Hyewon slammed the trunk door of their vehicle. "I can't believe you just did that! We were told to do the job quietly and quickly as much as possible but no. You had to snap that guy's neck!"

"Hye, calm down. What's done is done. Uno, next time let us do it." Suhyun quickly stepped in between the two when she saw Hyewon marching towards the new mutant.

"Dr. Kang said eliminate anyone who tries to stop us," the mutant replied flatly.

It took a lot on Hyewon not to strangle the mutant right then and there. She could only groan out her annoyance. She slammed her car door when she got inside the driver's seat. Suhyun sighed and told Uno to get in too so they could leave the place immediately.

"Let me drive? I have this feeling if I let you do it, your temper will get the best of you and kill us on the way back to the hideout," Suhyun buckles her seatbelt.

Hyewon started the engine and scoffed. "Now won't it be the best thing to happen? Three of us die, and they'll catch those bastards," she told Suhyun telepathically. Thanking no one in particular that Uno still rejects her DNA despite the continuous and numerous trials.

Suhyun can't help but crack a laugh. She looked at the other mutant in the back seat and saw a confused look plastered on her face. "Uno, seatbelt. We can still die you know and who knows we might get into an accident," she said only making the latter more confused. Uno didn't ask and just did what she was told.

*****

"Ms. Park, we just received a call. They said the President is missing, they think that either a professional or a mutant did it."

"I know. Thank you for telling me, Tzuyu. I'll handle it from here."

Jihyo then proceeds to make a call. Instructing to send the elite team for a special mission. Once the call is done, she proceeds to the medical wing where Dr. Myoui's office is located. She kept her expression calm as much as possible. When she entered the room she was surprised to see the students who escaped the other day.

"What are you all doing here?" she asked the group. However, everyone avoids her gaze except for Eunbi.

"Nothing. We're actually on our way out," Eunbi replied. The rest got the signal that Eunbi was trying to say, they all stood up and bowed politely before leaving the office.

“Can someone please remind me since when Ms. Park started to be suspicious? She used to be open to all of us but now we only see her when something bad happened or is about to happen,” Yena comments while they walk through the hallway.

“She definitely knows something. She even found out exactly where we were, right? This probably a part of her power that she does not share with anyone,” Chaeyeon suggested.

“Maybe. But almost everybody here knew your plan so it wasn’t really that surprising. Perhaps a tracking device on the vehicles?” Wongyoung spoke.

“Impossible, she would never do that which is why we always have staffs or professors to drive us out by groups,” Sakura reasoned.

“But one thing’s for sure like Chaen said, she definitely knows something,” Eunbi said firmly.

*****

The trio arrived at the hideout and thankfully, they’re all alive including their hostage. Hyewon instructed the robotic mutant to carry the President inside. She was still pissed with the latter’s mistake back at the Blue House. Even though they dealt with the man’s body the presidential staff will soon be noticed someone is missing his post and eventually realize that the President is missing.

“You really need to calm down. Here,” Suhyun slides a glass of cold water to Hyewon. “I’m going out to fetch some food for us. Try not to kill her while I’m out,” Suhyun stole the car key from Hyewon and skips to the exit.

“I don’t trust her,” Uno said as she ties the President on a chair. “She’s hiding something,” she added.

“Well, we don’t trust you too so that makes everything clear,” Hyewon replied.

“She’s hiding something from you and Dr. Kang.”

“Can you just stop talking if you’ll continue spewing nonsense? Thank you,” Hyewon sarcastically said. The mutant is slowly getting through her skin again and it’s taking a lot of her will not to pounce the latter just to shut her up.

Thankfully the girl didn’t talk. Hyewon steps out of the house and lets her mind wander. She was thinking about her friends. How much she already missed them when it has just been a few days. She shakes her head and sighed. She decided to run through their plan instead. Suhyun and her carefully planned the sabotage and so far, it’s flowing nicely except for the dead man. “Argh! There goes the dead man again!” Hyewon scolds herself to stop thinking about it and just make sure that Uno will no longer do something more stupid.

Lost with her own thoughts, she did not notice that Suhyun is back and already standing next to her. “A penny for your thoughts?”

“Jeez! Don’t creep on me like that!” Hyewon exclaimed, clutching her chest. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Suhyun laughed. “Not my fault you let your guard down. Anyway, why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be on watch?”

“He’s tied to a chair, Hyun. There’s nothing to watch.”

“! I wasn’t referring to him! Uno!”

The duo quickly runs back inside the house. Uno was sitting on a stool in front of the President. It looked nothing out of normal but the two knew better. They immediately pull the mutant away from him. “What are you doing?” Suhyun asked her.

“I got bored so I decided to take a look at his memories but boy! That was more boring. Imagine, doing honest work all your life for nothing. This man needs to learn a different version of living his life.”

Thanks to Suhyun’s DNA, Uno has a similar ability of her see the future but in her case, it was seeing the memories of the person with a touch. The difference between her and Suhyun’s is that Suhyun doesn’t really have control over it, whether she touches them or not, scenes would just flash right before her eyes. Suhyun pinched her nose bridge. Breathing in and out to calm her. “You’re bored? Go out. Count the birds or pebbles outside. Now.”

*****

“You were working with Suhyun?! She ratted us out?!” Yena exclaimed.

The group decided to confront the Headmaster after seeing heavy-suited men pulled up the driveway. The briefing just finished and since the Headmaster doesn’t have the luxury to waste time, she let the group hear their plan. Now the men are dismissed, Jihyo explained everything to them.

Jihyo then opens a television. It showed in the monitor live footage of Hyewon and Suhyun in the hideout. “Is that the President?” Chaeyeon looks at her and Jihyo nodded.

“They kidnapped him?!” they all gasped.

The group continued watching their friend. “Hyewon looks like a thug with those cards on her hands. Scary,” Yujin commented. 

Eunbi’s eyes never left the screen even if the Headmaster continued explaining their plans. She can’t hear or see anything else other than Hyewon. All she wants right now is to tightly hug Hyewon and run away with her. “I miss you so much, Hye.” As if Hyewon heard her plea, the latter’s gaze suddenly lands in the same direction where the camera is.

“Let us help. We’re not professionals like those men but we certainly can help them. After all, it was all thanks to us that you found something useful.” Eunbi was still looking at the screen, watching Hyewon’s small smiles as she plays cards with Suhyun. She finally looks at the Headmaster, “Either you will let us, or we will figure something out how to get there on our own.”

Jihyo runs her hand through her hair. She knew they would be helpful but the fact that they’re just a bunch of kids, that’s what is stopping her. She sighed and gave up, “Fine. But! You’ll follow instructions, just go with the initial plan. No rash decisions. Understood?”

The group squealed but quickly turns to serious after remembering this is something serious. They followed the Headmaster to one of the secret rooms the Academy has. They changed into a combat suit that would help them on their mission. “Are you giving us each of that too?” Sakura pointed at the guns.

“No! You don’t even know how to use to that,” she said to the younger mutants.

"We've played numerous shooting games before, how hard could it be?" Sakura reasoned.

"No," the headmaster firmly answered.

“You could teach us?” Yena suggested, hoping Jihyo would agree.

“I said no and that's final. You have your abilities, there’s no need for that. Now, let’s get you girls going.”

*****

It was already late and they just finished informing the presidential staff and discussing their conditions in exchange for the President’s life. Failing to meet their terms will automatically lead to the President’s damnation as well the other lives whoever tries to stop them.

Suhyun was waiting with Dr. Kang outside for his car to arrive. “Tell me, Suhyun. Are you and Hyewon still loyal to me? To the organization?”

Suhyun thought they were doing fine with their pretending. She was surprised but still remained calm, “ Of course. Why would you think otherwise? We’re grateful you created us, you gave us something that a lot of people envied.”

“Are you sure? Because someone has told me that you two are hiding something from me. Given the previews circumstances, I can never be too sure.”

“That ,” Suhyun clenched her fist.

“I assure you that our loyalty remains to you and the organization only. Whoever told you that must be trying to control you,” Suhyun answered.

Dr. Kang laughed, “That’s exactly what she told me. She said you would say those words to convince me.” Dr. Kang faced her and held her neck, “You better make sure you’re telling the truth, Suhyun. Because if I find out you’re the one lying, I will not hesitate to kill Hyewon.” The man lets go of her, “Killing you will be a waste on our end, killing Hyewon will remind you where you started. Also, she’s not my old Hyewon. She was brainwashed in that facility,” he said with so much disgust on his tone.

The car finally arrives and he enters without even giving her a last look. Suhyun watched the car disappear. She unconsciously her neck. “Damn it! He’s onto us.” Her worry continues to grow when no one answered her call. She’s been trying to call Ms. Park for an update but still got nothing after a few more attempts. She sighed and decided to go back inside.

“Will you please shut up?” Hyewon screamed. “Stop bothering me!” she added.

“What did I do now?” Uno answered. Not backing down to Hyewon as the other mutant wants to assert her dominance as well. She believes she’s stronger than Hyewon.

“Your existence! Your whole existence needs to shut up! You know I can hear your thoughts but you still continued telling me that Suhyun killed someone dear to me! You keep saying that I will kill someone I love. Well newsflash, the only person I’ll be killing is you if you don’t stop! You’re ing annoying me to death!” Hyewon was about to storm out but looks back and say, “By the way, you can only see the past! You’ll never be able to see the future!”

Suhyun was left standing by the door bewildered. She has never seen Hyewon so pissed like that. She walks up to Uno and asked her what happened. To her satisfaction, Uno told her everything and admitted it was her fault. She advised the other mutant not to get on Hyewon’s nerves next time.

“You know what I’m talking about though. And you’re only telling me not to do it again because you know something will happen to her. Like killing a beloved one? Maybe it’s you when she finds out what you did to Jennie or is it someone else? Perhaps one of her friends from that crappy facility?” Uno spoke flatly. “You know I took a peek of your memory last night. You are really brave! Going behind people’s backs is definitely your thing. You went behind our back and Hyewon’s back. Plotting against us was definitely wrong, Suhyun. I know everything,” Uno grinned sinisterly. It didn’t fade even Suhyun tackled her to the ground.

“I badly want to kill you right now,” Suhyun has her knife against Uno’s throat.

“But you can’t. Killing me means killing Hyewon as well and you know that. Let’s rest and kill each other tomorrow. How bout that?” Uno smirked.

*****

Hyewon released her anger and annoyance by thrashing her surrounding. Branches broke on her will, pebbles flew in every direction, and the ground even cracked a little when she stomped her feet. The last thing she did was scream and with that, she was finally able to calm herself.

Hyewon sits on the dirt. She doesn’t know why but she started feeling a lot of pain in her chest. She suddenly felt very sad to the point she started crying without knowing why. She then started to yearn for warmth, physical warmth. She then remembers Jennie. She remembered how the lady taught her how to play the guitar, their academic lessons to keep them knowledgeable even though they are kept hidden. She remembered how the lady gave her a warm smile with every compliment she said, how the lady was proud of her after every successful mission, and lastly, she remembered the goodness the lady showed to her.

Jennie was the first one who came to her room when their organization was found out by the government the first time. It was a bloodbath, good vs. evil. Instead of saving herself, Jennie came to her room to rescue her and told her that the opportunity to live normally and freely has finally come to her. So close to the said freedom, they were stopped by the organization. They instantly picked up that Jennie was trying to help her escape. Playing an important role in the organization, they tried to stop them. They kept running and running until they started to open fire. Thanks to the mutated DNAs and unending experiments, she was bulletproof but sadly, Jennie is not. Jennie is just a normal lady who used to work as a teacher.

Hyewon remembers vividly how Jennie took her last breath, “Live freely, Hyewon. You deserve to be happy just like everyone else. Find your home, find your people.”

Hyewon snaps back to reality as her anger started to build up again. She tries everything and her hardest to calm herself but the pain was unbearable. The pain of not being able to protect someone dearly despite having abilities, the pain of watching her die in her arms and still thinking of her welfare instead of her own. It was unbearable. Hyewon screamed again but this time, it didn’t help. She stands up and punched the nearest tree, easily knocking it over without a graze on her knuckle. Still feeling heavy, Hyewon finally decided that the only thing that could calm her at this point is if she tires herself out. She then starts running, not noticing that she was running faster than she used to. She runs and runs around the city and back to the hideout without noticing. All she wants right now is to feel nothing, feel numb. She only stopped running when she saw Suhyun standing in the same place earlier, looking worried.

Hyewon immediately launched herself for a tight hug and cried, “I watched Jennie die. She died because of me.” Suhyun stands frozen for a moment. When she gathered herself back, she hugs back Hyewon and let the mutant cry.

Suhyun looked around the area, fallen trees, cracked groun, and traces from her running, it was a mess, and finally, she realized that none of these are Hyewon’s abilities. “It’s not only power but powers? Did she finally unlock it? Did Eunbi come here and talk to her? What happened, Hye?”