Irene’s POV

It was beyond frightening walking among the staff with full awareness of what’s going, and especially after breaking basically every protocol there was to break. Even looking at my dad was frightening. His face actually looked strange, wrong. I was never able to notice it before, but he wasn’t the man from my childhood. Not while he was under someone else’s control, but Solar could lift it. I just have to get past him like things were normal. Or as wrong as they were normally, I suppose.

“Irene,” He greeted me with a tight smile. Clearly he was stressed by what had happened. “Everyone’s been put back in their rooms with extra security?”

“Yes, Sir.”

He hums satisfied and looks back into the two way mirror peering into the empty experiment room that still has the wreckage from Wendy’s last visit. “Thanks for helping with overseeing our orders.”

“Of course. It’s my duty just as much as it is yours.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true…” He sighs and rubs his hands over his face. “I’m not sure how things are going to be from this point on. I haven’t yet spoken to our benefactor, but at the very least make your usual rounds. We were secure in here as far as I could tell. It was an outside factor that caught us off guard. Those three girls… I’m not even sure what we’ll do with the two girls who haven’t any gifts. I guess I’ll find out soon from… Our benefactor.”

She clearly scares him. “I will. I was about to start now, if that’s okay.”

He smiled more genuinely this time, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. It never did anymore. “Prudent as always. Go on now.” He shoos her away. Irene could tell that it was more about wallowing in his failure than it was about Irene doing her job.

Irene nods and walks off towards the subjects’ rooms. He’s a good man trapped with evil motivations. I’ll get you out soon. I’ll make sure it won’t be much longer.

Irene knew she had to talk to Moonbyul, but before that, she needed to see Wendy. Will things be different now that she’s fully herself?

Irene walks up to the door that now has a posted guard. She only had to give him an icy glare for him to back down from whatever he had planned to say.

“Stay out while I’m in there. If you want me, knock.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

She didn’t even have time to steel herself for this encounter. Irene was forced to move past the door fast, and the first glance she gets from Wendy is enough to know that she could have really used a moment.

It’s because the barrier was gone. All those fake memories and feelings that made her keep a distance had all dissipated when Solar showed her the truth.

“Irene.” Wendy uttered in disbelief. She probably thought that that was the end. But it couldn’t be. Not now.

“Wendy.” The most Irene can do is reach her hand out, and hope Wendy takes it because she knows that her own barriers weren’t the only ones between them. But it’s just enough that she takes it with almost no hesitation. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yes, just helmeted up again. Moonbyul and,” She pauses trying to think of the other name.

“Solar.” Irene supplies.

“Solar, right. They say it’s not our last shot.”

“They’re right, it’s not. I’ll make sure of it. Actually, I have an idea for our next shot.” Irene sits next to Wendy on her bed and takes her other hand. “It actually heavily involves you.”

“Me?” Wendy lets her close without resistance. “How can I help?” She gives Irene an anxious expression. Irene gives her hands a squeeze to try and calm her worries.

Solar’s POV

“What can you do?”  Minji asks.

“I can feel people emotions.” It was the simplified truth, and that would help in keeping the real important information away from her.

“Surely that isn’t all that you can do. I mean whatever it was you have assisted you in finding subject 22, right?”

“Wendy,” Solar corrected.

“Wendy then. But I’m not wrong am I?”

“No, but it only made me aware of her distress. We knew each other pretty well before, we had a connection that made me aware to her complete pain and discomfort. We found you because of your blog. But you knew that, didn’t you?” Solar couldn’t keep back the distain in her voice, but to her frustration Minji only seemed amused by it.

“I know it’s the reason your girlfriend got caught, but that doesn’t explain why you’re here now.”

No, I guess that would because of-

“No, don’t stop that thought. Tell me why you’re here.”

Solar closed her eyes and tried to think about anything else. Just keep thinking about Moonbyul. Her dumb face, her dumb smile, about how she and all my friends are in danger and every thought is a liability.  

Meanwhile, Solar could hear Minji move even closer to her, clearly displeased. Solar could tell simply by her aggressive movements, but the feelings she also radiated was pretty telling. She was now just inches away. Solar’s eyes involuntarily popped back open when she felt Minji pull her head towards her.  

“Are you sure that you don’t have anything to say before I press this to you?” Minji waved the baton before Solar’s face. “I strongly recommend that you do anything to avoid it.”

She didn’t know that Solar had already experienced the terrible sensation that resulted from Irene’s Father’s neurotoxin, and yeah, Solar wanted to avoid it by all means. But selling out Irene was out of the question.

Still, the neurotoxin was effective and there was no way she could withstand more than Minji was willing to give. She had to do something to avoid giving in.

Focusing on not thinking about a person’s face or name still meant you were focusing on that person, and that’s probably why Solar was thrown into Irene’s mind…

“Brute force.”

“Brute force?” Wendy asked not catching onto what Irene was implying.  

“Yes. The reason they took your memories away was to make you forget the knowledge of how to use your powers. You had suddenly gotten so powerful they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to contain you anymore. So what we need now is your memories because there are no more sneak attacks. The only way out is a direct attack with everything we got.”

“So what? Do I go to therapy?” Wendy asked like she wasn’t convinced that she was the answer to their problems.

“No, I think I have a much quicker means to our end.”

She’s thinking of me. What I did to her, I can probably do the same for Wendy, and then we’ll suddenly have a massive weapon on our side.

“What would that be?”

“I think Solar can undo what they’ve done to you. I’ll just have to find a way to get to her. It might be hard while the Benefactor’s here. She’s taken a special interest in her. Or so I’ve heard.”

I just need Irene to take off Wendy’s helmet, so I could get in Wendy’s mind... Take off her helmet. Take off her helmet.

“Here. Let’s take that thing off your head while I’m here. There’s no need for it.”

Wow. I’m amazing. Now I just need to switch places.

 Wendy tilts her head slightly so Irene can pull it off her head and set on the cot beside them. “Thanks. It’s actually pretty heavy.”

Solar could definitely feel the ache in her neck when she jumped in. It was no light device. That wasn’t the only indication that she had suddenly switched from Irene to Wendy. Unlike Irene, who now had all her past memories and experiences, Wendy was basically a blank slate.

The only thing she was fixated on now, other than her escape, was Irene. Maybe it was impossible to wipe away every lingering feeling that was there. Sungjae couldn’t take it all…

Right! That’s what I need to find. Those powerful feelings that connect strongly to memories. Her family, her friends, and any partners would be my best bet. I was already fixated on some of what she felt for Irene, but Irene’s still new to Wendy’s life. And on an even sadder note, she’s only been here for the bad in Wendy’s life.

I wonder if Seulgi’s still an important part of her life. They were close as could be in high school. Seulgi…

Yes! She has strong emotions for her, basically throughout her whole life.

They were young just like Wheein and I when they met. Wendy the quiet loner in school was only brought out of her shell because Seulgi forced it out of her, and she’s never went back since because Seulgi has always been by her side.

“Seulgi! Oh my god! She must be freaking out by now!” It was more than enough to bring Wendy back.

“Seulgi?”

“My best friend.”

“So you have your memories?” Now Irene was looking at Wendy in disbelief.

“Yes!” Wendy exclaimed excitedly. “Yes! Solar and Moonbyul have gifts like me!” Wendy shook Irene’s hands with a wild grin. “And they came to save me.” Her smile fell. “And now it’s my time to save them it seems. Well… I’m up to the task. With all of you guys by my side, I can do it.”

“I know you can, Wendy.” Irene pulled Wendy a bit closer with a sweeter, softer smile. Wendy was back. “Solar sure works fast, doesn’t she?”

“When she puts her mind to something…”

Wendy trailed off when she noticed Irene’s look. Wendy chuckled, her cheeks warming up. “What is that look for?”

“It might not be the right time to say something like this but, I’m really excited to start something with you outside of here.”

Wendy’s smile was now matching Irene’s smitten look. “You’re that sure that we’ll be getting out of here?”

“Yes. I have faith in us. In you.”

Wendy’s response came out a lot softer this time. She was slightly distracted by Irene’s lips. “Then I think it was a perfect time to say it.”

Wendy was so close to bending forward and experiencing just a bit of paradise, but she thought that maybe it something best saved for another time. A more private time perhaps. I wonder if she can feel me here.

“I should go check on the others before anything starts looking suspicious.”

Wendy was disappointed but after that audio snippet they heard earlier, she understood why Irene wouldn’t want to upset anyone. “Of course. You’ll tell me more about how we’re going to do things later, right?”

“Of course.” She pulled Wendy up with her and gave her a tight hug. “Just wait for me a bit longer, and I’ll be back sooner than you know it.”

I wonder who Irene’s going to check on next. Maybe Wheein… How is Wheein doing?

Wheein snickered endearingly, even as she was lying on the hard cold ground. “I can’t believe you already made a hole between our walls. It’s only been like three hours.”

“Well, I was bored in here. Plus, it wasn’t much work because of the grate they have down here.” She could hear Hwasa on the other side of the wall. Of course, if anyone could do it, Hwasa could.

“How long do you think we’ll actually have to stay stuck in these rooms?” Wheein’s question was quick to bring down the mood, but she was really worried.

“It won’t be long. I know Solar and Moonbyul will think of something. Plus, there’s also Irene. We’ll be out of here safe and sound soon enough.”

“I thought we had it back there, Hwasa. What went wrong? I mean, they had a ton of people ready to jump on us in that hallway. It kinda seemed like they knew we were coming. You don’t think they have someone that can tell the future, do you?”

“Nah, I just think they don’t want anyone leaving this facility. They had enough money to make this place, why wouldn’t they take the precautions?”

“That’s true…” Wheein sighed loudly. “I just want to know what we’re gonna do next. You think they’ll get to us soon?”

“We just have to be patient. I know they’ll let us know what’s happening next.”

I don’t know what was happening, but it was like I was being forced out of Wheein’s mind and back into my own.

“Oh, there you are. You were gone for a little bit, do you know that?” Solar didn’t respond, she was having a hard enough time trying to get her bearings. “Yeah. Here I was pressing this baton to you, and yet it seemed like you were twitching out of your own volition. So now my question is, where were you?”

“I don’t have to answer anything. I can leave again. Why don’t you put the work in yourself and try to find me?”

There was a slight shift in Minji’s frustrated look, like she had a little break through. “You’re implying something… I can find you in someone else then? Is that what you do? Root your subconscious in someone else?”

Solar’s jaw tightened knowing that she made a big mistake. She knew now that every mistake she made, Minji would catch onto. I have to watch my big mouth.

“I see you’re being quiet now.” Minji patted the baton into her hand with a wry smile. “I must be onto something.”

Minji for the first time since she’s walked in, turned away from Solar and headed towards the door. “For right now, you’re making me lose my patience. But I may have gotten an idea. You’ll just have to wait to see what it is.”

She didn’t bother giving Solar a last look when she slammed the door behind her.

That can’t be good. Solar thought, and yet still the momentary departure from Minji was a relief for now. Solar wiggled in her chair one last time before sighing and sitting back again. I really don’t want to see what Minji has in store for me. We need to put something into action as soon as we can.

Moonbyul’s POV

Before the air in the back of Irene’s dad’s throat could be released, Miinji stopped his attempt.

“Don’t bother. It doesn’t matter now. I just want you to do something useful for me right now.”

“What is it?” Moonbyul couldn’t see his face, but from the strained sound of his response she knew he was holding back some anger, and from what she heard from Solar and Minji’s conversation, there was no way he could really hide anything anyway.

“Round all of them up and put them in experiment room 2. I have to try something with that girl Solar.”

“If you’d share your plan, perhaps I could-“

“No. Just do as you’re told. I want to try it as soon as possible.”

There was a pause where Moonbyul couldn’t hear anything at all. She thought she lost her gift even.

“Well? Get moving.”

“Right. Yes, Ma’am.”

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