Malencia "Cia" Vale
Cia is the protagonist and narrator. She's a highly skilled young woman determined to rescue her brother, friends, and herself from the machinations of the United Commonwealth because she's witnessed firsthand during the Testing that the government does not care about the health and well-being of its citizens. Although she's scared, Cia agrees to become an inside agent at Tosu University, working to find evidence of the government sanctioned murders of students who fail or prove disloyal. She works from the inside, making sacrifices like her relationship to Tomas along the way. In the end, Cia learns that she's been a pawn in Dr. Barnes' scheme the entire time, just like Michael Gallen.
Tomas Endress
Tomas is Cia's boyfriend. He also attends Tosu University, studying biological engineering. He's not nearly as successful as Cia, so he manages to stay off the radar and blend into the anonymity of the crowd. Although he doesn't understand why Cia is pushing him away, he continues to believe that she knows what she's doing and has a reason for her distance.
Will, Stacia, and Obadiah
These are Cia's friends from the Testing. The first two end up at Tosu University, but Obadiah fails the tests and is redirected. The discovery of his body is what propels Cia, via horror, into the rebellion.
Michael Gallen
Gallen is leading the rebellion. He wants to overthrow Callindar in her office as president in order to replace her himself, as leader of the rebellion. Although he is fighting against violence, he agrees to employ violence in order to make the rebellion successful. He first approaches Cia with her secret mission to become Callindar's intern and a double agent.
Dr. Jedidiah Barnes
Dr. Barnes is the action man, second under President Collindar, but he actually exercises more practical power than her. He is the one who has instituted redirection as policy because he sees no value in people who will not further the power of the United Commonwealth. He proves his true genius when, in the end, he is revealed to have surreptitiously established the rebellion as a way to weed out disloyal citizens.
Symon Dean
Symon is another member of the rebellion intent upon ending the Testing. He works in Gallen's world, far from Cia, but she meets him just in time to witness him murder Gallen. As it turns out, Symon is working for Dr. Barnes as a double agent.
President Annaline Collindar
Collindar is a politician, meaning she is charming and apparently clean. She keeps Cia nearby, but she doesn't confide much beyond her sentiments about the low graduation rate on campus. Her power is more on paper than in reality.
Zeen
Zeen is Cia's brother who gave her the Tranist Communicator as a means of recovering her memories.
Ranetta Janke
She is another leader among the rebels who advocates for violent takeover.
Will, Enzo, and Damone
These three are Cia's inferiors on her team competing for the internship. In the end, they help her win the position, but Damone is dissatisfied. He wants the job for himself and even tries to kill Cia for it.
