Rebel by Amy Tintera

anyway. They won’t stop, Wren.”
    I focused on the table, a frown crossing my face. The rebels were a small group of humans. The majority had been just finewith HARC imprisoning Reboots and killing us at will.
    Micah scooted closer, touching one of my hands. I slid it from his grasp. “I understand that not all humans are bad. I really do.”
    I met his eyes. He was being serious.
    “Tony? That one human who’s the leader of the rebels? He’s always been really nice to me. He talks to me like I’m an equal. I had an older brother in New Dallas who might still be alive. Maybe he grew up to be a nice human.” He clasped his hands together. “But a few exceptions aren’t enough. A few humans who can tolerate us are not enough to convince me that all Reboots will be safe. By letting them live, I risk all the Reboots. I made a really difficult choice, but I truly think it was the right one.” He took in a breath. “Do you see my point?”
    I absolutely saw his point. It was logical. He’d decided he wanted to save his people—the Reboots—and he was willing to take risks and make terrible sacrifices to do it. Hadn’t I done the same thing with Callum? Hadn’t I let Addie come into the HARC facility with me, even though I knew it was dangerous? Hadn’t I risked my own life, as well as those of at least twenty human rebels, to save one person?
    Hadn’t I known that if we succeeded, plenty of human guards would be killed by the freed Reboots? Hadn’t I decided that was acceptable?
    “Wren,” Micah said quietly.
    I swallowed, looking up to meet his eyes. “I see your point.”

UNCORRECTED E-PROOF—NOT FOR SALE
    HarperCollins Publishers
    ..................................................................
NINE
CALLUM
    I STOOD BEHIND THE CROWD AT THE FIRE PIT THAT EVENING, watching as a group of young Reboots pulled out instruments and began playing a lively song. People gathered around and started singing and dancing. It seemed odd for the mood to be so jolly when a few of their own had just gone on a killing spree.
    Some of the Austin Reboots had joined in the festivities, the firelight flickering off their happy faces as they grabbed hands and laughed, but the majority sat in groups apart from the crowd, their faces grim. Word had spread among our group about Micah’s plans, and most of us were not pleased.
    Wren stood not far away with Micah, her face tight as she nodded at something he said. His expression wasn’t as openlyadoring as it had been, but they were clearly civil and she hadn’t emerged from his tent earlier that day with his head on a stick.
    She caught me staring and widened her eyes slightly, like she was annoyed at being stuck with him. I laughed and a small smile started to form on her face. I gestured for her to come over, but she nodded at Micah, who was talking rapidly, and rolled her eyes.
    Something caught her attention behind me, and I glanced back to see Isaac walking toward the tent at the entrance of the reservation with a plate of food in his hands. The new Reboot was still in that tent, the one they’d killed earlier.
    “I don’t understand why they put up with this.”
    I turned at the quiet voice to see Addie standing next to me. I shrugged, because I didn’t know, either. I scanned the crowd around me. I wondered how many had been killed by Micah’s hunting teams.
    I glanced at Isaac again.
“Just lucky, I guess.”
That’s what he’d said when I asked how he came to live at the reservation. He said he wasn’t born here.
    “No one tried to put a stop to it?” Addie whispered.
    “Maybe they don’t care,” I murmured, gesturing for her to follow me. “Come on.”
    Isaac stopped when he saw us coming, hand poised to pull back the tent flap. A flash of nervousness crossed his features and he scanned the area behind us.
    “I’m not sure you guys should come in,” he said.
    “Why not?” Addie asked.
    “Micah likes to introduce new Reboots slowly. You know, so