United

You were born with it: the timer. Everyone at least had 15 years at the time of birth because that was the youngest you could be to meet your soulmate. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you already know your soulmate. I know what your thinking; if it goes off when you meet your soulmate, how could you have already known them? It's quite simple actually. Sometimes you're just not ready to realize that he/she is the one so you haven't met them as your soulmate yet. You could've met them as a friend or maybe even someone you hated.

Athena was born with her timer at exactly 21 years. Her mum saved the second her timer started; 1:03 am on November 9th, 2034. Athena didn't care for the timer because she didn't believe the whole "timer to meet your soulmate." The government assured everyone that it worked but it just felt to controlling. Athena hated both of those things: the government and being controlled. Her best friend since age seven, Payton, thought she was crazy not to believe.
Payton was born the day before Athena, exactly at 1:03 am on November 8th, 2034. Payton's timer was set for 21 years and one day. Payton joked that they were destined to be best friends because they would met their soulmate's together. Athena believed it to be a freaky coincidence, but she always listened to Payton's crazy ramblings.

The government controlled everything now. They told you where you would live, your job, who you married, and so much more. Athena openly hated the government but it only made the government more persistent on controlling her. As soon as Athena turned 18 (when you received your job assignment), the government put her up close and personal. They moved her to the headquarters in America from her home country of Australia. Luckily, they moved her best friends, Payton Maz and Luke Hemmings, with her. They also all received the job assignment, secretary, and they all lived in the secretary building.
The higher-ups in the government lived in the Dome. Despite all three being sectaries, Athena received a lot more money than her "coworkers" because she is the Chancellor's secretary, AKA the highest ranking in the government and you could compare him to a president way back when, minus any checks or balances. Democracy had been crushed out in 2016 when Donald Trump was elected as President of the United States of America. Foreign alliances were destroyed, war broke out, both civil and foreign, and soon the Uncle Sam country fell into anarchy. That's when the Chancellor comes in. He swooped in when they were still on the ground. Everyone loved his ideals of peace that he raved about and after everyone took to him in America, his reach spread. Like spider's limbs, his fingers spread over country after country until all seven continents idly stood beneath his feet.
Athena hated him but she couldn't deny he was a scholar. He let everyone believe that they had held onto the "good parts" of the democracy like voting for our next leader. Problem with that is the Chancellor picked the people who ran in the races. Today, Bobby Horan, the Chancellor, would present his hand selected candidates. Athena knew who they were; it would be Niall Horan and Celina Auburn.
Bobby Horan had been running this "government" for over 39 years. Now, at the age of 88, he's trying to get his grandson, Niall, elected. Niall is obviously the perfect candidate for Bobby because he spent all 23 years of his life living in the Dome being brainwashed by his grandfather. People are hesitant to elect Niall as chancellor because of his young age but Athena thinks he shouldn't be elected for his ignorance. However, the Chancellor was going to rig the election anyway...
People in our society had their heads so far up the Chancellor's ass, they wouldn't even notice. Journalism was definitely not a freedom anymore. The election will be covered by their only anchorwoman, Payton Maz. She’s the secretary to Ashton Irwin. Irwin is the Director of Journalism, any type of journalism goes through him. He takes it to the Chancellor for one more look over before it comes out “live.” Of course, Irwin was appointed to his position by none other than the Chancellor.
Athena doesn’t think she’s the only person who sees the corrupt society they live in but the Chancellor has the ability to “remove” somebody from the society. Despite the “polls” that come out that compare past poverty to the “non-existent” poverty now, it’s all lies. The Chancellor puts all the disobedient in the low ranking jobs that don’t pay a lot and then pretends that everyone gets payed the same with the fake polls. It would take a lot to take the government down, but Athena is thinking the opportunity is just around the corner. After having the same leader for so long, this election is going to get quite a bit of attention.
The government is like a pipe system. The people from within the society are the gas moving through these pipes. As the gas gets excited, pressure starts to build inside the pipes. Strike it when the pressure has built up really bad, an explosion happens. Now, you have vulnerable pipes. This is Athena’s plan.

Notes