Arya froze, her eyes fixating on the vial. The realization hit her like a truck, draining the color from her face. Her hands shook as she fumbled for the door controls, locking it with a trembling voice command. The office lights flickered off once more, and the windows dimmed to blackout mode, leaving them both in near-darkness.

"Sit down," Ayelen commanded, gesturing to the chair across from her. Varendahl did as she was told, her body stiff with fear.

The vial glinted ominously in the low light. "I'll make this quick," Ayelen said, her voice cold and calm. "You're going to tell me everything about Cedric's enhancements, or this vial gets smashed to pieces. I'm sure you know exactly what it is."

Arya's breath hitched. "You... you can't."

"I can," Ayelen shot back. "And I will, unless you start talking."

The doctor's hands gripped the edge of the desk, knuckles white as she stared at the vial. "That sample... you have no idea what you're holding. It's everything to me."

"I don't care about your personal life," Ayelen snapped. "I care about Cedric. You've been lying since day one. Now, you're going to explain those enhancements in his brain, or I'll make sure you lose everything."

The silence between them was thick with tension. Arya was visibly shaking now, her facade cracking under the weight of Ayelen's threat. Finally, the doctor exhaled a shaky breath. "It's Smith. He's the one behind all of this. I only followed his orders..."

Ayelen's fingers tightened around the glass vial, her grip steady as she studied Arya's pale face. The pink liquid inside glowed faintly under the sterile lighting, casting eerie reflections on the doctor's panicked expression.

"You have no idea what you're holding," Arya muttered, her voice trembling, her eyes darting nervously to the hidden compartment where the vial had been stored.

"Oh, I think I do," Ayelen said coldly, stepping closer. "It's not about what this vial is—it's about what it means to you. You were so careful to hide it, but not careful enough, and now you're going to help me, or this precious secret of yours gets destroyed."

Arya's hands shook as she raised them slightly, as if to beg. "Please... that has nothing to do with Cedric! It's personal. You don't understand what you're doing."

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"Actually, I do. I'm using it to make sure you and Smith don't take any more 'personal' actions, especially when it comes to my brother." Ayelen's gaze sharpened. "Now, tell me about Cedric's condition. What really happened to him?"

Arya faltered, her eyes flicking between Ayelen and the vial. "He—he was part of something bigger. Smith and I... we've been trying to revive the Holodream Project. But Cedric's condition... it's not our fault."

"Not your fault?" Ayelen barked a bitter laugh. "Then whose fault is it? You both seem to be the ones involved in my brother's condition, and now you want to disconnect him without a second thought."

"It's not that simple!" Arya cried out, her desperation showing. "Your father—Marcus—he started this. He was the one who enhanced Cedric's brain."

Ayelen felt the breath catch in her throat. "What did you say?" Her voice was a whisper, as if the words couldn't reach her mind fully.

Arya took a shuddering breath. "Your father. He was the one who began the experiment. He was obsessed on convincing Hiroshi that the Holodream Project could still work. He used Cedric—and you—long ago, trying to create someone capable of using the machine. Cedric was the first, but the augmentation was... too much. He started having blackouts, fainting spells..."

Ayelen's heart pounded in her chest as the memories of Cedric's fainting as a child rushed back. "So my father did this to him?"

"Yes," Arya admitted, her voice low. "Your father was the only one who could've made those enhancements. Smith... we've been trying to replicate it, but we don't have the full data. Marcus disappeared before we could understand it all. All I know is Marcus knew Cedric's body was deteriorating, and he attempted to fix it...maybe he couldn't, and that's why he ran away..."

"Bullshit!", Ayelen snapped, her mind racing. How could her own father do something like that...he enhancement that had turned Cedric into a prodigy but also caused him endless suffering. It all made sense now. Their father had experimented on them, trying to perfect the Holodream machine, but Cedric had paid the price.

Arya continued, her voice shaking. "Smith knew about the enhancements, but we couldn't fully access the data. That's why he wants to disconnect Cedric—so we can study his brain and figure out how to make the technology work. But I swear, we had nothing to do with his condition...we are just trying to make science...to build a better world."

Ayelen's jaw clenched as she tried to process it all. Cedric had been a victim of their father's ambition, and now Smith wanted to dissect him to further his own twisted project. She felt sick with rage, but she forced herself to stay focused.

"You're going to help me save him," Ayelen said, her voice low and dangerous. "You and Smith aren't going to disconnect him until I've had a chance to use the Holodream machine to bring him back."

Arya blinked, her expression shifting from fear to confusion. "The Holodream machine? It was never fully completed. We've been trying, but—"

Ayelen held up the vial, cutting her off. "You're going to keep him alive, and you better stay out of my way. If you don't, this vial breaks, and with it, your secret plan to have a child."

Arya's face twisted in panic, her fear now palpable. "Please... don't take it. You don't understand what it means to me..."

"I don't care what it means to you," Ayelen snapped. "This is about my brother's life. I'll keep this vial safe—for now. But the second you step out of line, it's gone."

The doctor's shoulders slumped in defeat, her hope drained. "I'll do whatever you want," she whispered, her voice broken. "Just... keep it safe."

Without another word, Ayelen pocketed the vial and slipped out of the office. She paused by Cedric's room, placing her hand against the cold glass that separated them.

"We're getting closer, Cedric," she whispered, her breath fogging the glass. "I promise, I'll save you. No matter what it takes."