The Darkest Path by Jeff Hirsch

15 year old Callum Roe was captured by the Glorious Path when he was 9 along with his little brother James, who was 7. Forced to live and serve the Path, Callum wants out. He wants to get out of the little town he has been living in for the past 6 years. He wants to get out of Nevada, and back home to New York. But he knows he could never do that. So when the chance arises to become a citizen, he jumps on it. His little brother James, has asthma, and needs medicine because he has trouble breathing sometimes. But only citizens get medicines.

Callum would do anything for his brother. Including infiltrating a base in California and tricking hundreds of people into leaving the safety of their camp. Later they are captured and given the choice. They could choose to go on Path, or die a painful death. But in order to infiltrate, Callum has to look helpless, so his arm is smashed, and he is beaten by the same man who is promising citizenship. When Callum returns to his little settlement, he finds a container with MREs, Meals Ready to Eat, and three inhalers for his brother. Excited, Callum told his brother the news, and James became excited. Captain Monroe, who promised Callum and his brother citizenship, called a meeting with Callum. Only to tell him that he would not get the citizenship, instead he got a pin of honor, which meant nothing to Callum.

Angrily, Callum went to his job. He helped Quarles with the dogs. Quarles was a balding fat man, but he was good for one thing, and that was to train attack dogs. He could do it quick and cheap. Callum was sent to look for a stray spotted in the old abandoned town up the road a ways. That’s when everything goes rye.

Forced to go on the run, Callum takes what he can just to survive. Many try to help him, and many are killed for doing so. It isn't until Callum meets Nat that anything really goes off track. But as time goes on, Cal gets closer and closer to Bear, and even Nat. And when trying to flee the country, Cal and his new friends are stopped, Cal must make a choice. He can either take Bear, or leave him. And he won’t make it far.

When Cal is recaptured by the Path, he is joined back with his brother, and Nat. James wants nothing to do with his brother, and Nat wants nothing more than to see everyone in the camp die. Including President Hill, the very one who started the Glorious Path. With the war almost over, Hill is coming to talk to the troops. Nat, the irrational person she is, decides that she will kill Hill. But Callum can’t let her do that. He knows what happens to traders of the Path. And he can’t let that happen to Nat.

With the war nearly ended, Cal takes James and heads back home. There real home. Back in New York with their parents. But after six years, who can tell what has happened. So James goes back to the Path to become a Barren. And Cal goes back. Back to a place he thought he would never want to see again. But he can’t resist. He can’t leave Bear.