Prologue
It began with a sound that no one under the age of twenty had ever heard before.
A low, electric hum, followed by a sharp bzzt that crackled from every speaker in District 13. In the grimy marketplace buzzing with what little flies remained, a vendor's hand froze halfway to a customer's.
In the rust-eaten workshops that creaked with every movement, welders lifted their masks.
In the narrow, dripping alleyways where various deals occured at night, children stopped their games.
Across the entire district, a population of three hundred thousand fell silent. Perhaps from the shock of the sound or perhaps from what was to be heard from something that hadn't been used in twenty years.
Inside a cramped hab-unit, the sound made Finn drop his fork. It clattered against his metal plate, the noise unnaturally loud in the sudden quiet. He and Cypher stared at the wall-mounted comms panel, its speaker long dead, now humming with energy. A song so eerie it made skins crawl played from the speakers. Everyone knew that was the sound of a broadcast message and the anticipation at what was going to be said filled people with dread and some with hope.
Some people felt that perhaps the message what would come across would be one of joy. One to tell them that they would no longer suffer from the lack of food and water that was going on even with the new water system.
While some others felt like nothing good could come out of something that hadn't been used for years. And that their rulers didn't care that much about them. But no one dared voiced their thoughts. Why? Because they were sure they would soon find out what exactly was going on.
The screens came to life.
Ancient public displays flickered on. It lit up with the same stark, white sigil: the eagle of the Pan-District Authority.
A voice followed, speaking from every speaker at once. It was not human. It was a calm, synthesized female voice, devoid of malice or sympathy. It was the voice of a machine stating a fact.
"Attention, residents of District 13," it began, the words echoing through every home and street. "This is a mandatory broadcast from the Pan-District Authority. Per the Urban Restructuring Act, this district has been officially designated for decommissioning."
A collective intake of breath, a silent gasp from an entire city.
"All municipal services, including nutrient dispensers, water reclamation, and atmospheric processing, will be terminated in exactly seventy-two hours."
The voice did not pause. It did not allow time for the words to settle.
"A one-time transfer opportunity is being granted. Two hundred residents will be accepted for relocation to District 14. Eligibility will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis at the main demarcation gate. The gate will open in exactly seventy-two hours. It will close when the quota is met."
The sigil on the screens pulsed once.
"This concludes the broadcast. The Authority thanks you for your compliance. Glory to the pan district. Glory to the eagle."
The screens went black. The speakers fell silent.
Residents of district 13 fell silent.
They had to get to the boarder…the demarcation gate.
No noise was heard as everyone tried to digest the message. The only sound that could be heard in the hab-unit where Cypher was, was that of water dripping from the roof. Wind blew and a lone paper rose flowing with it but still no human moved. No human made a noise.
People remaining: 300,000
Accepted residents: 0