Scythe

An engineer is working at Magnetic Propulsions Laboratories. Volta wakes Rowan and tells him that it is gleaning day. A helicopter is waiting for them on the lawn. Rowan realizes that the other scythes have not done a gleaning in the three months since he has been there. He knows that they can glean 250 today and still be within their quota, but it will be a massacre. As the helicopter flies to a suburb of Fulcrum City, Rowan prays for it to crash. They land on the roof of Magnetic Propulsions Laboratories. Goddard tells them to start on the sixth floor and work their way down.

Goddard leads them to a large gathering of workers in Suite 601 and announces that they have been selected for gleaning. The four scythes move through the cubicles with their blades, guns, and a flamethrower. Rowan slips away to Suite 602 and warns a man to leave down the stairs and take as many people as he can. When the other scythes arrive, Rowan is alone, breaking whatever he can with a hatchet. It all takes less than 15 minutes. Goddard summons the survivors and allows them to kiss his ring. Then he gives the ring to Rowan and says, “Share in the adoration” (260).