Maddie hangs on as she hears the verbal abuse coming from the artificial sounds of her sister. The words twist in her ears, venomous and laced with a cruelty Zoe never wielded. Maddie clenches her jaw, reminding herself repeatedly:

"This isn't Zoe. This is Mother. This is SEED."

She forces the belief into her mind like a lifeline, gripping it to resist the weight of the lies. Her knuckles whiten as the voice taunts her, but she refuses to let the pain define her. Maddie breathes deeply, her pulse steadying as she lets the words slide past, their claws failing to find purchase. Across the room, Henry notices her resolve and nods, proud of her endurance. She's resisting. She's winning.

"You got this Maddie!" Henry shouts in a heartening tone.

His eyes soon dart to the others. Sam's trembling arms struggle to maintain her grip on the electrified bars, the shocks visible in the subtle convulsions rippling through her muscles. Her teeth are gritted, her eyes blazing as she channels every ounce of willpower into holding on. But the strain is evident. Sam's breath comes in short, sharp bursts, and Henry silently begs her to hold on.

Beside her, Lynne's face is a picture of anguish. The fabricated voices of her parents berate her relentlessly, dismantling her dreams, mocking her ambitions. Lynne's lips quiver, her eyes wet with unshed tears. The words stab at her vulnerabilities, tearing at the core of her identity. Still, she resists. Her hands press to her ears as if trying to block out the torment, but it's clear the voices echo in her mind, inescapable and unforgiving.

The screen's timer looms large, the final seconds ticking away at an excruciatingly slow pace. 0:10 seconds.

Henry, helpless on the couch, murmurs under his breath, words of encouragement barely audible. He knows they can't hear him, but he hopes somehow his silent support reaches them. His gaze snaps to Austin, whose hands remain steadfast on his own bars. The simulated burns have begun to take their toll, though no visible marks mar his palms. The redness of his strained grip and the slight twitch in his jaw betray his pain. Austin's eyes dart to the screen, counting the very last seconds like a hymn, a goal just out of reach.

The timer hits at last. 0:00 seconds remain.

A deafening horn blares through the room, signaling the end of the first round. Sam and Austin's hands fall from the bars, the sudden absence of pain almost dizzying. Both stare at their palms, baffled to find no physical marks despite the searing agony they endured. Lynne lowers her hands from her ears, trembling as the haunting voices dissipate. She's left with a ringing silence, a void that feels almost louder than the torment. Maddie's grip finally loosens, her shoulders slumping in relief. She glances at Austin, gratitude flickering across her face.

"Thank you," She whispers, her voice hoarse.

"No prob." Austin gives her a small nod, his hands still shaking.

It's a rare moment of connection, a brief reprieve from the tension that has ruled their days. For the first time in what feels like ages, their words aren't laced with suspicion or anger.

Mother's voice cuts through the stillness, sharp and mocking. "Well done, children. Round one is complete. Don't get too comfortable—the next round begins in one minute."

Sam's head snaps toward the camera lens. Her glare is fiery, but exhaustion dims its power. "You're sick," she growls.

Mother chuckles, the sound grating and artificial. "Sickness is relative, Samantha. Perhaps it's clarity. Or perhaps you simply don't understand the brilliance of my design."

Sam clenches her fists, but Lynne's shaky voice cuts in. "What's next?"

"Ah, Lynne. Eager, are we?" Mother's tone is condescending. "Pass the bars to your teammates. It's their turn to shine."

Sam hesitates, then hands the bars to Lynne, who accepts them with trembling hands. "How bad was it?" Lynne whispers, her voice barely audible.

Sam swallows hard. "Think of something positive. Don't let her get to you."

Lynne nods, but her expression is uncertain. Across the room, Austin hands his bars to Maddie.

"You got this," He says, his tone steady despite the lingering pain in his hands. Maddie nods, though doubt flickers in her eyes.

The timer resets. 2:00 minutes

"Begin!" Mother's voice announces the start of the second round with an almost gleeful lilt.

The bars activate. Lynne's body lurches forward as she feels an immense weight pressing down on her arms. Her knees buckle slightly, but she locks them in place, refusing to collapse. The simulated pressure crushes her shoulders, her breaths coming in sharp gasps. Sam steps forward instinctively, but she freezes when a haunting sound fills the room.

Ambulance sirens. A woman's frantic voice.

"Help me! My foster daughter..."

Sam's heart drops.

"What's wrong?"

"She's not breathing!"

"What's her name?"

The frantic voice calls a name Sam knows to well.

"Her name is Brandy!... I need help!"

Sam's breath hitches as the 911 call unfolds, the desperate pleas of Brandy's foster mother echoing in her ears. Sam crumples to the floor, her hands clutching her head.

"Stop it," She mumbles, her voice shaking. "Stop it!"

On the other side, Maddie grips the bars tightly as sharp, stinging sensations spread across her palms. It feels like shards of glass cutting into her skin, each sting more intense than the last. She grits her teeth, tears begin welling in her eyes. Austin's voice breaks through the haze.

"It's not real, Maddie." He says firmly. "None of it. Just hold on."

Maddie nods, though her hands throb with simulated agony. Her resolve strengthens as she recalls Austin's earlier words.

The cutting stings continue, but she pushes through, her mind clinging to the truth: this is SEED's manipulation, nothing more.

Austin, meanwhile, hears familiar voices: Serena's sobs.

"You don't worth my love, you cheat!"

Austin tries to shake his head but pauses when hears his father's voicemail.

"Sorry, I can't get back to you. I can't stand be around you. I need my space. I wish your mother was still alive. Because between her and you, I will take her every time."

The words are sharp, piercing, but he remains stoic. He can't believe these are their voices. Thinking about his late mother, Austin doesn't want to cave. He knows these voices are not Serena or his ignorant father. This is SEED. This is Mother. His face is hard to make out, his emotions buried beneath a mask of detachment.

Henry watches from the couch, helpless and guilt-ridden. He'd volunteered to stay behind, but now he wonders if he made a mistake.

The timer ticks down. 0:50... 0:40... 0:30... 0:20... 0:10 seconds

Henry murmurs, "Hurry up, Elijah. Please."

As the teens endure the most awful torment, they are relieve just as the last seconds tick..

0:05... 0:04... 0:03... 0:02.. 0:01... and then the number all of them wants to see the most.

0:00

The booming horn blares again, signaling the end of the second round. The bars suddenly deactivate, and Lynne collapses to her knees, gasping for breath as the crushing weight vanishes. Sam stays curled on the floor, her body trembling. On the other side, Maddie drops the bars onto the pedestal, her hands shaking violently.

Austin pulls her into a quick hug, a rare moment of genuine support. Maddie clings to him for a brief second before pulling away, her face flushed. Henry gives out a sigh of relief, knowing its finally over. Yet worries what will they think of him after this.

Mother's voice returns, cutting through the silence. "Well done, my little competitors. The challenge is over."

The teens barely react, their exhaustion overwhelming. Mother's tone shifts to one of mock seriousness. "The nation has spoken. They've been watching closely, voting carefully."

She waits to respond, her camera lens light glowing a slight dim. The teens stand there not knowing what to expect. But after a couple of nervous minutes, Mother returns. Ready to announce who the nation decided.

"The winners are Austin and Maddie."