- "Director. "I've located the object."
- "Perfect. But your task is not finished yet, you know."
- "Understood; I'll keep you informed. But how long…"
- "You will receive my order"
- "Yes ma'am. Over and out."
This time Raon was once again out the rear exit of the the South Annex, which this time was not completely lonely, as four firstgens guarded her from afar. Her breath expelled the cold vapor of the cloudy night from between her lips, all the while she held a tray full of food after going incognito to the nearest restaurant and buying some good steak and chips.
"You were right, Kang Ma-ri, that place wasn't as bad an idea. Luckily it existed here too."
- Sister.
S-1 interrupted her thoughts, and as had been happening these past few weeks, she hadn't even bothered to stay alert all the time like she usually did. In her twin's case, being alert would never be enough, since her physical agility to get to Raon's back without warning was quite fearsome:
- I know. We can't prolong it any longer.
- I'll wait at the training ground.
As quietly as she appeared, she was gone again. The director just looked around:
- Hey you guys. Go back to overseer Kim, tell him there's no news tonight.
- Yes, ma'am - said one of them.
As soon as these escorts descended the steps back underground, the director prepared to leave; she returned on the maglev alone, taking corridors and elevators towards the living area. On her way the permanent employees greeted less fearfully, as well as her subordinates heading towards their quarters, soon reaching the right barrack. It was the first time she herself had gone personally, and taking into account it was 8 minus 24, she hoped to find the actress there with her companions.
And indeed. When she keyed the metal gate, she found everyone she had rescued from Shanghai right there, including Mr. Bae, who still stared at her in disbelief after all that time of seeing his character in the flesh and bone, while the others, all reticent, did not expect this sudden visit either. Mari herself was using her phone to write a diary entry, after hours of watching social media reels from that world, and was also surprised to see her there when she looked up. Young-ho was soundly asleep, still a bit weakened by the after-effects of his fever, and he didn't notice anything:
- And before you ask, your message app versions never worked here, can't blame me for that.
- Raon, what… are you doing here?
- You and I have to talk about something, and I also need you to come with me somewhere.
The actress stood up automatically; although she hadn't had any bad interactions with Raon lately, the fibers of her body and her reptilian brain still seemed to remember the consequences of unintentionally provoking her. The director pushed her lightly with a hand signal, just as her double put on shoes and reached where she was; Mari said bye to her peers before leaving as the door closed, and then both versions walked calmly through the hallway while Raon prepared for talking:
- I haven't been completely honest with you.
- I know you are manipulative already.
- Do you remember when I left you and those others in isolation for some time?
The actress shuddered:
- Yes, I still do.
- You and your boyfriend…suddenly got sick after a meal.
- He's not my boyfriend, we're just...
The actress stopped short, and looked at Raon, disappointed:
- It was you...I knew it.
The director continued walking:
- Yes.
- And I was so stupid…to follow this game of yours. Young-ho almost died because of you...
- That wasn't going to happen.
Mari then followed:
- Oh really? I know you'd be happy for him to die just for looking the same as that Onyx guy.
- I would not cry for him, nor leave him flowers at his funeral, but if I wanted to finish him off I would have done so already.
- So why did you make us sick? Raon, tell me. Wouldn't you never harm innocents?
- That wasn't my purpose. On the contrary, my intention was to uplift you...
- Uplift?
- You had told me that, in your world, superhumans do not exist...but here they do, and also many idiots in tights who call themselves heroes.
- And you told me that too...
- Point is, their existence is possible thanks to one thing; the superhuman genecode, the origin of all superpowers.
- What does that have to do with me...?
- It has everything to do. You see, I ordered genetically modified prions to be put on your food. These contained parts of the sequence, and were inserted in several phases so as not to generate a worse immune response. The result of this would come in two parts; first the assimilation phase, and then the activation phase.
- Are you meaning that...that now I...?
- According to recent blood tests, you have successfully assimilated the code into your own DNA. It was in my interest to observe this process without external disturbances, which is why you didn't receive medical attention, at least until my sister intervened.
- But what about Young-ho? Why didn't he come with us?
- Simple. His body was not able to assimilate it due to an immune response quantitatively greater than expected. The fact you have received the serums before could also be a determining factor.
- What you did to me Raon? I never consented this, and what does activation mean?
- In short, manifesting a superpower thanks to the active and healthy catalyst gene located right now on one of your chromosomes. This is what I want to check now.
Finally, they both reached a large double gate, which emitted a beam of light from its threshold that scanned the bar code on the back of Raon's neck, opening with ominous lightness to give a view of an enormous concrete field arranged with tracks, circuits and various other obstacles. A figure began to approach, and met them clad in tactical uniform and gas mask, taking off the latter; it was S-1, who looked at her with a particularly cold gaze:
- Very well Mari, time to see what you have.
Surprisingly, she grabbed her by the hair and with a single throw made her roll several meters across the hard ground; the actress barely got up and saw the twin's fist. To her own surprise, and barely realizing, both her hands reacted by instinct, one taking S-1's wrist and the other stopping the blow with her palm just short of the punch connecting with her face:
- But what...
There was no wait. S-1 kneed her in the face with even more force, and the actress arced backwards, falling painfully against the pavement, but soon she stood up again, scraped and somewhat bruised, but without significant injury. The only thing damaged had been the pajamas she wore, courtesy of who was now giving her a royal beating for no apparent reason, and even so, this was nothing more than quite the nuisance, however, if it kept being like this, it could get worse:
- S-1, stop now...please.
Mari felt an invisible force attract her towards the twin, who drew a training spear into one hand, preparing to impale her as Raon leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed, watching everything attentively as always. The metal rod was about to be stuck upwards from her abdomen, and it was then that the actress's fear of dying, remembering so many horrible things, made something happen she never expected:
- Ah, so that's it. – Raon muttered.
On the one hand, a peculiar vision had taken place. It was an animal shape, pastel pink, which glowed in fluorescent tones, no more than half a meter high nor a meter long; it ran with quick jumps and without the twin's telekinesis being able to do anything, it took the spear out of her hand with its snout and got away. Mari knew this was her chance, and so taking her by the waist, she hit her head against the twin's, who without flinching from took out a knife from her sheath to stick it between the actress's ribs.
Again the attack failed, as a new animal form bit into S-1's hand with sharp lower fangs, eating the weapon before the twin kicked it away; the actress looked carefully at the small luminous creature, and she realized that it was one of those mini pigs some people had as pets. The most notable difference, however, aside from its plasma, lamp-like phosphorescence, was that this being, like its identical twin running with the spear in its mouth, was made of what looked like burning wood.
- What are you?
As soon as she was aware of them they approached, lying down next to her, elevated as she was by S-1's other hand, who let her go at that very instant, backing off:
- I hope this is not all you can do. We restart in 5 – the twin stated.
The mini pigs went out, becoming warm to the touch, though hard as the wood they seemed to be made of; with curiosity at almost childish levels, Mari began to caress them, realizing that, despite their apparent roughness, she felt their surface soft and velvety:
- Hello, little ones. Where did you guys come from, huh?
The beings would turn up their bellies to be scratched, emitting a faint pink light, and when guided with the hand on the side of their heads, they would begin to spin around at full speed, making the concrete rattle with their cloven hooves, jumping playfully at the end. Soon she realized that whenever she thought about them doing something specific, they did it automatically.
- Hah, this is so incredible, hahah…
She got up and walked towards a part of the esplanade where some low metal posts stood, being immediately followed by the creatures; when she stopped, they did. Raon soon approached her:
- So, are you done playing? How does it feel?
- Raon, this is...it's...I still don't believe it...it is as flying or dreaming awake.
- Is that so? Never had such a sensation.
-When S-1 attacked me, I thought about everything, but there was something that crossed my mind at the end.
-And that would be...?
Raon looked with hidden curiosity at the creatures that were now going towards her ankles to rub themselves against them and pull her pantlegs:
- Chinese horoscope signs.
The director didn't say anything, not really knowing what to respond; she attributed it to the actress's fear and she preferred not to give it importance, at least not beyond what was necessary.
- Pig. Wood. Fire. Pink. Remember that every time you want to use your power, then.
- Why?
- The manifestations biting my ankles now...just as they came from your mind, you should be able to fade them. Come on, give it a try.
- I'll do…
Mari closed her eyes, and hurriedly extended a hand:
- Let's go...okay, little pigs...disappear...now!
She opened one eye, and then both, seeing they were both still there, now fighting each other at the feet of her counterpart. The latter sighed, turning her eyes and looking up:
- You must really want it. It's like when I use my own power.
S-1 approached again, ready for a second round:
- You have to want it, deeper in your mind, Mari.
Other three people, who had been training in another part of the circuit, also approached; they'd seen the commotion of the small luminous creatures running and stumbling in the last few minutes, including the one that had taken the spear and attracted their attention in the first place.
The first to speak was Koo Jae Won:
- It's true brat; your mind must be harmonized, all its parts setting the intention on a single objective.
The second person, a seasoned firstgen, seeking to give detail, complemented:
- Your instinctive mind prevented the vice-director from impaling you with that spear, but if you want to control it, it requires channeling your will into it. If you don't, Miss Double, you will die.
Then the third person spoke, Ah Ra, who looked paler than usual:
- These changes in your body must be hard on a metabolic level, but that is why we train, to make better use of our energies and use our skills efficiently on field missions. You should try again...
- It's interesting that you say that - S-1 replied - but I gave you an order. Did you finish the routine I sent you to do?
- Oh, well, ma'am, about that...
- For now just stand back and watch. You too, if you have nothing else to do. You will see how useful it is to continue the training without deviating.
- S-1, wait, but...
- Dispel those illusions... or die - she declared.
She then unholstered her handgun and Mari again felt that anxiety of life or death; the little pigs hid behind her with a wave of her hand, and in the next moment, she closed her eyes again, thinking she wanted to save her new little creatures from all harm, her friends, her family. A pink aura began to surround her, and in front of her, a new animal figure emerged from the ground, porcine like the others but larger, opening its jaws full of studded teeth as it launched itself at the twin, searching for her jugular to bite and destroy it with its bites:
- No, this is not what I asked you for, Mari...
S-1 turned to the side and immediately crouched beneath the being, stabbing the knife into its entire abdomen and using the momentum of the attack to rip it open, sending out violent sparks of fiery pink before it fell behind her and exploded. The explosion, however, did not expand normally, but rather surrounded the twin in a ring, and with her mind she threw it at Mari directly. The concentrated shockwave generated a blizzard within the field, forcing everyone to take cover; when it dissipated, Raon was seen surrounding the actress on a psychic bubble:
- I see those little things disappeared, sister.
Now Raon was at the shocked actress's side, helping her go up. Mari just stared with perplexity into S-1's cold, dead eyes:
- I had already done it... I made them disappear. Why did you do that?!
The twin responded dryly:
- There is still too much to learn about your power, see if there's more to it. You must be ready.
- You are crazy! I almost die!
- Real life is like that, Mari! – she exclaimed, approaching - And I assure you that next time there will be no one there to save you!
- Well, I'm not one of your soldiers with head problems! – the actress shouted to everyone - And real life is not crap like you think, is that clear to you? Only you mutants are crap!
There was a deafening silence until the twin responded, lowering her tone:
- You will have to be a soldier, you will have to know how to defend yourself, not only for the plans the director has for you, but for yourself. You will be if you want to return alive and ensure that what happened to you that day does not happen again.
S-1 was visibly upset and disappointed in the actress, speaking in a more tense tone than usual; what Mari said about her mental disorders had broken her inside, and it took all of her willpower to keep her trembling fists from obliterating her right then and there. Ah Ra looked to the side, with teary eyes and a darkened expression, the firstgen had a glare full of hatred towards the actress, smiling angrily and spitting before going off, and Jae Won held one arm trying to not do something imprudent while replying:
- Pray that I don't see you again, you insolent brat, I will slowly tear out your spine next time...
She left without Raon needing to threaten her as S-1 continued:
- You will return tomorrow at the same hour. And if you decide not to come, I will go myself and drag you here if necessary.
The twin put her hand on Ah Ra's shoulder, urging her to return to her training elsewhere. Raon did the same with Mari, and took her back the way they had come:
- I think we're done here. Now you must feel uncomfortable with me, but there's more to tell you...
- Your plans. Always your plans. You should have left us alone. We'd probably be at home now.
- I plan to find out why all this happened. Once the new portal is ready, we will go to the place where those who attacked you came from; I will search myself who the other Raon really is. But for this I will need your help, and this time I won't force you, as there is no reason for you to do this.
Mari shuddered, as she thought she would be a distraction at best, and a human decoy at worst. But this time she thought about how Raon acted recently, and while it was not enough to forgive her completely, at least it was a good signal. After all, the director and her underlings never intended to harm her or her people in the first place, and were not guilty of the horrid day her life changed; it was the others, and despite her fear, she wanted a retribution for the damage they did.