Feedback (27 page)

Authors: Robison Wells

BOOK: Feedback

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“I’m not sure what even happened,” Becky answered.

The complex was silent and empty as we navigated the hallways back to the detention elevator. The alarm was off, but it felt eerie. We didn’t know exactly what happened here, but we knew enough.

Someone turned the corner. Gabby. Blood was streaming from a cut on her forehead, but she was smiling happily. “You guys okay?”

“It’s over,” Becky said.

Gabby gave a whoop and turned back down the other hall.

I stopped, taking a moment to breathe.

“Do you think he was right?” I asked Becky. “Worldwide panic?”

“If there isn’t now, there will be when we tell everyone what happened here, when we tell them what he said.”

He. It. Whatever it was.

Becky squeezed my hand, and stopped. “You came for me.”

I smiled, looking down at her. “I told you I would.”

She put her arms around my neck. “I hear you’re quite a kisser.”

“I knew that wasn’t you,” I said, feeling my face flush.

“Sure you did.”

I touched her side, my thumb pressing into her armpit.

“Hey!” She flinched away and laughed.

“Just checking.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T
his book was written during one of the hardest times of my life, and I owe a lot to many people. Most importantly, I owe everything this book is, and everything I am, to Erin, who has stood next to me through every trial, held my hand through every trauma, and hugged me as I’ve cried.

I also owe my sanity to those who went out of their way to encourage me through some of my darkest days: Annette Lyon, Josi Kilpack, Jeff Savage, Larry Correia, Luisa Perkins, Dan Wells, and especially Krista Jensen. You’re all amazing people.

Joel Hiller was instrumental to the creation of this story, brainstorming over lunches, escaping a job we both hated.

And a million thanks to my alpha and beta readers: my writing group, Sarah Eden, Michele Holmes, Annette Lyon, Heather Moore, Jeff Savage, Lu Ann Staheli; Ally Condie; Krista Jensen; and Dan Wells.

And thanks to Erica Sussman, my unbelievably awesome (and extremely patient) editor. And huge thanks to all the Harper team—Tyler, Christina, Arianna, Patty, and dozens more—who helped form this pile of words into a great book.

And never-ending thanks to Sara Crowe, who made this all happen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robison Wells lives in Holladay, Utah, with his wife and three kids. He recently finished graduate school, during which he read and wrote novels when he should have been studying finance. He is also the author of
Variant
. You can visit him online and read his blog at www.robisonwells.com and follow him on Twitter @robisonwells.

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors.

PRAISE FOR VARIANT:

Publishers Weekly
Best Book 2011

YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers

“A chilling, masterful debut. With its clever premise, quick pace, and easy-to-champion characters, Wells’s story is a fast, gripping read with a cliffhanger ending that will leave readers wanting more.”

—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)

“An exciting, edge-of-your-seat read that combines psychological themes from works like
Lord of the Flies
,
The Hunger Games
, and
Ender’s Game
in a truly unique way.
Variant
should join the ranks of today’s must-read science fiction and fantasy series. A highly recommended addition to any collection for teens.”

—
VOYA
(starred review)

“An intense journey with some of the most shocking twists and turns I’ve ever read.”

—Pittacus Lore, #1
New York Times
bestselling

author of
I Am Number Four

“
Variant
is a compelling story on so many levels. I loved it! The twist behind it all is my favorite since
Ender’s Game
.”

—James Dashner,
New York Times
bestselling

author of the Maze Runner trilogy

“With
Variant
, Robison Wells explodes onto the YA scene with a brilliant nail-biter of a dystopian adventure. A breathtaking race for survival in a badly damaged world.”

—Jonathan Maberry,
New York Times
bestselling

author of
Dust & Decay
and
The King of Plagues

“Benson’s account unfolds in a speedy, unadorned first person. Hard to put down from the very first page, this fast-paced novel answers only some of the questions it poses, holding some of the most tantalizing open for the next installment in a series that is anything but ordinary.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

“Good old-fashioned paranoia taken to giddy extremes. Take Veronica Roth’s
Divergent
, strip out the angst, add a Michael Grant–level storytelling pace, and you have this very satisfying series starter.”

—ALA
Booklist

“Filled with heart-racing action and suspense. An impressive debut with wide appeal, especially for fans of Alexander Gordon Smith’s
Lockdown
and James Dashner’s
The Maze Runner
.”

—
SLJ

HarperTeen is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Feedback

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wells, Robison E.

Feedback / Robison Wells.—1st ed.

p. cm.

Sequel to: Variant.

Summary: After escaping the walls of Maxfield Academy, Benson Fisher finds himself trapped in a town that is also under the school’s control—where he discovers that Maxfield’s plans are deadlier than anything he imagined.

ISBN 978-0-06-202610-1 (hardback)

ISBN 978-0-06-222830-7 (int. ed.)

EPub Edition © JULY 2012 ISBN: 9780062190123

[1. Androids—Fiction. 2. Survival—Fiction. 3. Science fiction.] I. Title.