“I’ve never done this before,” she says. “Right here.” I touch the place. She shakes a little as she inserts the needle, and the deep ache is familiar, but it no longer bothers me. I’ve done this too many times. I watch her face. No turning back, no turning back. Time to see what we’re both made of. I take her hand, or maybe she takes mine, and we walk into the fear landscape room together. “See if you can figure out why they call me Four.” The door closes behind us, and the room is black. She moves closer to me and says, “What’s your real name?” “See if you can figure that out, too.” The simulation begins. The room opens up to a wide blue sky, and we are on the roof of the building, surrounded by the city, sparkling in the sun. It’s beautiful for just a moment before the wind start

