~~
The projection flickered, Maya's voice echoed through the room, soft but clear:
"I don't remember having a home. Sometimes, I wonder if I ever had one."
Mahi let out a sound. It was not a cry. It was not a sob. It was something deeper, something more primal.
Her hands flew to her mouth, pressing against her lips as though she could physically hold back the grief that was threatening to consume her.
"No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No, no, no…She had a home.
She had….... she had us. She had a life and she doesn't remember it. She doesn't remember any of it."
Her voice grew quieter, more hollow.
"She doesn't even know she had a family who would have given anything to find her. My baby. My little girl."
Mahim stood motionless.
"She doesn't remember the way she used to laugh. The way she used to reach for me. The way she used to call me 'Daddy.'"
A single tear escaped from beneath his closed lids, tracing a slow path down his cheek.
"She was only a baby. She was only one year old. And they took everything from her. They took her memories, her sense of belonging."
He lowered his head,
"What kind of father am I? What kind of father lets his daughter grow up thinking she was never wanted?"
Farhan had turned away from the screen.
He was leaning against the wall, his hand pressed against his mouth, his shoulders shaking.
"She said it so casually, like it was nothing. Like she had already accepted it. She doesn't even wonder. She just accepts it like it's the most natural thing in the world."
Fahim remained near the console, his eyes fixed on the projection. His expression was carefully controlled.
"This is what happens when a child is deprived of attachment during the earliest years of development.
The brain learns that connection is unreliable. That attachment leads to pain.
She never learned that she was worthy of love. She never learned that she was worth fighting for.
She never learned that there were people who would never stop searching for her."
His voice cracked slightly.
"And that... that is the most devastating thing I have ever heard."
Silence. Then—
Maya's voice cut through the silence, flat and matter-of-fact:
"You've taken the trial four times. And you still haven't passed."
Subject 0011 blinked, clearly caught off guard.
"That's... that's one way to put it," he said, his voice tinged with defensiveness.
The family watched, their grief momentarily replaced by confusion. What was she doing?
Then Maya continued, her dark eyes unblinking:
"So many times and you're still in Code Orange. Stage Two."
Subject 0011 sputtered, his cheeks flushing. "Look, it's not as simple as it sounds. The trials are designed to be nearly impossible.
They change every time. They adapt to your weaknesses. They—"
"So you're saying you have a lot of weaknesses?"
Faha was the first to react. A sound escaped him, something between a choked sob and a startled laugh. He pressed his hand against his mouth,
"Did she just—" he started, his voice trembling. "Did she just call him out like that?"
He stared at the screen, his tears momentarily forgotten.
"She's roasting him. She's literally roasting him. She's sitting there, dismantling this poor boy's confidence like it's nothing."
A laugh escaped him— a real laugh, the first one in what felt like hours.
"Oh my God. She's ruthless. She's absolutely ruthless."
Fahad turned from the window, his red-rimmed eyes widening. His grief was still there but something else was creeping in—
something that might have been amazement.
"She's... she's teasing him," he said slowly, as though testing the words.
He watched as Subject 0011's face cycled through a series of expressions—outrage, disbelief, resignation, and finally, reluctant acceptance.
"I hate that I can't argue with you," Subject 0011 admitted, "Because technically, you're correct but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
Maya's lips twitched—the barest hint of a smile.
Mahi watched as Subject 0011 burst out laughing—a loud, surprised sound that echoed through the empty training hall.
"I can't believe you just said that," he said, still laughing.
"I can't believe you're still laughing after everything I've said to you. I'm starting to
think you enjoy making my life difficult."
"Maybe I do."
Mahi let out a sound— a soft laugh that was more sob than humor.
"She's so... she's so much like me. She's so much like my mother. She's so much like us."
Fahim was standing near the console, his eyes fixed on the screen. His expression was unreadable.
"She's using humor as a coping mechanism, It's a form of psychological resilience. By teasing him, she's creating a sense of normalcy. "
He paused, a faint smile touching his lips.
"It's remarkable. It's truly remarkable."
~~
The silence had settled over them like a soft blanke. Neither of them spoke.
Subject 0011's head was tilted back against the wall, his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mind still processing everything she had said.
The empty training hall stretched around them, vast and silent. It was almost peaceful.
Almost.
Maya's eyes drifted lazily across the room, her gaze unfocused, her mind still replaying the conversation.
Her eyes continued to wander. And then—
She saw them. [ Subject 0002. Subject 0004 ]
They were standing near the far wall, partially hidden in the shadows cast by one of the massive support pillars.
Their grey uniforms blended into the darkness, making them almost invisible to the untrained eye.
They were leaning against the wall, their arms crossed, their postures relaxed. But there was nothing relaxed about the way they were watching.
Their eyes were fixed on Maya and Subject 0011.
Maya's breath caught. Her body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
She forced herself to remain still, to give no indication that she had noticed them but her mind was racing.
How long have they been there? How much did they hear?
Stay calm. Don't react.
Subject 0002 shifted slightly, her weight transferring from one foot to the other.
Her sharp eyes, usually so cold and calculating, were fixed on Maya with an intensity. She had heard everything.
Maya could see it in the way she held herself—the slight tilt of her head, the imperceptible tightening of her jaw.
She had been listening for a long time.
Maybe from the very beginning.
Subject 0004 was more difficult to read. His face was a mask of stone, his expression unreadable. But his eyes—those cold eyes—were fixed on Maya with a focus that made her feel like a specimen under a microscope.
He was observing. Filing away every detail for future use.
She felt a strange mix of emotions— suspicion, and something else. Something that might have been... Fear?
He was dangerous, because he was patient. He watched. He waited. He struck when the moment was right.
She pushed the thought away.
Don't trust anyone. Don't let your guard down. They're all the same. But even as she thought it, she knew it wasn't true.
Subject 0004 was the first to break eye contact.
He turned his head slightly, his gaze drifting toward Subject 0011.
He must have been watching him for a long time, Maya realized. He must have been waiting to see if Subject 0011 would ever succeed.
And now, he had heard Maya's promise.
I'm going to take you with me.
Subject 0004's lips twitched, a barely perceptible movement that could have been a smirk.... He turned his gaze back to Maya, his eyes cold and assessing.
She met his gaze without flinching.
He raised one eyebrow—a silent acknowledgment, a challenge.
Maya felt her jaw tighten.
He's testing me. He wants to see if I'll break.
Maya let out a slow, shaky breath. Her body was trembling just slightly, almost imperceptibly.She had not realized she had been holding her breath.
Subject 0011 stirred beside her. He had not noticed the exchange , his mind still lost in thought.
"Are you okay?" he murmured, his voice drowsy.
Maya looked at Subject 0011— She did not want to worry him. She didn't want to shatter this fragile moment of peace.
"I'm fine, just thinking."
Subject 0011 smiled faintly, his eyes still closed. "Don't think too hard. It's bad for your health."
Maya's lips twitched, "I'll try."
And then— Maya felt it. Another pair of eyes on her.
It was not the cold, calculating gaze of Subject 0004. It was not the sharp, assessing stare of Subject 0002.
This was different.
This was the gaze of someone who was trying very hard not to be noticed. Someone who was hiding.
Her eyes drifted lazily across the room, her gaze unfocused, she did not want to alert the watcher. She wanted to see who it was before they knew they had been seen.
Her eyes moved slowly, tracing the lines of the concrete walls, the shadows pooling in the corners, the pillars that cast long.
And then— She saw him. [Subject 0014]
He was standing near the far corner of the room, partially hidden behind one of the massive support pillars. His bald head caught the fluorescent light, gleaming faintly.
His broad shoulders were hunched, his posture tense, as though he was trying to make himself smaller. His eyes were fixed on Maya and 0011.
Maya's breath caught in her throat. For a moment, she stared at him, her mind racing.
What was he doing here? How long had he been watching? How much had he heard?
Subject 0014's eyes widened.
He had seen her looking at him.
For a brief, frozen moment, they simply stared
at each other. Maya's expression was neutral, unreadable.
Subject 0014's face, however, was a canvas of emotions— panic, embarrassment, guilt.
He looked like a child who had been caught stealing from the kitchen.
His mouth opened. Closed, opened again. No sound came out. His face flushed a deep, mortified red that spread from his cheeks
to his bald scalp.
Maya watched him, her expression unchanging.
She could see the thoughts racing behind his eyes—
The frantic calculations, the desperate search
for an excuse, the realization that there was no excuse good enough.
His hands, which had been resting at his sides, began to twitch nervously. He shoved them into his pockets.
Maya blinked slowly, her lips twitching— just slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Subject 0014 saw it. His face grew even redder.
He took a step backward. Then another. His foot hit the wall, and he stopped. He looked around frantically as though searching for an escape route that did not exist.
Subject 0014's mouth opened again. A sound came out, something between a cough and a squeak.
"I—" he began, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat loudly.
"I wasn't eavesdropping! I was just, you know— passing through! And I happened to— I mean, I accidentally—"
Maya watched him in silence.
He paused, his face flushing even deeper.
"Don't tell anyone, Please?"
Subject 0011 stirred beside Maya, his eyes opening slowly. He blinked, his gaze unfocused and turned to look at Subject 0014.
"Subject 0014?" he said, his voice thick with confusion. "What are you doing here?"
Subject 0014's face cycled through a series of expressions— embarrassment, and finally, resignation.
"I was—" he began. Then he stopped. He let out a long, defeated sigh.
"I was listening, okay?" he admitted, his voice a miserable whisper. "I was curious. You were talking and I just— I couldn't help it. I'm sorry."
Subject 0011 stared at him, his expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
Subject 0014 looked at the floor, his shoulders hunched, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.
He looked utterly defeated— a far cry from the cruel, mocking figure who had taunted Maya in the training hall.
Maya continued to watch him, her expression unreadable.
She should have felt satisfied. She should have felt triumphant. Instead, she felt something else.
Something that might have been... Pity.
"Subject 0014," she said.
He flinched, his head snapping up to look at her. His eyes were wide, "Yes?"
Maya's dark eyes fixed on him, "How much did you hear?"
Subject 0014 swallowed hard. His throat moved visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
"All of it," he admitted.
"I see." She watched him for a long moment.
"Subject 0014, I know you're not the same person I saw earlier."
Subject 0014 blinked. His mouth opened slightly, his expression shifting from fear to confusion.
"You acted cruel because you wanted to protect yourself. Because you wanted to survive."
Subject 0014's breath caught.
"But that's not who you really are, is it?"
"How do you know?" he whispered.
"Because I've seen the same fear in myself."
Subject 0014 stared at her. His mouth opened, but no sound came out, "I'm sorry about that."
He paused, "But I heard what you said. About getting out. About taking him with you. And I—"
He stopped, unable to continue.
Maya looked at him, "Subject 0014, You can come sit with us."
"What?"
"Come sit with us," Maya repeated. "You don't have to be alone."
Subject 0014 stared at her.
Then, slowly, he walked toward them. His steps were hesitant. He lowered himself to the ground and sat beside them, his back against the wall.
Maya cleared her throat.
The sound was soft, barely more than a whisper but it carried through the empty training hall like a bell.
Subject 0011 stirred beside her, his eyes opening slowly. Subject 0014 tensed, his shoulders hunching as though bracing for impact.
Maya's voice, when it came, was clear. It carried across the room with surprising authority.
"Anyway ..... you know," she said, her dark eyes fixed on the shadows where Subject 0002 and Subject 0004 had been standing moments ago.
"this invitation extends to everyone. You don't have to hide and listen. You can just... come over."
For a agonizing moment, nothing happened.
The air grew heavy with tension. Maya could feel Subject 0011's eyes on her, his expression a mixture of confusion and alarm.
Subject 0014 had frozen, his breath caught in his throat, his face draining of color.
And then— Movement.
A figure stirred in the darkness near the far wall. Then another. Two sets of footsteps began to echo across the cold concrete floor.
Subject 0002 stepped into the light first.
Subject 0004 followed a moment later.
His stoic mask had cracked, revealing a flush of color spreading across his cheeks.
His jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on some distant point on the ceiling as though he could will himself to disappear.
They walked toward the small group huddled against the wall.
Their steps were uncertain— the steps of two people who had been caught doing something they absolutely should not have been doing.
And then, simultaneously, they stopped. They looked at each other. Their eyes met, their faces flushed.
They both opened their mouths at the same time.
"Who?!" their voices overlapping in perfect unison. "Who's hiding and listening?!"
They blinked. Their eyes darted to each other. Then back to Maya, then back to each other.
Subject 0002 recovered first. She straightened her spine, lifted her chin and adopted an expression of pure indignation. "Not me!"
Subject 0004 nodded vigorously, his face a mask of forced nonchalance. "Definitely not me."
"I was just standing."
"Same. Standing against the wall. It's a very... stand-able wall."
They both stopped. The silence that followed was somehow even more painful.
Subject 0014 stared at them, his mouth hanging open. He looked like he had just witnessed something completely incomprehensible—
Like watching two cats try to explain why they had knocked a glass off a table.
"Did you both just claim you weren't hiding , even though we all saw you from behind a pillar?"
Subject 0002's eye twitched. "We were not hiding. We were... observing."
"From behind a pillar," Subject 0014 deadpanned.
Maya watched the entire exchange with a carefully neutral expression.
They're ridiculous, she thought. Absolutely.... absolutely ridiculous.
Subject 0011 let out a soft, disbelieving laugh. "You were both hiding and listening and now you're trying to pretend you weren't."
Subject 0002's flush deepened. "I was not hiding."
"You were spying."
"Observing."
"Spying."
Subject 0011 shook his head slowly. "You're both impossible."
Subject 0002 huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm not the one who fell into the water during the trial."
Subject 0011's smile faltered. "That's low."
"I've been here for fifteen years, I've learned to play low."
Subject 0011 looked at Maya, his expression pleading. "Are you going to defend me?"
Maya blinked slowly. "You did fall into the water."
Subject 0011 stared at her. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"I'm on everyone's side," Maya said calmly.
"That's actually a good point."
"Thank you."
The silence that followed was different from the ones before.
Then— Subject 0002 walked toward Maya and Subject 0011, her steps slow but deliberate.
She lowered herself to the ground, her back against the cold concrete wall. She sat down
a few feet away.
Subject 0004 hesitated for a moment longer. Then with a quiet sigh he followed.
He positioned himself on the other side of Subject 0002, his posture guarded, his
eyes still watchful.
For a while, no one spoke.
Maya's eyes lingered on Subject 0002 and Subject 0004.
They had settled against the wall, their bodies relaxed—but their eyes never stopped moving. Never stopped scanning.
Subject 0002's gaze drifted to the door every few seconds. A quick, almost imperceptible flicker.
Subject 0004 was more subtle. His eyes moved in a slow, methodical pattern— sweeping across the room, every possible point of entry.
"You're both extremely cautious," she said finally.
Subject 0002's head turned slightly. Her sharp eyes fixed on Maya with that same calculating intensity. "What?"
"The way you watch the door. You're always alert. You're paying attention like someone who expects to be attacked at any moment."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Subject 0004's eyes narrowed. His face remained a mask of stone.
Subject 0002 opened her mouth—then closed it. For a moment, she seemed uncertain as though she was searching for the right words and finding none.
"We've been here a long time, We've learned to be careful."
"That's survival."
A pause.
Subject 0002's sharp eyes fixed on Maya. There was no cruelty in her gaze.
She tilted her head, her cropped black hair falling across her forehead. Her voice was quiet but carried an edge— a challenge wrapped in genuine curiosity.
"You're so small, so young. What do you know about survival?"
Subject 0011 tensed beside Maya. His eyes darted nervously between the two of them, his body bracing for conflict.
Subject 0014 shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the floor as though he wanted to disappear.
Subject 0004 remained still, his eyes fixed on Maya with quiet intensity. He was watching—waiting to see how she would respond.
Subject 0002's eyes never left Maya's face. "You've been here for what— a few weeks? A month?
You've had a few trials, a few punishments but that's not survival. That's just... endurance. Anyone can endure for a little while."
She leaned forward slightly, her gaze sharpening. "I've been here for so many years. I've watched children die.
I've watched them give up. I've watched them get dragged out of rooms like this and never come back."
Her voice hardened. "So I'll ask you again. What do you know about survival?"
Silence followed.
Maya simply held Subject 0002's gaze, her dark eyes calm and steady. For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then— a faint smile touched her lips. The smile of someone who had seen too much and learned too early.
Subject 0002's brow furrowed. "What? What are you smiling at?"
Maya tilted her head slightly, her dark hair falling across her face. Her voice was soft, so soft that the others had to lean in to hear her.
"I know what it's like to realize that no one is coming for you. I know what it's like to stop hoping because hoping hurts too much."
Subject 0002's eyes narrowed.
"I know what it's like to be so afraid that you can't even feel it anymore."
Subject 0002's eyes flickered, a glimpse of the person beneath.
"I may not have been here as long as you, I may not be able to survive. But I know how to live."
The silence stretched between them.
Subject 0002 stared at her. Her expression was unreadable, her sharp eyes searching Maya's face for something.
She found nothing.
Subject 0014 let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I thought she was going to eat you alive," he muttered under his breath.
Subject 0011 shot him a look. "I know what you're saying. Shut up anyway."