"If more people had been organ donorsUnwinding never would have happened."—THE ADMIRALThe Bill of LifeThe Second Civil War, also known as "The Heartland War," was a long andbloody conflict fought over a single issue.To end the war, a set of constitutional amendments known as "The Bill of Life"was passed.It satisfied both the Pro-life and the Pro-choice armies.The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment ofconception until a child reaches the age of thirteen.However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose toretroactively "abort" a child . . . on the condition that the child's life doesn't"technically" end.The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called"unwinding."Unwinding is now a common, and accepted practice in society. Part One"J was never going to amount to much anyway, but now, statistically speaking,there's a better chance that some part of me will go on to greatness somewhere inthe world. I'd rather be partly great than entirely useless."—SAMSON WARD1 Connor"There are places you can go," Ariana tells him, "and a guy as smart as you has adecent chance of surviving to eighteen."Connor isn't so sure, but looking into Ariana's eyes makes his doubts go away, ifonly for a moment. Her eyes are sweet violet with streaks of gray. She's such aslave to fashion— always getting the newest pigment injection the second it's instyle. Connor was never into that. He's always kept his eyes the color they camein. Brown. He never even got tattoos, like so many kids get these days whenthey're little. The only color on his skin is the tan it takes during the summer, butnow, in November, that tan has long faded. He tries not to think about the factthat he'll never see the summer again. At least not as Connor Lassiter. He stillcan't believe that his life is being stolen from him at sixteen.Ariana's violet eyes begin to shine as they fill with tears that flow down hercheeks when she blinks. "Connor, I'm so sorry." She holds him, and for amoment it seems as if everything is okay, as if they are the only two people onEarth. For that instant, Connor feels invincible, untouchable . . . but she lets go,the moment passes, and the world around him returns. Once more he can feel therumble of the freeway beneath them, as cars pass by, not knowing or caring thathe's here. Once more he is just a marked kid, a week short of unwinding.The soft, hopeful things Ariana tells him don't help now. He can barely hear herover the rush of traffic. This place where they hide from the world is one ofthose dangerous places that make adults shake their heads, grateful that theirown kids aren't stupid enough to hang out on the ledge of a freeway overpass.For Connor it's not about stupidity, or even rebellion—it's about feeling life.Sitting on this ledge, hidden behind an exit sign is where he feels most comfortable. Sure, one false step and he's roadkill. Yet for Connor, life on theedge is home.There have been no other girls he's brought here, although he hasn't told Arianathat. He closes his eyes, feeling the vibration of the traffic as if it's pulsingthrough his veins, a part of him. This has always been a good place to get awayfrom fights with his parents, or when he just feels generally boiled. But nowConnor's beyond boiled—even beyond fighting with his mom and dad. There'snothing more to fight about. His parents signed the order—it's a done deal."We should run away, "Ariana says. "I'm fed up with everything, too. My family,school, everything. I could kick-AWOL, and never look back."Connor hangs on the thought. The idea of kicking-AWOL by himself terrifieshim. He might put up a tough front, he might act like the bad boy at school—butrunning away on his own? He doesn't even know if he has the guts. But if Arianacomes, that's different. That's not alone. "Do you mean it?"Ariana looks at him with her magical eyes. "Sure. Sure I do. I could leave here.If you asked me."Connor knows this is major. Running away with an Unwind—that'scommitment. The fact that she would do it moves him beyond words. He kissesher, and in spite of everything going on in his life Connor suddenly feels like theluckiest guy in the world. He holds her—maybe a little too tightly, because shestarts to squirm. It just makes him want to hold her even more tightly, but hefights that urge and lets go. She smiles at him."AWOL . . ." she says. "What does that mean, anyway?""It's an old military term or something," Connor says. "It means 'absent withoutleave.'"Ariana thinks about it, and grins. "Hmm. More like 'alive without lectures.'"Connor takes her hand, trying hard not to squeeze it too tightly. She said she'd goif he asked her. Only now does he realize he hasn't actually asked yet."Will you come with me, Ariana?" Ariana smiles and nods. "Sure," she says. "Sure I will."* * *Ariana's parents don't like Connor. "We always knew he'd be an Unwind," he canjust hear them saying. "You should have stayed away from that Lassiter boy." Hewas never "Connor" to them. He was always "that Lassiter boy." They think thatjust because he's been in and out of disciplinary school they have a right to judgehim.Still, when he walks her home that afternoon, he stops short of her door, hidingbehind a tree as she goes inside. Before he heads home, he thinks how hiding isnow going to be a way of life for both of them.* * *Home.Connor wonders how he can call the place he lives home, when he's about to beevicted—not just from the place he sleeps, but from the hearts of those who aresupposed to love him.His father sits in a chair, watching the news as Connor enters."Hi, Dad."His father points at some random carnage on the news. "Clappers again.""What did they hit this time?""They blew up an Old Navy in the North Akron mall.""Hmm," says Connor. "You'd think they'd have better taste.""I don't find that funny."Connor's parents don't know that Connor knows he's being unwound. He wasn'tsupposed to find out, but Connor has always been good at ferreting out secrets.Three weeks ago, while looking for a stapler in his dad's home office, he found