Mari and the other five were sitting on a pair of metal benches, attached to the smooth table of the same material; after approaching the rusty food counter, and picking up what looked least bad from that rude and filthy chef's buffet assortment, they had slowly begun to try some "specialties". The actress approached, without much enthusiasm, a disposable spoon overflowing with pasty, pale brown beans, preferring not to think too much, while she put the bite into her mouth, about the uncomfortable sting of that stew when combined with the hottest kimchi she'd ever tasted and which she had put aside a while ago. The cabbage at first looked good, smeared in red, but when she bit into it she felt that it was a bit gritty, giving it an intense smell of cod that invaded her palate in an unpleasant way before swallowing it with all the willpower she could gather; the dry rice, watery juice or portions of synthetic meat were way better.
- Remember that "ramyeon" with dry bread instead of pork? Better than this – Young-ho said.
- Who thought of putting scrambled eggs in it? And on top of that the sour broth – Bae replied.
At that moment the secretary interrupted, pointed to the beans with leftover cabbage and asked:
- Miss Jin?
- What do you want?
- Excuse my boldness, but... are you going to eat that...? It's just that I'm very hungry.
- There you have it.
- I appreciate it - she said, bowing.
Hee-hong handed her the leftovers on her own tray, along with what was left of rice; unlike the actress, the girl did eat each and every one of the half-chopped cabbage leaves for their weird spiciness to trick her stomach. She also ate the small portion of chicken mince in green sauce the actress ordered and then didn't venture to try, leaving nothing in a matter of seconds.
- Ugh, gross, how could you eat that? – Ji Na said.
- And what does that matter? At least it doesn't taste like salted glue paste – Bae replied.
- By complaining we're not going to get anywhere – Mari then interrupted.
- Small-chin is right, shut up, they're watching us - Hee-hong added.
- Don't call me that...
The others began to look around. The people eating at other tables were observing them or looking askance with unfriendly faces, especially the other Awoken Ones who, until then, ate in total silence, or if they spoke, they did so in such a low voice that they couldn't be heard at all.
- And what are these looking at? – Min Guk asked scared.
- Shhh, keep your voice down, do you want them to kill us? – Bae scolded her.
Hee-hong remembered the cold and apparently heartless gaze of her counterpart, because now he felt the same, as if ice stakes were piercing her chest, in this case not because of the cutting words, but because of the abysmal silence. Despite feeling as if an avalanche was going to fall over, everything indicated the matter would not get worse; those people whose attention they had just called, she realized, wore the same looks on their faces, less cold perhaps, but much more sullen and distrustful. She felt it in her bones, their eyes hid little the annoyance their presence caused them, or at least that was what it seemed to her when she scrituinized the entire dining room.
- Yes, please, stop looking - Mar told them.
- Ah, yes, yes... – Min Guk responded,
She took her eyes off the other diners, who in turn stopped looking at them to return to their dishes, most of which were quite similar, but with more generous portions than what they had; understandable, considering they should never have arrived at that grey bunker in the first place. On the other hand, closer to the main door, the base's civilian employees were gathered, food rations unlike that of Mari and her colleagues, having a much better color, portioned in the trays with lids from a catering service, in addition to having good smell and great flavor.
One group of those was discussing something:
- And well, Dr. Weisenschaft? You didn't answer my question, did they find anything else in the tissue analysis?
The woman the other was talking to was the same who had attended Mari when she arrived; her dry expression and severe frown were less warm than usual, as she was reluctant to say a word in front of someone who was not only younger, but staring from over her shoulder:
- I'm surprised a bureaucrat came to ask us instead of her - Weisenschaft replied
-Director Kim is busy at the moment. She must take care of other matters.
- And you, Supervisor Hoo? Your schedule is tight, and even so took the time to join us.
- Why wouldn't I? I have a duty to fulfill.
- Your assistance is so invaluable... - the doctor said, - Then let's get to the point.
- You see those six over there? All of them lack a superhuman genecode.
- Weird, but quite irrelevant...?
- Correct. But the ones Dr. Yoo reviewed are another story.
- What did you find?
- Three had identical types of stem cells, biologically immortal.
- That's not all…is it?
The one who interrupted was a young man with wavy navy blue hair and a thin build:
- Ah, Goo Joon, there you are - the doctor called out - I was just going to talk about the implants, but you can explain it better.
- Good afternoon, doctor - the young man greeted, and sat down - Yes, of course, ma'am... I mean, Mrs Hoo, I'll tell you...
- Hey boy, tell me Eun Mi already, no? - she retorted - Speak.
- Odd implants were found under the parietal bones of the cyborgs, so we analyzed them with robotics and cybernetic engineering teams. We discovered they're transmitters, and their transfer capacity is immense.
- How much?
- Tens of petabytes. Not only did we detect streams of information transmitting in real time, but when observing in the electron microscope we found structures, disks communicating to each other with photon waves.
- I don't see the point... - Hoo replied.
- This is too advanced for our current technology, I have never seen anything like it. The device was embedded to nanostructures in the white matter, so it's certain it also stored memory.
- Are you suggesting that...those dead things...
- If my theory is correct, they could generate a backup copy, potentially of their entire minds.
- I wonder then, why is it still a theory and you can't confirm it?
- Analyzing the software we discovered the data encrypted with an unknown code. I got more...
- Anything that represents an immediate danger?
- Well, you could say. Last night we found new tubular structures on the device, which connected to a power source; we detected traces of antimatter atoms decaying faster than normal.
- To the point.
- It is possible that the quantum transmissions sent by the hostiles not only involve sending intelligence, but also copies of their own minds, and even worse, that it is carried out between our own universe and theirs.
- Let me summarize. You're telling me, basically there could be a security breach... - Hoo stated.
- It's not possible - Goo Joon replied - the energy barrier around HQ would prevent any wireless transmission, even through a vortex according to known physical models - he added.
- Are you stupid?! – the doctor exclaimed – And then why did they keep transmitting?
- By automatic protocol, of course. No outside intrusions were detected, and all tests were done on concentric virtual servers; no leak could get through that.
Everyone was a little nervous about all this, but one of those present seemed to be more so than anyone else. He was an assistant, who was in a cold sweat, and who at that moment, after swallowing saliva, spoke with a trembling voice:
- That's the thing, chief Hae. Actually it could've…
- Huh? Who are you and why do you say that? – the overseer asked.
- I was one of those running the tests. Checked barrier status; there was a 0.2 second interruption…
- But, but how come...
- It was...my fault, I...overloaded the CPU trying to upload the data simultaneously from the four devices. It was 5 seconds only; that's when I saw an error window and the main screen... it froze for a moment. But...but it couldn't be right...?
- Oh my, I should have guessed...! – Eun Mi shouted, standing up.
The others followed her, ready to return to their places, whether they had finished eating or not; Goo Joon, on his part, approached his subordinate and, taking him by surprise, lifted him by the neck with one hand:
- What have you done?! You couldn't do that without authorization. You compromised the entire Division, stupid worm!
Mari and the others turned to look, frightened, while some of those at other tables stood up. One in particular among them went quickly towards Goo Joon, taking his other hand when he was about to punch the assistant. It was a short girl with reddish hair, wearing a training attire which included warm-up pants and the sleeveless T-shirt with the golden dragon seal:
- Stop, Goo Joon.
- Huh? – He hesitated, seeing himself exposed.
- Put him down now.
- Bae Rin... it's you... - and he looked at the assistant - yes, yes of course, I'll do it.
The chief reacted by dropping the poor guy on the floor, and the latter took the opportunity to run away. Eun Mi hurried out of the room, urgently pressing the communicator to speak to overseer Han and IT overseer Won, hoping to stop what was a major data leak to an enemy and, at worst, a succesful escape:
- Call the entire base! Security breach in the IT area! I request immediate shutdown of servers! And look for Yoo Pil Gun, computer assistant; I want him arrested for leaking information.
In a few seconds, Won spoke over the loudspeakers:
- General alert, quarantine code 04403 activated, servers shutdown in five seconds.
Then Han followed:
- This is overseer Han Jin Woo speaking. All rotating base personnel are ordered to remain at their workstations until further notice; all permanent personnel return to the cabins. Awoken One personnel, please proceed to your barracks and await instructions.
The actress and the rest looked at each other worriedly when the lights went out and were replaced by emergency lights from one moment to the next, but especially the moment the alarms began to sound; outside, the elusive assistant was intercepted in reception area and taken to the old prison. Weisenschaft also left the place without caring about anything other than her own safety, followed closely by guards, more of which began to appear on those corridors; Bae Rin now turned to her colleagues to leave, and she finally arrived at the table where the actors were.
- You six, come with me, right now.
They hesitated, but finally agreed when Mari herself got up and began to follow her:
- Hey... what's happening? Why should we return?
- A security alert was triggered, didn't you hear? Come on, let's go
- Will they just lock us up like that? – Bae asked, worried.
- It's for your safety - she responded.
- By the way – Mari interrupted – Can I ask your name?
- Sure. Name's Bae Rin.
- A pleasure... I think - the actress replied.
They continued through the corridors, went down an empty freight elevator, and finally entered with their guide's card to hab section, walking quickly towards the barrack; Bae Rin gestured for them to enter, all amidst the gloomy atmosphere of red lights. Without warning, the water sprinklers were activated, and there was a rumble making the ground shake, putting Bae Rin in tension, making her to warn all:
- You must remain inside. Do not make any noise.
- Do we have a choice? – Hee-hong asked.
- No – she responded.
- Wait, tell me something else - Mari called.
- Be brief.
- Do you know anything...about that portal? When can we go home?
She stared at him somewhat confused, but then a light of realization shone in her eyes:
- I forgot to tell you; director Kim established a 60-day deadline for the first trial to be done.
- Trial?
She cleared it, smirking:
- To get you out of here. Fortunate we can test the concept with live subjects, don't you think?
Everyone had a little more hope now, but nothing would be set in stone until it actually happened:
- Sounds good... - Mari said, doubtful - Thanks for telling us.
- Don't know you, but I hope it works for your own sake. This is no place for you.
Bae Rin closed the door by entering a password from outside and ran out to support any necessary effort after notifying her task had been completed; luckily, it was not raining in the room like in the hallways outside, but at the same time the place, affected by the increasing humidity, got colder. Minutes passed, and then half an hour, in the end the sprinklers went off followed by the alarm about a quarter of an hour later, this being known thanks to the digital clock above the door; it had rang to wake them up, but it also rang less loudly when the lights went off automatically last night. They continued waiting for several hours, but nothing happened; soon the topics of conversation ran out, and the two makeup artists snuggled up to each other on a mat, taking some comfort in each other's company, while Mr. Bae took a rusty screw and began scratching over the nearby wall.
- Why doesn't anyone come? This is horrible, I'm going crazy... – Young-ho said, sitting on the floor.
- Would they bring us any food? – added the secretary, who was massaging her foot.
- I hope so - Mari replied - Hey, - she added - will all that happened, I never asked your name.
- How rude on me - she apologized - I'm Bae Yoo-dan.
- So you and Mr. Bae are related?
- Well, no...I don't know, I think it's just a coincidence.
Suddenly footsteps were heard along with something rolling near the door, and then a sliding slot was opened in the middle of it, unfolding a short table where flat tuppers were placed, just what they had been waiting for. The slot closed again and that cart disappeared down the hallway alongside the person driving it, an old man with a bald head who didn't even turn to look at the place where he left the food:
- Good, dinner time – said Yoo-dan – it's already late, let's eat.
At the moment, the clock read 9:04 p.m.
The others moved heavily from their anomy, and soon could smell the food when also Mari uncovered the plate with her name written on it, fried rice with sautéed vegetables, pieces of sweet and sour meat with sesame seeds, some half-burnt gyozas, a little cardboard juice box and a spoon. Other to jump on her plate, after spending the entire time scratching her head nervously, was Hee-hong, who began devouring the contents off of it:
- Uh, thanks for the food...finally... - she said.
The others soon followed, including the actor, for whom Mari saved the tray that had the corresponding name; he bowed his head in gratitude and began to eat slowly:
- Hmph, whoever thought of preparing this doesn't fear death but...it's good.
After a relatively silent half hour, everyone would finish their dinners, and leave the trays deposited next to the door, in a bag at the back that, they assumed, was used to throw out the trash. The lights would go out again, and everyone would take a satisfying but uncomfortable nap until the next morning; in the first place, he didn't give importance to the slight tingling that he felt in the tips of his fingers when he was falling asleep, nor did she, for her part, take into account the heaviness of her head she assumed was the result of all their bizarre journey. Thus, Young-ho and Mari would sleep all night on two levels of the same bunk, after an agreement with Mr. Bae, who took the adjacent bunk; it was empty anyway.
It would be waking up the next morning when the complicated part would begin.
First she opened her eyes, but the actress did not clearly distinguish her surroundings; she then remembered and noticed, feeling threatened, at the clock marking 8:30 in the morning:
-But how come you don't...
Mari then felt what she ignored last night; her brain, in response to the movement of sitting down, palpitated painfully, and soon felt it was spinning inside her skull as if she was doing acrobatic skating on fire, her chest and forehead were hot, sweating. She would soon hear another sound, the first of the day, but not a very pleasant one; heavy movements and dry coughs with as much strength as his aching nerves would allow, it was Young-ho, struggling on the mat.
- What's going on? Young-ho, are you okey?
She looked around, and realized that the others were still asleep:
- Mr. Bae - she called - Mr. Bae, something is wrong with Young-ho, he got a fever...
No one responded, and she felt herself pulled down, finally yielding to Morpheus's arms once more; she would wake up, however, a few hours later, on another mat and with the director putting a makeshift compress on her forehead made from a shirt in the lockers near the door. She saw Yoo-dan looking through a kind of box placed at the bottom, as if looking for something useful, at the same time that Jin Hee-hong, of all people, put another compress on the shivering actor's forehead. Lifting him with an old sponge pillow, Ji Na and Min Guk helped him eat late breakfast, although he bellowed with a nausea that had him prostrate.
Those fevers repeated after each lunch, and after each dinner during the next days. Mari felt like she was getting used to the symptoms with each night she spent convalescing; every time she suffered less pain, went to the very narrow bathroom less frequently, and began to feel muscle and bone tingling intensely. On the other hand, Young-ho continued, as that week went by, as bad as he'd been since the beginning, laid on the bed no matter how hard he tried to get up; Hee-hong was charged to care for him, but she couldn't do much:
- We must ask for help - Mr. Bae urged - But the guy who brings the food doesn't listen to me.
- There has to be some way – Mari replied – If we do nothing...he could...
- Don't say that, Miss Kim - Yoo-dan told her - Surely your friend will get better.
More days passed, and despite the fears, no one else presented any symptoms or discomfort of any kind; the clothes were putin a bucket and washed every 3 days, the papery quilts and above all the food that arrived, surprisingly varied, were strictly separated between each one. One afternoon, the door window was cleared as Mari walked to leave her empty tray, and she looked at the one who was writing things down in a notebook; she recognized her as Dr. Weisenschaft:
- Please! – she exclaimed, slamming the door – We need help, my friend's dying! Give us medicine, I beg you! – she added, joining hands.
The woman, as cold as the first time, ignored the actress and closed the window, leaving as if nothing had happened:
- No! – she shouted – Come back here! Don't let him die! No...
Kang Ma-ri collapsed to the floor in a sea of tears. Hee-hong didn't know what to do other than comfort her with a tight hug.