Sophie spun on her heel and paced ten steps in the opposite direction. Again. And again. And again.

She was stalling.

The metal door was locked from the outside; she had tried it. It had been a long time since Livvy had visited her in the morning. Sophie half expected a Black Swan member to come in at any minute, hopefully with food. Preferably not poisoned. 

Sophie was currently recalling every step she had taken yesterday and this morning, skipping over the holes she had discovered when she woke up. She didn't want to forget a single thing, and so far, she hadn't. She was glad. She chanted the memories in her head like a mantra. 

There was a knock on the door, and Sophie froze, icy dread sliding its way down to her stomach with a heavy thud. No. She wasn't ready.

She wasn't ready to...

To tell the Black Swan that she would take the medicine.

Sophie had a plan. It was a plan with many holes, but hey, desperate situations called for desperate measures, right?

What Sophie had said to the Black Swan before was as true now as it was then. She would exhaust all of her options before injecting herself with anything of the Black Swan's.

And Sophie still had another option. Well, it was an option she had attempted before... but now Sophie would come from a different angle.

An escape plan. Or... an information drop-off plan, more specifically.

She had tried transmitting to Ruy earlier, and she hadn't been successful. It had been like something was blocking her telepathy. And that was convenient, because Sophie really needed to know why she was losing her memories. Ruy's warning from months ago to come to him before anyone else kept ringing in her head. 

Sophie vaguely remembered being able to transmit to him when she first woke up in the Black Swan's hideout, so she didn't know why she couldn't now. Maybe the Black Swan had done something to her while she was asleep, but she didn't think so, because the Neverseen had put her through grueling training so she would be able to wake up to the smallest of sounds, or if anyone touched her.

She had never been as thankful for the training she'd received as she was now.

Sophie finally snapped out of her thoughts when she realized that whoever was waiting outside the door was probably getting impatient, so she offered a "Come in."

The door swung open in its sleek, silent manner, and Livvy stepped through. She set a bowl of purple liquid down on the cot, but Sophie didn't make a move for it, still standing in the middle of the room.

Livvy quirked an eyebrow. "You look like you got less sleep than me, and I know for a fact that you were out the whole night."

Sophie glared past Livvy's shoulder at the wall, ignoring her comment. "I'll do it," she muttered.

Livvy's face shifted through a series of emotions so quickly that she thought she might've imagined it. "What?"

"The medicine. I'll take it." 

"Even though it has limbium in it?" Livvy raised one of her eyebrows again.

Sophie rubbed at her arms and shivered at the thought of the allergic reaction she was basically signing up for by saying she would take this magical "cure."

"Just covering all my bases, you know, as a physician." Livvy blew out a breath. "Okay. I'll be right back."

"One more thing," Sophie suddenly said, turning to her. "Why can't I use my telepathy in here?"

Livvy's eyebrows jumped in surprise. "Really? Well, we lined the walls with some of Dex's technology that was supposed to block mental activity from the inside out, but not from the outside in. But when Fitz felt you transmitting, we assumed it didn't work on you."

"It doesn't now," Sophie said. "I want to go outside for two minutes so I can use it." She crossed her arms, hoping it would help her to be taken seriously after verbalizing such an absurd request.

Livvy definitely seemed to think it was absurd. "You want what now? Do you really expect us to let you do that?"

Sophie's raised eyebrow was a force to match the physic's. "Yes, I do. If you want me to take the cure. And if you really thought about it, then you'd realize that I don't know anything useful. Even if I wanted to tell the Neverseen where I am, I couldn't, because I don't know where I am!" 

Livvy's eyebrow just rose higher.

"Did I mention that I'll only take the cure if you let me go out?"

Livvy groaned. "Now that's just blackmail."

Sophie turned away and started walking towards the door in triumph.

Livvy tailed her on her way out. "You have one minute."

Sophie nodded, only really caring that she got to transmit to Ruy. Honestly, she had expected more of a fight.

She leaned against the silver-flecked wall across from the door. One of the spheres of fire burned hot next to her head. She blocked it out and closed her eyes, reaching out with her mind.

As she searched for Ruy, a slight headache developed behind her eyes. It grew the further she reached, and Sophie gripped her head in pain. She slumped against the wall. What was wrong with her?

Sophie shook her head, not willing to give up that easily. She gritted her teeth and pushed her mind even further. It was almost unbearable. She didn't know if she could go any further.

A breath hissed out from behind her teeth, and Sophie finally touched a familiar mind. Got you.

Ruy, she frantically shoved the transmission into his mind.

Sophie? He was getting better at not jumping, but it still took a few seconds for the shock to wear off. A few precious seconds. A little warning, much? 

Listen, I don't have much time.

He must have sensed the urgency in her tone. What's up?

Sophie took a deep breath. My recent memories, she transmitted. They're disappearing.

She felt Ruy sit straight up. He cursed. Sophie, you have to get back here right now. Do you hear me? Right now. He swore again.

His reaction scared Sophie. She slid down the wall and sank onto her haunches. I don't know if I—

Livvy tapped her shoulder. "Minute's up."

"No." Panic flashed across Sophie's vision. She threw Livvy's hand off. "Not yet!"

Ruy was still connected to her mind. What's wrong? Sophie, what's going on?

Sophie's eyes flicked down the hallway. Then to Livvy. Then back down the hallway.

"No," Livvy said, reaching for her. "Don't you dare."

Sophie ran.

It was a blind run, and she ran into the corners at the bends at least twice. She didn't expect to actually get anywhere, much less escape, she just ran.

Because it was over.

Ruy, I'm sorry.

Alarm spread across his mind. What?

I couldn't make it. They're going to make me take the serum. White-hot panic darted across her mind again at the thought, and she skidded around the corner.

His thoughts grew more urgent. Where are you? Just tell me where you are.

I can't, Sophie said helplessly. I won't make it. I—

Okay, he thought quietly. It's okay. You're going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of there. 

It was over.

Sophie felt a wry sort of gladness that he understood.

"I thought I told you not to run again!" Keefe's voice came from behind her.

Sophie's chest heaved. Her throat got thick, and she blindly barreled forward.

It was over. She just needed another minute. 

Stay with me, she pleaded to Ruy. Please.

I'm not going anywhere. His voice was no more than a soft murmur.

A hand firmly clasped onto her wrist and skidded Sophie to a halt. Suddenly, Keefe was there. She struggled because she didn't know what else to do. She struggled because it was what the Neverseen had taught her to do. 

Keefe locked his hands around both her arms and pulled her forward. She jammed her elbow backwards into his stomach. He doubled over, grip slackening for a second. But only a second—he readjusted it and pulled her arms tighter.

Sophie flung her elbow again, but Keefe was ready for it. He he moved out of the way, picked her up, and hoisted her over his shoulder.

"I wish you would just stop struggling," he said casually. "It would be so much easier for you."

His grip was so firm that the most she could do was writhe, but it barely bothered Keefe.

They got closer and closer to the room where Sophie was kept. Her prison. When they reached the spot outside the door, Livvy was waiting there. Her arms were crossed and he mouth was set in a straight line.

I'm sorry, she told Ruy. Thanks for everything you taught me. In case I don't see you again.

You will, he promised. She almost believed him. 

"Take her in," Livvy said. "She already agreed to take the medicine. I'm holding her to that."

Sophie practically jumped out of her skin. "No!" she said. "I take it back!"

Keefe hesitated a second before pushing open the door and walking inside.

And she felt Ruy slip away.

She pushed at Keefe. "Put me down!"

"Okay." He shrugged her off onto the cot.

Sophie landed on her back, and used the momentum to flip back up. As soon as she had her feet on the floor, she—

Was caught by Keefe. He grabbed her again and backed her up onto the cot. The backs of her knees pressed into the edge, and he glued her wrists to the surface.

Sophie glared up at him, his towering figure leaning over her, and his intense gaze suddenly too close for comfort. The fight mysteriously drained from her body.

Keefe used his knees to block her legs. With her arms stuck in his grasp, she couldn't move.

Sophie's chest heaved. She kept glaring at Keefe. He raised his eyebrows.

"Are you done?"

"Why don't you let go of me and find out?"

Keefe sighed. "Relax, Foster. Believe it or not, no one wants to hurt you."

Sophie snorted. "No, you just want to turn me into a mindless puppet."

Keefe shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, and Sophie tested her leg out. Darn it. She still couldn't move.

Keefe sighed again. "Foster. Please."

Something in her obeyed his voice, and she didn't know why. She shifted her glare to the wall behind him.

She found herself glaring at the wall a lot.

"Look at me." Sophie could feel Keefe's gaze searing into her, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. Why couldn't she meet his eyes? But as the seconds dragged on, she found herself glancing up—

Holy unmapped stars. She looked away as quickly as she had looked up. His eyes.

Keefe tentatively released his grip on her wrists a little. Big mistake, she thought weakly, but she still didn't move. Keefe let out a slow breath. "Isn't it worth a shot?" He asked quietly. "Wouldn't you want to know if the Neverseen is manipulating you?"

This shook Sophie out of her daze. "You guys were the ones manipulating me." But she didn't sound like she was convinced. They lied to me, she thought. He lied to me. They all did. Lied.

Lied.

Lies.

"They're not," she said weakly. "They're not."

She finally met his gaze, which was traveling over her face. "Do you really believe that?" he asked. 

"Yes." No.

Keefe glanced down at where he still held her wrists. The corners of his lips tightened almost imperceptibly with a phantom of a smirk, but his eyes still didn't move.

Stupid Empaths.

His expression flattened. Had she imagined it? Again?

"Please," he begged. His voice was tight. "Tell me that you'll take it. Willingly. I can't..." his eyes fluttered shut. "I can't sit by and watch them force it on you. Even if you promised Physic before, it didn't seem like you meant it." He opened his eyes. "If you don't mean it, I'll let you go."

Sophie's throat was thick. She looked down. 

A tear slipped out of her eye.

She don't know why she said it. Maybe it was something in his voice, or the way that something inside her responded to it. Or maybe, deep down, she really did want to know what had happened to her missing memories. How many other holes might there be that she'd missed?

"Okay," She took a shuddering breath. I'll take it."