By week 147,033, we had completed the work schedule for everyone and repaired all the damage to the machinery and computer. At hour zero of week 147,034 we held elections for Admiral, Vice Admiral, Captain and for the Commander of the ISF. Logan had rigged Video Cameras with sound so every Insider could hear the candidates’ plans for our future. I had campaigned for either one of the Admiral positions. The other Admiral candidates were Domotor, Riley’s father Jacob, Emek and Takia. Logan, James Trava and Bubba Boom ran for the Captain’s position. Jacy and Sloan campaigned for Commander.

Riley brought the early election results to me at hour twenty. They would be announced to everyone at hour twenty-five. I was helping Lamont in the infirmary, but he wanted to tell me them in private. We retreated to my room and he closed the door.

He sat on the edge of my bed with me. Impish delight lit his blue eyes. “Remember your promise?”

I pretended to be confused. “Which one? I just promised everyone to keep our world safe and sane. Did they vote for me?”

“I’ll tell you after you keep your promise to me.”

“Well…” I tapped my lips with a finger as if I considered his words. “I could just wait five hours—”

He cut me off with a deep passionate kiss.

When he broke it off, I said, “Waiting really isn’t my thing.” And I drew him close for another kiss.

Before we could go any further, Riley pulled away. “I have something for you.” He stood on the bed and opened the air vent. Reaching in, he grunted and pulled out a small cleaning troll.

“Zippy?” I asked.

“Yep. Logan fixed him.” Riley set Zippy in my lap then took both my hands in his. “You made a commitment to the people of Inside and I’m proud of you.”

I sensed he had more to say so I kept quiet.

He squeezed my hands as if suddenly nervous. Then he took a breath and said, “I’d like you to make a commitment to me as well. Will you be my mate?”

Before the Outsiders came, I would have been too scared to say yes. Good thing this was after. “Yes.”

It was too awkward to kiss with Zippy in my lap, but Riley stopped me from moving him.

“Open Zippy,” he said.

“He opens?”

Riley pointed to a button on the top. I pressed it and a panel opened. Tucked inside Zippy was Sheepy. With a cry of delight, I pulled the little stuffed sheep out. Tied around his neck was a pendant. It was the symbol for Inside—a square with a capital I in the middle, but on the opposite side was a sheep.

“Does it—”

“Yes. If you push on the sheep, it will send out a distress signal.”

“I hope I won’t have to use it.”

“I’m sure Jacy will make certain that Emek and you are properly guarded, but, knowing you and considering you’ll have to work with Captain James, I won’t be surprised if you get into trouble.”

“Jacy? Me and Emek? What are you talking about?”

“Sorry, I can’t divulge election results until hour twenty-five.” He smirked.

I considered. “Was I voted Admiral or Vice Admiral?”

“Does it matter?”

The Vice Admiral’s position had a little less stress, but otherwise… “No.”

“Good, because right now you should concentrate on fulfilling your promise to your mate.”

I added the new pendant to my other one. “Are we official now?”

Riley put Zippy and Sheepy on the floor then pushed me back onto the bed as he lay beside me. “Yes. It’s official. And since I’m one of the good guys, I can have whatever I desire.”

“And what do you desire?”

“To have my way with you.”

And he did. Except I think I had my way with him. Either way we were together and that was all that mattered.