Karen sat on the edge of the bed, the small USB clenched in her fist like it held the key to her entire existence.
Alex plugged it into his laptop. The screen flickered once before opening a single folder, titled:
Confidential – Avalon Initiative
Inside were only two files.
One was a document, the other... a video.
Luca leaned against the wall, arms crossed, but Karen noticed the tension in his jaw.
Alex clicked on the document first.
It was a project summary.
Project HER – Subject: K. Opara
Objective: Behavioral observation under extreme emotional and psychological conditions.
Funding Source: Internal Board Initiative, Secondary Partners (Off-Site).
Notes: "Subject exhibits early signs of cognitive dissonance resistance. Continued exposure may awaken latent potential.
Risk: If she remembers everything, we lose control."
Status: Escaped containment once. Recovered.
Directive: Observe, isolate, reintegrate, terminate if uncooperative.
Karen's blood turned to ice.
"Terminate...?" she whispered. "They were experimenting on me."
Alex's voice was a low growl. "Not just experimenting. They were watching you, controlling your life, your job, your placement at the company, even your transfer to Avalon."
Karen stood abruptly, pacing the room, breath shallow. "I thought I was just… unlucky. I thought bad things just happened,but they were designed. My disappearance, the retreat, the timing it wasn't fate It was a plan."
Alex turned toward the video file.
"I'm playing it," he said.
Karen nodded, bracing herself.
The screen flickered, a surveillance clip. Grainy.
Karen appeared in the frame, much younger maybe eighteen. She was standing in a waiting room, confused, dressed in hospital scrubs. Her eyes darted around nervously as a man behind the camera asked, "Do you remember why you're here?"
She shook her head.
"Good," the voice said. "Then we can begin."
The clip cut.
Karen covered her mouth with her hand.
Alex shut the laptop gently. He stood and pulled her into his arms.
"I didn't know," he said, voice thick. "Karen, I swear, I had no idea."
She buried her face in his chest. "They used me. My whole life… it was never mine."
"It is now," he whispered, cupping her cheek. "No one's taking it from you again. Not while I'm still breathing."
Their eyes met....deep, intense, broken and burning.
Something snapped in the silence.
Karen surged up on her toes, capturing his lips in a kiss that was desperate and raw. He responded instantly, pulling her closer, tighter, like he was afraid she'd vanish again. Her fingers tangled in his shirt as he guided her gently toward the bed, their movements frantic and tender all at once.
The weight of fear, of secrets, of stolen time melted between them.
As Alex laid her down, the firelight flickered across their skin, chasing shadows to the corners of the room.
Here, in the eye of a storm, they found the one thing Avalon couldn't control:
Each other.