Chapter 82 More Questions or... Answers.

Chapter 82 More Questions or... Answers.
Adrian's POV

I pulled Raven behind me, reaching for my gun.

Nothing.

Then I remembered. They had taken it at the entrance along with my phone.

The scientist smiled. “Relax, guys. Why so jumpy?”

I stared at him. “What now?” I groaned, letting go of Raven.

He didn't answer. Instead, he walked toward a large panel on the wall and entered a code. A section of the marble wall suddenly slid open.

Raven's eyes widened.

I felt the same cold sensation crawl down my spine. Behind the wall was another corridor. One I'd seen before.

My breathing stopped.

Images flashed through my mind.

A white room containing a metal table. Straps around my wrists while a woman screamed.

Run, Adrian.

I staggered backward, clutching my head. Raven immediately grabbed my arm.

“Adrian?”

I looked at her.

“What is it?” Her eyes had widened with confusion and worry.

I couldn't answer. All I could do was stare at her, then around the room. Dael watched me curiously, while the guards looked like they couldn't care less.

“Adrian?” Raven's voice snapped my attention back to her. “What's wrong?”

She ran a hand across my face.

“It's nothing,” I said, dispelling her worry. “I just suddenly remembered something.”

Something my brain had hidden from me.

Raven said nothing as she ran her hand through my hair.

In my memory, Raven had been there. She had been right beside me, but someone stood between us. Someone I couldn't see clearly.

The scientist turned toward us.

His smile had disappeared. He tilted his head to the side as if studying me.

“Interesting,” he muttered.

I looked at him, my brows pulling together. “What?”

He stared at Raven, then at me.

“Your memories. They're coming back much faster than I expected.”

My blood ran cold. Raven's grip tightened around my arm.

“I thought they were erased?” Raven snapped at him.

We didn't need him to know I was remembering things.

The scientist smiled again.

“Well, that's what we're here to find out, right?” he chuckled.

He turned toward the newly opened corridor.

“Anyway, excuse me. I'll see you all in a while.”

Nobody answered.

Raven's expression hardened.

“What's down there?” she asked boldly.

He grinned at her.

“It isn't time for you to know that, my dear, but I promise you, you'll definitely satisfy your curiosity.”

Then he was gone.

I pulled Raven into my arms. I didn't know much, but I could feel that whatever was beyond that corridor, it wasn't good. More importantly, I knew one thing for certain.

I had been here before.

I could swear I'd seen this place somewhere deep within the memories my mind had buried.

\---

Raven's POV

I sat on one of the chairs, staring blankly at the white walls.

I could tell it was already dark outside, though there were no windows in the room to confirm it. None of us had moved from our spots for what felt like hours. The scientist had returned once, disappeared into the corridor, and hadn't come back since.

Neither had any of his men spoken to us.

The silence was beginning to get to me. But more than that, I couldn't stop thinking about what my mother had told me.

A storage section beneath the main research wing. A door without a name or identification number. Only a symbol.

I needed to find it.

Whatever was inside that room could finally give me answers about the Origin.

I glanced toward Adrian. He was standing near the wall, his arms folded across his chest as he watched the guards stationed around the room. Dael sat several feet away, staring at nothing in particular.

I was about to get up when the doors suddenly opened.

Six people strolled inside—two boys and four girls. They all wore white, hospital-like clothes.

The moment they saw us, they stopped talking and simply stared. For a few seconds, nobody spoke.

Then one of the girls scoffed.

“Well, well. Are you three the new replacements?”

“Replacements for what?” Adrian and Dael asked simultaneously.

The girl raised an eyebrow.

“Cute.”

She walked past them and dropped onto one of the chairs, her expression completely blank.

I frowned. “What exactly does that mean?”

She shrugged. “You'll find out.”

One of the boys followed her inside. He looked completely unbothered by our presence, his hands buried casually in his pockets. He glanced at us once before looking around the room.

“Don't get too comfortable.”

Adrian's eyes narrowed. He took a step toward him. “Why?”

The boy gave him a faint smile. “Because people who get comfortable here usually end up gone way too quickly.”

“Gone how?” Dael asked.

The boy simply shrugged.

“What are you guys, detectives?” He rolled his eyes, slumping into a chair beside the first girl.

“Can you stop being dramatic for five minutes, Kieran?” another girl scolded.

Kieran shrugged. “I'm not being dramatic. I'm being honest.”

Something about his tone made me uneasy.

The second boy, however, seemed far more interested in us. He studied Adrian for a moment before looking at Dael, then me.

“You three look familiar,” he stated.

Dael's expression hardened. “I don't know you.”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Didn't say you did.”

He walked toward one of the empty chairs and sat down.

“My name's Mason.”

Kieran sighed as he sat up. “And I'm Kieran, apparently.”

Mason laughed.

“What? I'm introducing myself.” Kieran raised an eyebrow.

“Sounds more like a threat to me,” one of the other girls muttered.

“What's the difference?” Kieran raised an eyebrow.

I couldn't help but stare at them. They acted like this was completely normal. Like being locked inside a strange facility surrounded by armed guards was simply another day for them.

Maybe it was to them at this point.

One of the girls remained standing near the doorway. She hadn't said a single word.

She was petite, with long dark hair and an almost unnerving calmness in her eyes. Unlike the others, she hadn't looked surprised when she saw us. In fact, she was staring directly at me.

I shifted uncomfortably.

“Have we met before?” I asked, breaking the silence.

Her eyes widened slightly.

“I... don't know.”

I raised my brows. “You've been staring at me for a while now.”

She quickly looked away.

“Sorry.”

“What is your name?” I asked softly, careful not to scare her. She looked like a jumpy person.

“Lena,” she muttered.

I had to strain my ears to hear her. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

She glanced at Adrian, then Dael, before looking back at me.

“You look familiar.”

My stomach tightened.

“From where?”

She shook her head.

“I don't remember.”

Before I could ask anything else, another girl walked directly toward Adrian. She looked him up and down before smiling.

“Well, at least they brought us something interesting this time.”

Adrian's eyebrows pulled together. “Excuse me?”

She stopped in front of him.

“I'm Aria.” She offered him her hand.

Adrian glanced at it, then back at her. His expression hardened.

“I didn't ask.”

Her smile widened.

“I know,” she purred.

I couldn't help the tiny flicker of annoyance that passed through me. Adrian was mine.

Aria glanced at me. She must have caught the anger in my eyes because she turned back to Adrian.

“Is she your girlfriend?”

Before I could answer, Adrian spoke.

“Yes.”

The answer came so quickly that my heart fluttered.

Dael scoffed from the corner where he sat, his jaw tightening.

Aria laughed. “Shame.”

Adrian didn't respond.

She turned to Dael. “Well, well. How did I not notice you guys were twins earlier?”

She strolled toward him, still smiling.

The final girl, who had been quietly watching everyone, finally spoke.

“Don't mind Aria. She flirts with anything that breathes.”

“That's not true,” Aria protested, trying to get an uninterested, scowling Dael to pay attention to her.

“You flirted with a guard yesterday.”

“He was attractive,” she defended.

The girl sighed.

“Ignore her. I'm Nia.”

She gave me a small smile.

I returned it.

“So, you've all been here long?”

Nobody answered immediately.

Kieran's expression darkened.

“Long enough.”

The room fell quiet again.

I looked toward the doors. “Why are you all here?”

Mason leaned back in his chair.

“That's a complicated question.”

“And you're not going to answer it?” I asked.

He smiled.

“Well, we're here for the same reason you are.” He waved a dismissive hand at me. “Don't worry. You'll find out soon.”

I hated that answer. Everything in this place was always you'll find out soon enough.

I wanted answers now.

Eventually, the guards began directing everyone toward the rooms.

“You're done for tonight,” one of them announced.

Kieran stood first.

“Finally.”

The others followed.

One of the guards pointed toward a corridor.

“You three will be separated.”

My head snapped toward him.

“No.”

He looked at me.

“No?”

“I am not staying in a room alone,” I clarified.

“That wasn't a request.”

I stepped closer to Adrian.

“Then I'll stay with him.”

The guard frowned. “That's not permitted.”

“I don't care.”

Adrian touched my arm.

“Raven—”

“No.”

I looked at him, my eyes stern.

“I just found my mother after thinking she was dead for months. I'm not spending tonight locked in another room away from you.”

His expression softened.

The guard looked irritated.

“She needs to be separated.”

Adrian stepped forward.

“Let her stay with me... just for tonight.”

The guard looked between us before apparently deciding it wasn't worth the argument.

“Fine. Just for tonight.”

I released a breath.

Dael gave me an unreadable look but said nothing.

The others were taken down different corridors until eventually only Adrian and I remained.

Our room was small compared to the main hall, but it was still unnaturally clean. A large bed sat against one wall, with a small table beside it and a single bathroom door.

I walked inside slowly. Adrian closed the door behind us.

For the first time since we'd entered the facility, we were completely alone.

I turned around.

He was already looking at me.

Neither of us spoke.

Then I walked toward him.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded.

“I'm fine.”

“You're lying,” I retorted.

A faint smile touched his lips. “You're getting good at that.”

“I've always been good at reading you.”

His smile faded.

I bit my lip and reached for his hand.

“I was scared today.”

“I know.”

“When I saw my mother lying on that floor, I thought I'd lost her again.”

He squeezed my hand.

“But you didn't, and you won't,” he whispered.

We locked eyes, and I stepped closer.

“And you're here.”

“I'm here.”

I smiled, resting my forehead against his chest.

For a moment, he simply held me, his arms wrapped around my waist and pulling me closer.

I couldn't begin to describe how much I'd missed him and this.

“I don't know what tomorrow will bring,” I whispered.

“Neither do I.”

“What if everything changes?”

He tilted my chin upward.

“Then we'll face it together.”

I stared into his eyes.

“You always say that.”

“Because I mean it.”

My heart pounded as his thumb brushed gently across my cheek. I leaned closer.

He didn't move away.

Our foreheads touched. My eyes flickered to his lips and then back to his eyes. I wanted to feel his lips against mine.

“Adrian...” I breathed.

“Hmm?” he murmured absentmindedly, his eyes locked on my lips. I could tell he had the same thoughts as me.

“I don't want to lose you again.”

His eyes softened.

“You won't.”

I closed my eyes as his arm tightened around me. He used his free hand to lift my chin before leaning closer and pressing his lips against mine in a soft, passionate kiss.

Tomorrow could bring answers.

It could bring more questions.

But tonight, I had him.

And somehow, that was enough.