I was livid. I swore a few times, glancing between the Premiere & the twins. They’d turned deathly pale, their eyes wide.
“It’s not worth it!” I shouted. I tried to charge him, but he pointed the barrel in my face.
“Back up,” he hissed. He kept it trained on me, & turned to the twins. “Well? What do you say? Success must have a price, you know.”
The next moments seemed to go in close-up slow motion. I could see every bead of sweat clinging to Ezra’s scuffed forehead, Lily’s chest frantically rise and fall, the faint glint in the Premiere’s eyes.
Finally, Ezra stepped forward. “A life for a life,” he said solemnly, bowing his head. “For the Resistance.”
“Ezra, no!” Lily shrieked, clinging to her brother. She was too upset for tears to slide down her light face. “Is it really worth it?”
“Lily, think about it. So many have gone before us to see this moment. Patrick even gave up his life to get to this moment. If the Resistance is a cause noble enough for Pat to lose his life, it’s noble enough for me.”