Pages 156-202

It was the next day that Tally figured that the worst mistake she could make would be to try and jump the gorge and decided to take the chance. After a few agonizing moments, the deposits in the river caught her hoverboard, which works off of metal in the ground, and was able to continue on in her search for Shay. That night while taking a bath, a huge machine that made a terribly loud sound and a lot of wind, flew over her camp. It destroyed her sleeping bag and gave her good cause to be extra cautious from then on. When she came to a beautiful valley four days later, she awoke to a blazing fire all around her. In her desperation to find her hoverboard and get to the river, her shoes ended up melting from the heat. After jumping into the river to escape the flames and also the machine she had seen days before, someone pulled her out and into safety. Tally later found out that they are only burning the white flowers in the valley because they overtake all other vegetation and were trying to get rid of the noxious weeds before they could spread elsewhere. It was specially developed by the Rusties because it was so valuable, but they ended up making a super weed that could only be destroyed by fire and wreaking havoc on the wildlife. The men flying the "helicopter," turned out to be allies of the Smoke and flew her to a special place where the people from there could pick her up and also gave her a new pair of shoes. After being dropped off, Tally went to a hilltop where Shay, David, and Croy met her and took her to the Smoke. Shay showed her around the area and explained to her that everyone was the same and had their own worth. That was her reason for escaping the city, to be her own self and not like everyone else, but right away Tally did not completely understand her wanting to be separated from all of the beautiful people back home. But it was when Shay told her that it was time to go back to work that she was truly confused.