heart hammering in her ears almost as loudly as the gust of the train, Esther twisted and peered through the broken window behind her, through the station, and through the front windows to the platform. The next moment, the train pulled up right in front of it.Half of its length passed before it gave one more screech, one more hiss, and finally drew to a halt-clamping down on the rail like a vise and stopping with a sharp jerk. Esther covered her mouth and held her breath, wanting to spring up and run, but unable to move.Silence fell, except for the eerie buzz of the electricity coursing beneath the train. Five eternal seconds passed.Then, a door popped out of the smooth side, slid back with a metallic, grinding roll...And someone stepped off.