chapter 3

I'm in jail a few hours when Dr. Caldwell shows up.

The doors open automatically for him, and he sits down.

"I suspected something like this would happen", he starts, "You weren't ready to know the truth. Miranda has been...dealt with."

"What did you do to her?"

"I'm tolerant to a point, Cate, because you're new, but I'm the boss here, and as you would have said a hundred years ago, it's none of your ***ing business. But we don't speak like that to each other anymore. We have a more perfect society..."

"You can shove your perfect society up your ass!"

He laughs. "She directly disobeyed my orders and she's only a C. You're a B+, and she screamed at you, and threatened your life", he says.

"What would it take to get you to release one of your ants to me?" I ask.

"Ha ha, nothing. If one escaped, it would fill the rest with dangerous hope. I can't do that", he answers.

"Would you rather I publicize what you're doing? Does everyone know they're eating humans?"

"Ah, blackmail. Remember, I'm an A, and can out think you any day", he says.

"I don't put much stock in your letters."

"That's unfortunate since they're the only reason it's Miranda and not you down in Class E", he says.

"What?!"

"She knows too much, she has to go. She might as well feed some people and be useful when she does it", she answers.

"No!"

"Yes. Your friend is food, and so is she now. If you're lonely, we're happy to find you a nice B+ to mate with. In the meantime, there's an A+ party tonight I have to go to, and I thought you might like to come along. You'd get the chance to thank the man who cured cancer, and the reason you're alive today."

A party. Noisy, distracting.

"Sure", I say.

He narrows his eyes. "That was altogether too easy."

"I suffered most of my life. I would like to get the chance to thank him", I say.

"Good", he says, still suspicious. "I'll be by at eight. A dress will be delivered in the meantime and I'll have a body servant drop by for you."

A body servant. Another A perk?

A woman comes by hours later with a beautiful gown and she draws a bath for me, and does my hair and makeup.

"What are these A pluses like?" I ask.

"Well, they're perfect", she says, "Beautiful and smart...and they're the only people allowed to have children."

Ah, it's all starting to fall into place.

"I've heard that not everyone thrives here", I say, "And some become Untouchables."

She flinches. "Dr. Caldwell wouldn't like me talking to you about this."

"Oh, I just want to know where they leave from...for my protection, to stay away from it..."

People in the future also must be bad liars. Because she instantly supplies me with the locations of the all exits out of the building.

Dr. Caldwell arrives promptly, in another white cape, this one covered in sequins and crystals. "I have to stop by to give a speech. I don't hang out with them, obviously", he says, sounding miffed, "But I can attend on important matters. And you're the only new wake up we've had in fifty years. I know they want to meet you."

We walk through the complex and it's larger than I ever though. Through a mall....

"The only people allowed in this store are A pluses or their body servants", he says, and I watch a woman who looks like a supermodel buy shoes for $5,000.

"Beautiful isn't she?" he asks, "She discovered a new planet."

"I see", I answer and keep following him, through the mall, out the other side and to a club.

The bouncer frowns at me, but lets us in once he sees Dr. Caldwell.

At least parties don't seem to have changed. Everyone is gorgeous and drunk.

The music is loud. "Dr. Caldwell!" he's greeted by a man in a silk tunic. "This must be our newest resident, Cate. How are you feeling Cate?"

"Bow", Dr. Caldwell hisses.

"Huh?"

"Bow!& quot; He's bowing himself.

"She doesn't have to bow, Caldwell", he man says, and I can tell he's less than impressed with the doctor. "I hear you have ethical concerns about our honey."

"I do", I say.

"It's important that we study all aspects of our food supply, so I'm happy to hear them. But I assure you, we have the strictest quality standards. The honey is pure, and the sources are treated humanely. Ah, here we are. A waiter brings over a tray of shots... "You haven't had honey brandy yet?"

"For a B, it would be a rare delicacy", Caldwell supplies. The man ignores him.

"To us!" the man shouts.

"To us!" The group of beautiful people toast their own perfection.

"Drink it" Caldwell orders.

"No", I say.

"Drink it or I'll make sure you have an accident before the night is over", he hisses, too quiet to be heard by anyone but me. I stare daggers through him. And toss it back.

"To a good friend!" Caldwell says to me, and drinks.

No. "Oh my God. This was...oh my God..." I gag. "Dan?"

"We'll get to him soon enough. Miranda", he corrects with a smile.

I promise myself before it's over, I'll see him dead.

"And now the man who cured cancer..." He goes off to locate him.

I strike up a conversation with a woman, and slip the badge off her dress and onto mine.

I get lost in the crowd. The honey brandy is strong. Everyone is drunk and happy and distracted, and I slip out of the club easily.

I take the elevator down, down, down.

Even at night, the feeding room is hard at work, fattening the ants.

"Everyone out!" I shout. No one is going to argue with me in this dress, and an A + badge on. "The scientists are coming tonight to check your progress."

The workers bow, nod, and scatter like rice.

"Dan? Dan?!"

I stop a feeder. "Where is the one called Dan?"

"He's already been taken to be processed."

"Where?!"

I follow the directions and find him being brought into a room, with a guillotine. A guillotine. For all their talk about humanity.

"You came back!" he shouts he sees me. The workers flee.

I untie him, but he can't move.

"I can't get away", he says.

"You can move, I know you can", I tell him, and he follows me at a waddle, round with honey.

"I'm so slow!" he says.

"You're mobile, that's all that matters", I say, and kiss him.

They toss the bones outside, so getting out through the garbage is fastest.

We emerge and draw a deep breath.

It's...day time. Apparently inside the city is an artificial night.

And the thing is...it's a lie. It's a lie. A forest lies ahead of us. Not a large one, but there are plants. There are animals. There just aren't enough for everybody, so I guess it seemed best to lie.

"Will they come after us?" I ask.

"I don't know", he says, "I doubt it. You were a threat to him inside the city. Being sent out here is considered banishment. The worst punishment. I doubt he'd come after one ant and one woman who can't threaten him anymore."

"I have to find my family", I say.

"We'll find them."

"How long has it been since you've moved?" I ask.

"A while", he confirms. "I won't ever be...I'm just warning you, I won't ever be..."

"I want you as you are", I say, gathering him close, "You're handsome and smart, and I love you, Dan."

"You want me fat?"

"I want you fat." I hold him tight.

"All I do is eat, I don't know what else to do anymore", he says.

"I'll feed you", I tell him. "I'll feed you myself."

We wake up hours later, surrounded by others.

"We're refugees", I tell them.

"Are you a honeypot?" they ask him.

He nods.

"We've been hoping for someone to escape from there for years, but it never happens. We want to wage an attack on the city, but we have to know how to get to Class E before they kill everyone down there. Maybe you can help."

"Absolutely", he says.

We join their group, and pledge to work for mutual protection.

I'm determined to find my family, and to keep Dan safe.

We're treated like any other couple, we get a tent to ourselves that night.

"You sure you want me?" he asks again.

I wrap my arms around him. "I'm sure I want you forever."

"I liked it, Cate, part of me liked it..."

"Shhh, my sweet little honeypot", I laugh, and pat his belly, holding him tight. He's naked, fat, hard, and vulnerable...and I want him so badly.

I roll over and straddle him. "How long has it been?"

"A hundred years", he laughs.

"Me too." He sinks deep inside me. "I like that you liked it."

"They would have killed you too if they knew how subversive you are", he says with a laugh, "Attracted to fat people...they'd think you were crazy."

"Yeah, it's okay with me if those monsters think I'm crazy. Promise me we'll figure this out together."

"If you can handle a honeypot for a husband, I promise you, we'll figure it out together", he says, rocking his plush, fat hips.