Jean was awaken because of the blinding light. She closed her eyes tighter to recover from it.
                “Oops, sorry, sweetie. Does it hurt? Why were you hurt? This is what your power looks like!” the man said.
She sighed hearing Fienes’ voice. She slowly opened her eyes when she felt the blinding light turned dim. Her eyes widened when she realized she was in a laboratory. She struggled, trying to free herself from the laboratory bed where she was tied up. Her mouth was muzzled and she felt something in her neck, which elevated her emotions.
“There… there it is!”Fienes said and laughed manically. “I want to see some results later. Work on her emotions. Make her feel extreme emotions.” He said and left.
The people wearing lab gowns did something in their monitors and a hologram monitor appeared in front of her. It was a live video of someone being beaten to death. When the video focused on the victim, she realized it was her boss, tied in a pole and was beaten by Fienes’ goons. She felt rage and tried to free herself again but the rope was too tight and she cannot do anything but cry bitterly for Gary.
*****
                At the MARVELOUS Compound, they tried to override the jam cams and nearby CCTVs just to find Jean. Pierre even used his powers. They had been trying to locate Jean for 24 hours now but none of their Intel could report anything useful.
                Anthony slammed his hands on the table which startled the others. He stood from his seat and went out of the tech lab. He went straight to his office. Nash followed him.
                “Why are you here? I want to be alone to be able to think.” He said.
                “I know we are all worried, but you acting like that in front of everybody is adding to the tension.” Nash stated.
                “I promised she will be safe here.” He said as he closed his eyes and pressed his temples to stop himself from crying.
                “I know. And so are we. We all promised her that.”
                He opened his eyes and went behind his office desk. He opened one of his drawers and pulled something out of it. Nash was only observing. He put the box on top of his desk as he took his seat in his swivel chair.
                “What is that?” she asked and went to his desk to see what’s inside the box.
                “I planned to give it to her as a gift once her training is done.”
                Nash opened the box and inside of it is a watch.
                “A watch.” She stated.
                Anthony took the box from Nash and turned it on.
                “It’s not just a watch. This is a modified replica of the watch I gave to Pierre when he was a new member. It has a tracker, a body heater, a parachute, and a shield. I added emotional pulse tracker for Jean and an emotional pulse regulator as well. But what good does it have now that we can’t even use it to find her just because I was waiting?” he said angrily, more to himself.
                “She will use it. We will find her. We just need you to focus and don’t let your emotions eat you. We already lost 24 hours. We don’t want to make it 48.” She said, determined.
                Anthony nodded.
                “I just need some time alone to gather myself. I will be with you shortly.” He said.
                Nash nodded and went out of Anthony’s office.
*****
                Jean didn’t know she passed out during her emotional torture. When she woke up, she was already in the room she was locked in, but this time, she weren’t tied. She touched her neck and the thing was still there. She tried to manipulate the lights but nothing happened. Her stomach growled. She was hungry. Her eyes darted on the table at the corner. There was something there. She went to look at it and it was food! It is a bread in a zip lock and beside it is a to-go cup. She looked inside and it was water! She gulped it at once and ate her bread like a hungry homeless person. When she was done eating, all her hopelessness flowed inside her and she started crying. She had never felt this hopeless before. Even when she was alone when she was a child, she never experienced feeling abandoned, lonely, and hopeless.
                She heard the loud thumping again. She wiped her tears from her eyes and cheeks and prepared to attack whoever comes in. The door opened and Fienes entered the room.
                “What do you want?” she asked warily.
                “I want to see you in full bloom, my rose.” He said.
                “You want to see me in full bloom? Then remove this and I will show you.” She said, referring to the thing in her neck.
                “You are really smart! How did you know that thing was supposed to block your powers?” he asked.
                “I’ve seen this… in my dreams.” She answered.
                “Oh… so your power enhanced! You can’t see the future before, sweetheart.”
                “Just like you can’t see it now.” She said and grabbed the table and threw it on Fienes but he was able to dodge it.
                “Oh, you are also strong!” he taunted.
                She charged towards him but he was able to stop her with a Taser. She was electrocuted because of the power diffuser in her neck. She fell convulsing in the ground. Tears fell on her eyes because of the electric shock. Fienes knelt beside her and pulled out something from his coat. He showed it to her, knowing she can’t do anything.
                “I know you know what this is. You stole a few crates from me, remember? But this one, sweetie,” he paused as he pinched her right arm and inject the fluid in it, “this is a modified version. Some of my good friends, who also attended the ball, agreed to be the test subjects which made this a refined version to see reality.”
                ‘So those people whom they saw being carried by the security agreed to be test subjects?’ Jean thought to herself.
                Fienes picked her up and carried her to her bed. She could not resist since her body was still recovering from the electric shock.
                “Tomorrow, when the nxs13 finally fused with your memory cells, you will remember what you have suppressed.” He said and left.
                ‘Nxs13? Because it was called nxs12? What a simpleton!’ she rolled her eyes.
*****
                “I got an Intel!” Pierre excitedly announced.
                They all looked at him, hoping for a good news.
                “The critters was able to find her scent in Gukayab.” He said.
                “Particularly where?” Leinth asked.
                “In the underground river.”
                “That’s it? Nothing more?” Leinth asked.
                “That’s a great lead, Pierre. Thank you.” Tin said and looked at his brother.
                “What are we waiting for? We’ll start our search there.” Anthony said and grabbed his coat.
                “We need a plan before going there. It might be a decoy, no offense Pierre. I know animals and insects have heightened senses but we know Fienes. He work meticulously.” Aiden said.
                “Aiden is right.” Nash seconded.
                “So what do you suggest?” Anthony asked impatiently.
                “We’ll do the search and rescue by team. We will cover areas around the underground river’s vicinity. Anthony, Pierre, and Nash will search Gukayab. Vera, Jon, and Leinth will search Bakir. I, Simon, and Caleb will cover Dirraas. Benedict, Tin, and Rodrigo will cover Arreis Erdam.” Aiden directed.
                “Then there’s no time to waste. Let’s go.” Anthony said and went ahead. They all went to their own teams.
*****
                “Sir, they had a lead on Ms. Duque.” Marsha reported to Freeman.
                “Where?” Freeman asked.
                “According to Earwig, the last scent of Ms. Duque was tracked in the underground river. The MARVELOUS, together with Abberant and Lanner, went to a search and rescue operation.” She informed.
                “Call in Ibis and Avocet to help in the search on the underground river.” Freeman ordered.
                “Yes, sir.” She said and left his office.
*****
                Jean woke up and there was someone standing in the middle of her room. It was a lady and her back is against Jean. Was she seeing a ghost or an angel?
                “W-who are you?” Jean asked, her voice was almost a whisper.
                The lady slowly turned around and she was shocked.
                “Why do you look so surprised?” the lady asked.
                “W-who are you?” she asked again, terrified.
                “I am you, Jean. Or should I call you, Diane?” the lady asked.
                “You’re… not me.”
                “Pray, allow me to present myself. Siak ni Amora nga taga Bakir (I am Amora of Bakir)” the lady introduced herself.
                “You’re Amora…”
                “Kaykayat ko ni Diane ngem sika. Natultulnog. (I liked Diane than you. She’s submissive.)”
                “Because she’s young. You can easily mani--- did I just understand you?” she asked Amora.
                “Apay kuma ta madim maawatan iti inna a pagsasaom? (Why shouldn’t you understand your mother tongue?)”
                “Because this is not real. You are not real. I can understand you but I don’t speak that language!” she exclaimed.
                She was shocked when Amora jumped in front of her and held her arms.
                “Siak ti kinapudno a kasapulan nga urnosam. (I am the reality that you need to accept.)”
                “If I am going to accept you, you will use my body as your weapon. I won’t allow it.”
                “Saan ko nga alaen ti bagim. Mabalin ta nga aggudwa. Nu mabannog ka, sak laeng buludin ti bagim tapno makainana ka. Awaten nak a kas kinapudnom tapno magun-od mo ti amin a pwersam. (I will not take over your body. We can share. If you are tired, then I will borrow your body so you could rest. Just accept me as your reality and you will regain all your powers.)”
                Jean thought for a second.
                “Are you true to your words?”
                “Adda kenka nu mamati ka. Ngem daytoy ti maikarik, amin nga nasursurok idi ket ipaay ko kenka nu awaten nak. (It’s up to you if you’re going to believe. But this is what I can promise, all the things I learned, I can give it all to you if you’re going to accept me.)”
                ‘She’s really persuasive.’ Jean thought to herself. She knows this is just a dream. There’s no harm in accepting this dream.
                “Then… I accept you as me.” She said.
                Amora smiled widely and kissed her.
                “Gaaahnk!” Jean breathe and she took her seat and coughed until she turned reddish. She thumped her chest hard until she can breathe normally. She rested her back on the wall. She can feel something inside her. Something burning. She touched her neck and the diffuser is still there. She tried to make her fingers dance and a spark came out of it. She tried it again and the spark played through her fingertips.
                ‘I can use my powers! She exclaimed in her thoughts. ‘Was it because of the Taser?’ she asked again.
                “Siak ti makagapo. (I am the reason.)” she heard Amora in the back of her head.
                “What the heck! It wasn’t a dream!” Jean exclaimed in her thoughts.
                “Siak ti kinapudnom. Haan nak nga tagtagainep laeng. (I am your reality. I am not just a dream)” she answered.
                “Then can I use your power?” she asked.
                “It was ours. What’s mine is yours. Use it as much as you want.” Amora said.
                “Thank you, Amora.”
                But Jean did not get any response. She silently thanked Fienes’ stupid nxs13. It was really effective to see reality. It’s payback time.