As they walked down the sterile white corridors, the silence between them was deafening. Both girls were lost in their thoughts, processing the conversation they had just had with Dolores. The weight of their responsibility and the reality of the situation had settled heavily on their shoulders.

Finally, Trixie broke the silence, her voice low and strained. "Uni...do you really think it'll come to that?"

Uni didn't answer immediately, her step faltering. She looked down at the smooth white ground below their feet. "I...I don't know," she said quietly. "I hope not. But...Dolores is right. We have to be prepared. For the worst-case scenario.”

Trixie let out a long sigh, her eyes on the floor. "I know...but I can't get the image of Stephanie in my mind. The little girl who's just learning about the world, who just wants to be normal. How can we even think about..."

She trailed off, unable to say the words. Uni reached out and squeezed her shoulder in silent comfort, understanding exactly what Trixie was feeling.

Uni sighed heavily. "I know.. I know... It's not fair to her, not after everything she's been through. But we can't afford to be biased here. We have to think about the safety of everyone, first and foremost. Even...even if that means..."

She, too, couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. The idea was too brutal, too horrible to fully verbalize.

"Let's just...get out of this lab so we can get back home...it's a 4-hour drive, after all.”

Trixie nodded silently, her mind still swirling with the harsh reality of their conversation. Both girls continued their walk towards the exit of the lab in silence, the gravity of their situation weighing heavily on their shoulders.

As they walked, Uni's mind flashed back to their last moments with Stephanie in the facility. The girl's young, innocent face, her smile, her wide, curious eyes. She pushed the image aside, swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth.

They reached the exit of the lab, passing through layers of security checkpoints. Despite their best efforts to remain inconspicuous, every glance at security cameras or every passing guard made them feel like they were under intense scrutiny.

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The cool evening air hit them as they finally stepped outside, a mix of relief and trepidation in their hearts. Uni got into the driver's seat while Trixie took shotgun. Neither said much as they buckled in and got situated. Finally, Uni started the car, the engine roaring to life. She began to pull out of the parking spot.

After driving off and hitting the road full speed ahead, she looked over at Trixie. "Trix...can I ask you something?”

Trixie looked over, her face tired and contemplative. "Yeah, of course. What is it?"

Uni paused for a moment, her hands on the wheel. "I know we just had...a lot thrown at us...but I have to ask..."

She stopped the car momentarily.

"Did...did you get the same vibe from Dolores that I did?”

Trixie furrowed her brow, thinking back on the conversation. "What do you mean? What vibe?”

Uni bit her lip anxiously. "I don't know...it's just...Dolores...she seemed so...cold. So detached. I mean, I get that she's a scientist and all, and she has to be objective, but it felt like...like she was talking about a lab rat, not...a human being."

She glanced over at Trixie, looking for confirmation.

Trixie thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "No, I get what you mean. She's all 'science and logic', for sure, but...the way she talked about Stephanie...it was like..."

"Like Stephanie was nothing more than a lab specimen," Uni finished, her expression dark.

"Yeah...exactly," Trixie agreed, a hint of unease in her voice. "I get that she was trying to prepare us for the worst, but...I don't know, it just left a sour taste in my mouth, you know?"

Uni nodded, her grip on the wheel tightening. "Same. It's like she's completely disconnected from the human aspect of it all, like Stephanie doesn't have any feelings or value beyond just a data point.”

"It's like she sees Stephanie as a tool, something to observe and study, rather than a person," Trixie added, a hint of anger in her voice.

Uni let out a deep, steadying breath. "Look, I know that's how these scientists are probably trained...to be objective and clinical...but the way she talked about...neutralizing her...it didn't sit right with me. It's one thing to be prepared for a worst-case scenario, but it's another thing to view someone's life as disposable so easily.”

Trixie nodded, her jaw clenched. "Yeah...it's like she's treating Stephanie as replaceable, like she's just a lab rat that can be replaced if things go south."

Both girls sat in silence for a moment, letting their thoughts and worries settle in the car.

Finally, Uni spoke up, her voice firm. "No matter how cold and calculating these scientists are, they need to remember that Stephanie is a person, not an object. We can't forget that. We can't treat her the way Dolores did. We can't be like her. I mean, she has some good in her, like when she shared her biltong with us even after we went off on her...but that clinical and cold side of her...I dunno…”

Trixie nodded again. "I know what you mean. She can be considerate, like with the biltong, but then she can also be so...so scientific about all of this. It's jarring, going back and forth like that."

Uni's fingers drummed against the steering wheel. "Maybe it's a defense mechanism? Like, she has to shut down her emotions to be able to do her job?”

Trixie considered this. "Maybe...I mean, she's a scientist. She has to approach things objectively."

Uni nodded, her face pensive. "It just...it still doesn't sit right with me, you know? This girl's life is literally in our hands, and Dolores is talking about her like she's a lab rat. It's just..."

She shook her head, unable to put her feelings into words. "Let's...let's just uh...focus on the road right now, eh? We've got a road trip ahead…”

Trixie, though still uneasy, nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Let's just...get home, get some rest, and...figure things out when we're not in the dark and in a moving vehicle."

She leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes briefly.

Both girls fell silent, lost in their thoughts as they began their four-hour drive back home.