"I have a way to make our people make up for this difference," I said, keeping my voice steady. I didn't delve into the details yet, mainly because the plan was still settling in my head.
"Is this real?" the jumper asked, his eyes searching mine through the slits of his mask. I simply nodded.
"What are you two talking about?" Karoline, who had been standing quietly by my side, couldn't help but ask.
The jumper volunteered to explain the mechanics of the stat freeze to her. As he laid out the math—the 350-point deficit—Karoline's face turned ashen white.
"This is bad…" Her lips trembled as her body did. Of course she had to be scared. She was a fighter; she understood what a lack of strength meant in a world of monsters.
At this moment, she finally realised why Hilary had been so genuinely shocked when she first heard about the punishment the system had levied against us.
