That morning, at the new hideout, Teresa, Parker, Mira, Arek, Darren, and Terren sat in silence.
None of them had truly slept the night before—everyone was restless, thinking about Kael who had willingly surrendered himself.
Teresa stared blankly at the rising sun.
"Kael..." she whispered softly.
Parker clenched his fists.
"We have to find a way to get him back," he said with determination.
Meanwhile, far away in Antarctica, inside the enemy's secret laboratory—
Several scientists in white coats circled around a massive glass tube where Kael was being held in a semi-conscious state.
One of the scientists spoke in awe.
"This... this is more than we ever imagined."
On a large holographic screen, Kael's biological data was displayed.
They discovered that within Kael's body flowed an extremely rare natural substance—rarer than any found in the inhabitants of Ticonic or Terra.
This substance was multifunctional: it could heal injuries, accelerate regeneration, boost physical strength, and even fight off the deadliest diseases known to humanity.
A man in a black suit—the leader of the project—smirked coldly as he observed the data.
"Kael Phit... you are the key to mankind's immortality."
He turned to his subordinates.
"Make sure he stays alive. We need his entire body... for our future."
The glass tube surrounding Kael slowly filled with a thin mist.
Though weakened, Kael slowly opened his eyes—glaring at them with burning hatred.
Kael was moved to a high-tech sleeping chamber—its walls were spotless white, with soft lighting that gave a false sense of comfort.
Two guards in black uniforms escorted him silently.
When they reached the bed, a scientist approached Kael carrying a device resembling a small injector.
They injected something into the back of his neck.
Soon after, Kael's eyes began to lose focus.
His past memories were being systematically erased.
The smiles of his friends, the faces of his family, the sound of Teresa's laughter—all slowly faded away like mist blown by the wind.
Now, in his mind, there was only emptiness.
Unbeknownst to him, they also implanted a microscopic tracker on the inside of his wrist—just beneath the skin.
The tracker was so tiny it couldn't be felt or seen with the naked eye and was directly connected to the base's monitoring system.
A laboratory officer spoke while jotting down notes.
"Subject Phit is now under control. Induced amnesia successful. Tracker location secure. He will not remember who he truly is."
Kael, now nothing more than a living "tool" without a past, lay on the cold bed.
His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
Yet, deep within him—without understanding why—a hollow, aching feeling started to grow.
As if there was something... or someone... he should remember.
A few days later, early in the morning, as thin mist curled around the Antarctic base, two figures disguised in guard uniforms crept through the outer checkpoints.
It was Teresa and Parker—moving with silent precision, masks hiding their faces.
They slipped through the hallways of the base, avoiding patrolling drones and surveillance cameras.
Teresa clutched a small stolen map, while Parker kept glancing over his shoulder, making sure they weren't being followed.
Finally, they reached an open mess hall.
There, among a handful of soldiers and scientists, Kael was sitting, eating quietly.
His hair was slightly longer now, his expression blank—like a stranger.
There was no hint of recognition in his eyes.
Without hesitation, Parker rushed forward and grabbed Kael's arm.
"Kael! Come with us!" he hissed urgently.
Kael immediately stood up, jerking his arm free from Parker's grip.
His face twisted in confusion and suspicion.
With a sharp tone, he asked,
"Who are you? I don't know you!"
Parker froze.
Teresa stepped forward, her eyes shining with barely restrained emotion.
"Kael... it's me, Teresa... you have to trust us! We're here to help you!"
Kael stepped back, his hand gripping the side of the table, his face clouded with confusion.
Some of the other soldiers were starting to notice the commotion.
Parker muttered under his breath, "We need to move, now!"
Tension filled the air.
Teresa stared deep into Kael's eyes, desperately hoping for even a flicker of memory to return.
But Kael only looked at them as if they were enemies.
Teresa quickly grabbed Kael's arm, trying to stop him.
"Kael! Please, listen to me—"
But Kael harshly brushed her hand away, his eyes filled with fear and confusion.
Without another word, he turned and walked away quickly.
At that moment, a loud whirring noise echoed down the hallway.
A security drone was approaching, its searchlight sweeping the corridor.
Teresa and Parker exchanged a tense glance.
"Drone!" Parker whispered urgently.
Teresa bit her lip, then quickly pulled Parker along.
They hurried across the hallway and found a small door along the wall—probably a storage room.
Without thinking twice, they slipped inside and quietly shut the door behind them, holding their breath.
Outside, the mechanical hum of the drone grew louder... then slowly faded as it moved away.
Inside the cramped space, only the sound of their heavy breathing remained.
Teresa lowered her head, struggling with the rising emotion inside her.
"He... he doesn't even remember me," she whispered, almost breaking into tears.
Parker placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"We haven't lost yet. There's still a way."
From beyond the door, footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Patrols were closing in again.
Teresa and Parker looked at each other—
They had to move fast... either find a way to escape or figure out how to bring Kael's memories back.
In the small storage room, Parker carefully pointed toward a vent in the corner of the wall.
"There it is," he whispered. "That's the only way to get to Kael's room."
Teresa nodded and immediately approached the vent. Without wasting time, she climbed up with Parker's assistance.
She crawled carefully, trying not to make any noise that could compromise their position.
A few moments later, Teresa was already inside the ventilation system, peeking toward Kael's room.
Parker followed, moving quietly behind Teresa.
"We need to move quickly before anyone realizes we're here," he whispered.
Teresa gestured for Parker to be quiet, then began to move toward a larger vent that would lead directly to Kael's room. They had to sneak in without attracting attention.
In Kael's room, he sat quietly in front of his desk, his hands folded on his head.
His techno bracelet was still on his wrist, and suddenly, it transformed into glasses, covering his eyes.
Kael raised his hand to his head, feeling a sharp pain, as if something was pulling his memories out of reach.
"Damn it," Kael muttered, feeling confused about everything that was happening.
He sat still, uncertain about the decisions he had to make and his chaotic feelings.
Suddenly, a sound from the vent behind him disturbed his quiet.
He quickly turned around, only to see two figures emerge from the open vent.
Teresa and Parker slid out carefully.
Parker saw Kael's surprised reaction and almost instinctively shouted,
"Kael! Don't move!" as he reached for his weapon, ready for anything.
But Kael was quicker. In an instant, he pulled out a small hidden blade from under his desk and pointed it at them.
"Who are you?!" His voice trembled, showing deep anxiety.
Teresa stepped forward.
"Kael, it's us! Teresa and Parker!"
But Kael still looked unsure, his eyes sharp and watchful.
"No one knows who I am. I don't remember you," Kael said hoarsely, lowering his blade to the floor.
"So who are you really?"
Parker cautiously approached.
"Kael, we're your friends. What they've done to you… it's not right. You need to remember who you really are!"
But Kael only stared at them, confused.
"Everything's gone… memories… lost… I don't know who I am anymore."
Teresa looked at Kael, pain in her eyes.
"Kael, remember. This is all just the effect of their technology. We'll help you remember who you really are. You're more than this."
Kael stood silent, finally lowering his blade.
"Please, tell me," he said quietly.
"Who am I really?"
Parker signaled to Teresa.
They needed to give Kael more time to recover.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the room.
They didn't have much time.
"Kael, we have to leave. They must know we're here by now."
Kael looked at Teresa, hesitant. But in the end, he nodded.
They hurried out of the room, quickly sneaking through the vent before the patrol arrived.
But Kael knew that their journey had only just begun.