what? no bacon?
whatever.
hello , stranger.
it's just an expression, that's all.
okay, ester. where have you been?
exciting.
us?
then you leave all this behind, huh?
i'll miss your coffee. c'mon, i already burned up my quota.
that's easy for you to say. your time's guaranteed. all you have is six months.
give me some more of your coffee.
hudson four-alpha; profile reviewed. match to vacancy; 171, sector 5. request clearance to populate.
no.
six months?
census file: two-delta, starkweather.
he got lucky, that's all.
shut up, jonesy.
you're out of my weight-class.
i'll think about it.
whoooooo!
you're just too slow, jonesy.
hey, you put up, now pay up.
shut up, jonesy.
i can't. i got an interact.
hey, it's an authorized interaction. we're on the same meditation program.
no law against friendship, jonesy.
what happened? you lost count?
vita cola all the way, officer.
accept.
i guess i overslept.
right. i'll be there.
just juice today. i'm late for work.
c'mon, kleinwort.
so what's up with the censors, huh?
i know what it is. i've just never seen them out in this sector before.
what are you saying? they lost someone?
census file: two-delta, starkweather. - - t w o - d e l t a , starkweather: 102, sector 4 - day: -- .  hr: --
accomodation status : 102, sector 4.
hey , jonesy. remember the guy who won the spin yesterday? his apartment's still showing as occupied.
so you get 24 hours to move out.
no. it updates on the hour. if he's gone it should be showing a vacancy.
i don't know. he wasn't there to step up. and now there's a census check.
maybe.
sanitation status: 102, sector four.
still in the electrical phase, sir.
i'll take care of it.
i said i can't hear you. m c c o r d c h u c k l e s at the irony.
how are you doing, mac?
we l l the guys upstairs are griping about the backlog. they want to know when you'll be ready for move in.
i'll tell them two weeks.
so . . . got any stuff on you today?
i t ' s too bad.
t h a t your shift's almost over.
the y taste good.
i like coming here. talking. most outsiders don't like to talk.
what do you do when the shift's over?
h u m p `n dump crew?
is it as bad as they say out there?
the air.  the containments.
but not everywhere. not on the island.
you wanted to see me?
i guess not.
i f i'm here.
right.
why wouldn't i?
ah.
a r e you saying i'm contaminated?
the n what's the problem?
why?
no.
disrupted?
i don't know.
i don't know.
i don't know.
that's it.
right.
now.  lincoln leans forward as if to assert this. merrick slowly nods like he's just revealed something. he taps the etherboard-
i already burned up my quotas.
is that it?
the r e ' s no law against friendship.
i know the rules of proximity.
thank you. i feel much better now.
s o r r y i'm late.
i have to cancel, ester.
i don't think so. ester ' s smile falls. her eyes, reaching, trying to understand.
no.
i want some bacon.
an d coffee. i want coffee. the clerk sighs and taps her screen. turning to the chutes, she collects a foil covered bowl and a juice can and sets them on lincoln's tray. lincoln glances down at it, then back up-
this isn't what i asked for.
p u t that on my fucking r e c o r d .
hello?
w h o are you? what's wrong with you?
ester . . . i have to talk to you.
what are you talking about?
i want you to meet me as soon as you can. but you can't tell anyone.
you know where to come.
jonesy. . .
i saw what happened to him.
starkweather . . . what they did to him.
they cut him open, jonesy. the y took him upstairs and they cut him open.
j o n e s y , listen to me.  but jones just backs away. lincoln makes to follow. then stops dead in his tracks. across the avenue, two censors are on patrol and his best friend is now heading towards them. with a barren, torn grimace, lincoln turns away and melts back into the crowd.
ester, i'm not contaminated.
i'm not contaminated!
contaminants, pathogens.  it's just what they tell us to keep us inside.
i saw it. why they keep us here. to use us. to take things from us.
your baby.  they're going to take your baby away.  you understand?
i don't know! but i saw it!
you can't go back! don't you get it?
run!!!
ester ! come on!
ester ! we have to keep going!
ester?
the r e is no green. the windows in there.  they were just pictures.
i think i've found a path.
my friend.  she needs water.
away.
" o u t of state".
i'm going to check on my friend.
what are you doing?
" o u t of state" - how do i get there?
i t ' s going to be okay, ester.
we just need to get out of state.
i told you to stay with me.
o k a y . okay.
what are my options?
i asked the man how to get to the terminal. he said it's not far.
now.
o u t of state.
we want to go out of state.
what do you want?
we have to keep going.
t h o s e men - that's what they want too. ester holds his gaze, chest heaving. then looks back towards the alley mouth. her fingers reach for her belly, clawing a little. then her eyes lower, assimilating, reason reasserting its heavy grip. lincoln senses her turmoil. his voice is soft but sturdy-
we have to keep going, ester.
transport.
i want to get out of state. now.
o u t of state.
where's that?
n o . with her.
a r e you alright?
o k a y . . . i'll get you some water.
behind you.
i ' l l find you some water.
i t ' s going to be okay, ester.
i ' l l find you some water, okay?
i ' l l find another way. out of state.
the n we'll keep going.
we ' l l keep going till we get there.
n o w i'm going to get some water. but i want you to stay here. it'll be safer.
the man, the man up there. who is he?
the juggernaut.
residential.
starkweather.
i don't know. something. just wait there and make sure nobody's coming.
who are you?
who? lincoln takes another step closer. tom takes another step back.
what people?
i want to know.
the policy?
about what?
what are you talking about?
what is that?
what does that mean?
why?
why do i look like you?
i don't understand.
made me?
you . . . you're the one who made me?
who made me?
there are men out there, looking for us. i want you to make them stop.
do you have transport?
and then you'll call security?
auto.
o u t of state.  west.
i was looking for water.
my transport.  it stopped working.
out of state.
what is this place?
a r e you alright?
the man out there.  he said everything has a spirit.  every living thing.  but not.
don't worry. the one we want goes the other way. he said it goes slower.
ester! stop! it's no use!
it's going too fast!
what did you give her?
s o you know about the baby.
i found your name in the listings. i wasn't sure. you don't look like her.
s o you're the one who takes her baby.
lincoln . my name's lincoln.
n o . they'll find her. they'll take her.
you don't understand. they don't want people to know about her. either of us.
why ? so you can take her baby?
the y make you believe there's a place called the island. then they take you upstairs and put you to sleep. they cut you open. they take pieces of you.
n o . i saw a lot of us go to the island. but i never saw anyone come back.
is it? i wouldn't know.
c a n you help her?
i don't understand any of this.
he l l o , stranger.
ester.
what do you mean?
i know.
no.
we have to go. we have to get her out.
he's come for her. for us.
how long before she wakes up?
you'll take care of it, won't you? take her somewhere they can't find her.
i can't find my sunglasses. i think i left them on the shuttle.
don't worry. i'll catch up.
i t ' s been a year since the breakout. a year in hiding, waiting for things to quiet down. i don't know how many made i t out or how many who did, survived. i know there are people called politicians trying to say it never happened. that's why i've kept this journal. to keep the truth alive. alive.  i've learned what that means but it still confuses me. in functional terms, i've been alive for ten years. in human terms, more than thirty. human.  i'm not sure about that one either. they say i'm not human because i have no mother or father. i guess i have more to learn. but one word i do understand is hope. so maybe this j o u r n a l will give hope - to those like me, who may be out there. to know t h e y ' r e not alone. my name is lincoln s i x - e c h o and this is my testament.
lincoln junior, huh? it still doesn't sound right. that name.
we should finish packing.
time to go. katherine hesitates, part of her unwilling to let the baby go. then she plants a lingering kiss on his downy hair and lets ester take him. lincoln presents her with the data tablet-
you'll make sure this gets out?
thank you, katherine. for everything.
i've been looking at them for months.
i don't need them either. katherine nods, understanding. nothing more to say, she hugs him. then turns to ester with the baby. she folds them in a yearning, almost maternal embrace. tears well in her eyes. then the sorrow turns to laughter as the baby starts tugging at her gray hair.