Stephen and I cross through a section of the crowd as the applause continues. I can't help but feel pressured as people cheer our names, depending on us to fix their lives. Tanner and Peyton lead us across the atrium, up a ladder, and through a doorway. After zigzagging through another maze of halls, we end up at Olivette's reception desk.

She quickly rises from her seat, waving us over to the holograph-protected door. "No time to waste," she says, opening the doors. She and Tanner stride in side-by-side, climbing the stairs. Stephen and I follow.

"Welcome Olivette L. Chambs, Tanner M. Austen, Stephen K. Moore, and Holland A. Renner."

All four of us enter Commander Liad's office, grabbing seats around the table. "Okay," Commander Liad begins, "we need to get started immediately."

He taps his finger on the table, opening a massive number of holograms. Charts, maps, and wordy documents hover above the wide table. As Olivette combs through the holograms, Liad explains the details of the plan.

"Stephen, Holland, it's important to understand how you're supposed to act in this operation. The storyline of the operation is simple. My Pod 14 Screeners found you both in Grand Rapids and led you to Pod 14's hospital. Then my medical staff administered a sedative to knock out your memories."

Liad turns to Stephen, "Stephen, you don't remember meeting Holland. Your memory stops the moment before she entered your Project cell."

"And Holland," Liad says, "Your memory cuts off on the SkyTrain. Remember up until the moment before your derailment."

I nod, thinking back to my SkyTrain rides to school. The Holland I was just months ago is a completely different person than I am now. Now I have to forget my new self and my new experiences. Can I fake that much confusion and fear all over again? That means no recognizing Tanner, Liad, or anyone in between. No Stephen.

Relax, I remind myself, becoming uneasy, It's not like I have to disown Stephen. This is temporary.

Liad continues. "This operation is critical, although there are a few possible results. Because of your memory confiscations, the Screeners will not kill you or screen you. You'll either return to the Project or return to society. As you know, we're hoping you return to the Project."

My stomach flutters at those words. Olivette swipes a document towards Liad. "Sir, standard procedure for memory confiscation patients is to deliver them back to society. Because of where their memories leave off, Holland will return to Philadelphia while Stephen will return to the Enhancement Project most likely."

"Excellent," Liad says. "We'll have tracking, audio, and video active at every moment. For security purposes, I won't tell you where your sensors are. Just know that Pod 14 will be watching at all times."

Stephen and I agree, not that our consent is necessary. We're aware of the risks and the rewards, but I hate the feeling of more technology somewhere in me. My stomach tenses more. I can't afford to make any mistakes in this operation either. Higher stakes than ever.

"Now for the fun part," Tanner says, rising from his seat. "Practicing."

Tanner makes Stephen and I stand and face each other about 5 yards apart. He fetches some Screeners to use as guards, placing three Screeners with me and three with Stephen. Peyton decides to be Liad.

Tanner has me back up with the Screeners and act like I'm confused. He says if I'm waking up with half my memory gone, I need to act like it. Liad's gaze rests on the back of my neck, and I force myself to focus, taking a deep breath. This is serious.

"W-What's going on?" I say as my group approaches Stephen. I force despair into my voice and grab onto a Screener's armor. "Hey, how did I get here? Hello? Where's my Train? Where am I?"

"Flawless," Peyton critiques, yet I don't break character. She soon makes Stephen take his turn, and he does equally as well. But Peyton disagrees and has him start over. Stephen repeats his act three times before she's satisfied.

"It's got to be perfect," she explains, "I've got to believe your resistance."

Catching me off-guard, Peyton asks us if Stephen and I recognize each other. "W-What? No..." I trail off, looking at Stephen. I glance back at Peyton, "but please, what's going on? I don't under--"

"Miss Renner," Peyton declares, "Look at the boy. You've seen him before."

I turn to Stephen, authentically confused. "I mean, I don't. I don't..." I say, my voice fading to a whisper. I pause for a moment, reaching a fake realization. "You m-missed that Train, um, a few years ago. Yes, yeah that was you. I remember you now."

"Ugh, flawless," Peyton repeats. "So great, Holland."

"I think we're done," Tanner says with satisfaction. "Just remember to be in character the second we set you guys up for the arrival. Keep your eyes closed until you feel a tap from a doctor. Ease yourself awake, get confused, and keep it up. Additional government officials and Liad will probably be watching you from this office."

Tanner looks to Liad for approval, and he nods. "They're ready."

"Great," Peyton says, "All we need are proper hospital gowns in their hospital rooms. Then we're truly ready to go."

"Ready to go," I confirm. I first thought the whole "practice makes perfect" tactic would be stupid, but it's working. Stephen and I have a chance at real survival in this insane mission. Pod 14 will rescue all the Enhancement Project victims, from the boy with the lash to the girl with the fearful eyes. This plan will work.

"So let's get moving," Liad says. "Olivette, what jobs still need completion before the Screeners arrive?"

Still seated with the holograms, Olivette replies, "Hardly any. I instead suggest we test Stephen and Holland's tracking equipment in the atrium. Afterwards, they can help with the cleaning crews."

Everyone agrees, and Liad takes our entire group back to the atrium. Olivette makes sure to bring Liad's master AirPad. She explains that it's the best device for our tracker be linked to.

We reach our destination quickly, and the massive atrium is empty besides for a few citizens cleaning. Liad asks Stephen and I to stand in the middle of the room and face the screens above the platform. Feeds pop up on the screens, divided down the middle. My tracking map, audio bars, and video feed appear on the left half of the screens. HOLLAND hovers over my feeds boldly.

"Whoa," I say, my voice blaring across the atrium. The audio bars type out my words within the instant I speak them. "That is too cool!" Stephen and I begin talking simultaneously, and the audio bars record our dialogue without confusion.

Next to the audio feed, tracking maps flash into visibility. The maps display our positions on national and regional maps using flashing dots. A third map shows our exact locations within Pod 14 and the atrium.

Soon our video cameras switch on. Stephen turns away from the screen, and I watch his feed as he faces Peyton and Tanner. Peyton commands him to run around the room, and his feed doesn't falter or blur as he jogs. It's like viewing the word from his own eyes.

Which kind of make my skin jitter because the technology lenses could be in our eyes. I'm too grossed out to ask Peyton if my guess is true.

After taking a test run myself, Olivette clears us as fully equipped. "This is so weird," I comment to Stephen. "It's a bit like wearing a Screener visor."

"But better," Stephen replies, gazing at my half of the massive screen. "Wow, I look terrible at this angle. Is this the way you see me everyday?"

I laugh, hearing my voice through the speakers. "Hey, you look good! I don't see a problem."

Stephen grins at me, and I know he feels those little pulls of attraction I do. "Ugh, back off, you two!" Tanner calls, "This in-house view is too much for me!"

"No, it's cute!" Peyton yells over him, "Encore! Encore!"

I laugh, stepping closer to Stephen as a taunt. Olivette switch off the monitors out of the corner of my eye. Then, staring into each other's eyes and connecting so much deeper than that through the tears, pain, and loss, we slowly lean closer into a nice, long kiss.

"Geez," Stephen asks, laughing and shying away from me when our lips press apart. It's the exact reaction Nicolette told me would happen. At age 15, she taught me all the tricks in the book, just days before our friendship ended because of my partial screening.

"I learned it from a  friend," I tell him, "and I wanted to kiss you before I never can. After all, I'm supposed to act like never met you before, right?"

-- -- -- -- --

#morehephen , and who doesn't love that? winning phrase was practice makes perfect, and it did! Olivette also made an appearance, and anyone else psyched for destroying the Enhancement Project? i can't wait to write it!

Question: Choose a word: Smooth sailing, slight bump, or rocky panic.

Your task today: (this is a new "follow-up" question I'm starting to spread positivity): Tell your siblings or parents that you love them. Who knows, your sister might say it back or shove you out of her room lol.