The Battle Begins Read Online Free PDF Page A

to read. Then, when Leesa headed to bed, her mom would take off again for the midnight shift, monitoring robots for her other job at the ReadyGro factory.
    â€œWhat’d you expect?” Her mom set down her burden on the counter and tugged playfully on one of Leesa’s braids. “It’s your birthday, isn’t it?”
    Was it? Leesa blinked. She’d been so caught up in what was going on with the Unnaturals that she’d totally forgotten.
    Her mom started to unload the bags, and Leesa gasped at what she saw: ReadyGro tomatoes. Broccoli. Noodles. Bottled sauces. All premium buys.
    â€œWhat’s all this?” she asked, trying to temper her excitement. “Stuff for one of the sky families?”
    â€œNo.” Her mom’s eyes shined in the dim light. “This is just for us. I thought we could sit down for a real meal together for once, to celebrate.” She started putting the synthi-veggies in the fridge.
    â€œAw, Mom . . .” Leesa’s stomach growled in anticipation of the feast. Still, she couldn’t help feeling guilty. “You didn’t have to spend all that money.”
    They mostly lived on Vita pills these days, with theoccasional frozen dinner thrown in when they could afford it. Leesa had vague memories of her mom cooking meals from scratch when she was little, but since her dad had left and they’d moved to the Drain, it was completely unheard of.
    Her mom waved her off. “Hush. Twelve is a big deal! My baby’s almost all grown up.” She tickled Leesa’s sides, like she had when she was little.
    â€œMom, stop.” Leesa rolled her eyes, but she was beaming.
    â€œBesides, you’ve been so down lately, I figured you needed cheering up. I just wish I could’ve given you more,” her mom said with a sigh. She turned away to brew her tea—with her crazy sleep schedule, Leesa’s mom drank a lot of tea—but Leesa could hear the sadness in her voice. “I was really trying to save up for an automapooch for your birthday, but I just couldn’t swing it this year.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” Leesa said brightly. “I don’t want a virtual pet, anyway.” Wanting to reassure her mom, she walked back to the couch and grabbed the tablet. “Look.” She showed her the letter she’d been writing. “When the mayor reads my petition, we’re going to get Pookie back.”
    Her mom stared at the words, her face a mask. Thenshe sank down into the couch like her legs were too wobbly to stand. “Oh, lovebug.” She covered her face with her hands, obviously upset.
    â€œWhat is it?” Leesa asked. Her mom was one of the toughest people she knew, and it took a lot to make her stop smiling, let alone break down.
    What could be so awful about writing to the mayor?
    Leesa’s mom took one of Leesa’s hands in both of hers and pulled her down next to her. “I didn’t want to tell you this before. But maybe now that you’re a little older, you can understand.”
    Now Leesa was alarmed. She and her mom had lived in such close quarters for so long, she didn’t think they had any secrets—well, almost any. She hadn’t told her mom about sneaking into the Dome with Antonio to watch Unnaturals matches all these years, but that was different. That would’ve worried her, and the last thing Leesa wanted was to add to her mom’s worries.
    Her mom looked super worried right now, though, and it was totally freaking Leesa out. She squeezed her mom’s hand. “Tell me.”
    Instead of answering right away, Leesa’s mom took Leesa’s shoulders and guided them to turn. Leesa raised her eyebrows in confusion, but she obediently turned away from her mother, tucking her legs up under herselfon the couch. Her mom started to comb through her hair with her fingers, like she had when Leesa was little. It felt nice, but Leesa was too anxious to