Champion
Chapter 8: June 4
by Lu, MarieThe chapter opens with Day and June reacting to a sudden city-wide alarm signaling an enemy attack, as Republic soldiers scramble into formation. Amid the chaos, June calculates their route to Day’s apartment while reflecting on her ability to think clearly in crises. The alarm, rarely used in Los Angeles, triggers evacuation protocols for the upper class, while the poor are left unprotected. Day’s confusion reveals his lack of prior exposure to such drills, highlighting the Republic’s systemic inequality. The urgency escalates as Republic jets mobilize, and explosions light up the horizon, confirming the Colonies’ unexpected breach of their agreement.
June recalls her training for such emergencies, noting that soldiers must report to assigned locations while civilians seek bunkers—a privilege reserved for the wealthy. Day’s unfamiliarity with the drills underscores the disparity between the gem sectors and impoverished areas. As they run, June notices Day’s declining stamina, a stark reminder of his deteriorating health. The Colonies’ premature attack sparks her anger, as they had only given four days to comply with their ultimatum. June urges Day to call his brother Eden, directing him to prepare for evacuation while she coordinates with Anden for transportation.
Anden contacts June via earpiece, arranging a jeep pickup and assuring Ollie’s safety. Upon reaching Day’s apartment complex, they find crowds panicking as enemy jets and airships appear overhead. Day reunites with Eden, and June discreetly informs him of Anden’s plan. Day’s concern for the poor sectors forces June to confront the Republic’s neglect, leaving him furious. The arriving jeep saves her from explaining further, and they speed toward safety with Anden, who warns them of the dangerous route due to nearby explosions. The driver reports escaped prisoners, including Thomas Bryant, hinting at looming threats.
Anden directs the group to Subterrain One, a secure underground hold, emphasizing the need for thumb scans to enter or exit. The driver reveals that explosions have damaged key routes, delaying their progress. Anden’s tension is palpable as he confirms the escape of high-profile prisoners, including Thomas and Jameson’s associates. The chapter closes with a sense of impending danger, as the group races toward safety while the Republic’s defenses falter. The attack exposes both the fragility of the city’s security and the deep-seated inequities within its society.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the alarm described in the chapter, and how does it reveal societal inequality in the Republic?
Answer:
The alarm signifies an imminent attack by enemy forces (the Colonies) on the Republic city, triggering immediate evacuation protocols. However, the chapter highlights stark inequality: only the upper-class “gem sectors” have access to underground bunkers and evacuation subways, while the poor are left unprotected. This disparity is emphasized when Day, who grew up in a poor sector, has never heard the alarm or participated in drills. June’s realization of this inequity underscores the Republic’s systemic neglect of its marginalized populations, adding tension to the narrative and reinforcing the dystopian setting.
2. Analyze how June’s character is portrayed in high-stakes situations compared to formal settings like the Senate chamber. What does this reveal about her strengths?
Answer:
June thrives in chaotic, high-pressure environments—demonstrated by her rapid calculations (e.g., estimating evacuation times) and decisive actions during the attack. The text notes she becomes a “silent, uncomfortable observer” in the Senate but is capable and focused during crises, such as freeing Day or evading soldiers. This contrast reveals her adaptability, strategic thinking, and leadership in action-oriented scenarios, while hinting at her discomfort with political bureaucracy. Her skills align with her military training, emphasizing her role as a tactician rather than a politician.
3. Why does Day’s physical condition during the escape scene evoke such a strong emotional response from June? How does this moment deepen their relationship?
Answer:
June notices Day’s labored breathing and slower pace, marking the first tangible evidence of his deteriorating health due to the plague. Her visceral reaction—a “lump in her throat” and clenched heart—reflects her fear of losing him and underscores her emotional attachment. This moment humanizes Day’s struggle, moving beyond abstract concern to a personal crisis for June. It deepens their bond by highlighting her vulnerability and the stakes of their mission, as his survival becomes intertwined with her actions and choices.
4. How does the chapter build suspense regarding the Colonies’ attack and the Republic’s preparedness? Provide specific details.
Answer:
Suspense is built through sensory details (e.g., “ominous scarlet notice,” deafening alarms), rapid pacing (e.g., jets screaming overhead, explosions), and unanswered questions. The Colonies’ abrupt violation of their four-day ultimatum suggests treachery, while the Republic’s scrambling response—jeeps bombed, prisoners escaped—hints at systemic vulnerability. The proximity of enemy jets and airships (“closer by a hundred feet”) escalates tension, leaving readers wondering about the scale of the invasion and the fate of characters like Thomas, whose escape is teased but unresolved.
5. Evaluate the ethical dilemma June faces when Day asks about the poor sectors’ fate. Why is her silence significant?
Answer:
Day’s question forces June to confront the Republic’s abandonment of the poor during crises, a moral failing she implicitly acknowledges by hesitating. Her silence speaks volumes: it confirms that the state prioritizes the elite, and her inability to offer solutions reflects her conflicted loyalty to the system. This moment critiques systemic injustice while testing June’s integrity. It also strains her relationship with Day, whose “deep rage” signals his disillusionment with the Republic—and by extension, June’s complicity in its failures.
Quotes
1. “I may turn into a silent, uncomfortable observer in the Senate chamber, but out here on the streets, in the midst of chaos, I can think. I can act.”
This quote highlights June’s self-awareness and adaptability—while she struggles in formal political settings, she thrives in crisis situations. It captures her character growth and the duality of her strengths.
2. “The underground bunkers are only for the upper class, the gem sectors. The poor are left to fend for themselves.”
A stark revelation about the Republic’s systemic inequality, emphasizing how the poor are abandoned during emergencies. This moment crystallizes the class divide that Day represents and June is forced to confront.
3. “Somehow, this is the first evidence of his fading health that hits home, and my heart clenches.”
June’s visceral reaction to Day’s declining stamina underscores the personal stakes amid the larger conflict. It humanizes the crisis by tying it to intimate emotional consequences.
4. “What’s gonna happen to the other sectors? … His lips tighten into a thin line. A deep rage rises in his eyes.”
Day’s question—and unspoken answer—about the fate of the poor sectors reveals the moral crisis at the story’s core. His silent fury foreshadows potential rebellion against the Republic’s injustices.
5. “They bombed a few jeeps on the other side of Denver… There were three escaped prisoners: Captain Thomas Bryant. Lieutenant Patrick Murrey. Commander Jameson.”
The cliffhanger about the escaped prisoners (especially the notorious Jameson) raises immediate tension, suggesting the physical attack may be compounded by internal threats from within the Republic’s ranks.