No one spoke for a few seconds.
Not Amina.
Not Adam.
Even the man they came for stayed quiet this time, like he knew the damage was already done.
Amina took a slow breath.
Then another.
Trying to steady herself.
Trying to push everything aside… just for now.
"We finish this," she said again, more firmly.
Adam nodded.
"Yeah."
It wasn't the same tone as before.
No warmth.
No closeness.
Just… agreement.
Amina turned back to the system.
"What did we get?"
Adam looked at the screen.
"Everything," he said.
"Agents, locations, financial routes… even internal access codes."
She nodded.
"Good."
That was it.
No more questions.
No more words.
Adam noticed it.
Of course he did.
But he didn't push.
Not now.
Behind them, the man let out a quiet breath.
"You're still thinking like a weapon," he said.
Amina didn't even turn.
"Maybe," she replied.
Then she added, after a short pause:
"But at least now… I know what I'm fighting."
Adam glanced at her.
There was something different in her voice.
Not cold.
Not exactly.
Just… distant.
"We should go," he said.
"This place won't stay quiet for long."
Amina nodded.
"Lead the way."
He hesitated for a second.
Then started walking.
They moved through the corridors again.
Same place.
Same walls.
But everything felt different now.
Before, they moved together.
Now…
There was space between them.
Not much.
But enough to feel it.
At one corner, Adam slowed down.
"There's another exit," he said.
"Less obvious."
Amina followed without question.
They walked in silence.
Only their footsteps breaking the stillness.
After a while, Amina spoke.
Without looking at him.
"How long?"
Adam didn't need to ask what she meant.
"Since before they took you," he said.
She nodded slightly.
Like she expected that answer.
"And you never thought to tell me?"
He exhaled.
"I tried. More than once."
She stopped walking.
He stopped too.
"Tried?" she repeated.
Adam turned to face her.
"I didn't know how," he said honestly.
"And every time I got close… something happened."
She crossed her arms.
"That's not an answer."
"I was afraid," he admitted.
That surprised her.
She didn't expect that.
"Afraid of what?" she asked.
He held her gaze.
"That you'd look at me the way you're looking at me now."
Silence.
Amina looked away first.
"That's not fair," she said quietly.
"I know."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then she shook her head slightly.
"You should've told me anyway."
"Yeah," he said.
"I should have."
No excuses.
No defense.
Just the truth.
That made it harder somehow.
They kept walking.
Amina's voice came again, softer this time.
"When they erased my memory…"
She hesitated.
"…was I awake?"
Adam's steps slowed.
"Yes."
Her chest tightened.
"And I… agreed to it?"
"No."
His answer came immediately.
She closed her eyes for a second.
That was worse.
"Then why didn't you stop them?" she asked.
Adam's jaw tightened.
"I tried," he said again.
"But they had orders above me."
She let out a quiet, bitter breath.
"So you followed them."
"No," he said.
"I stayed."
She frowned slightly.
"They wanted to reset everything," he continued.
"Completely. No trace of who you were."
"And?"
"I made sure they couldn't."
That caught her attention.
She looked at him again.
"What does that mean?"
Adam hesitated.
Just a little.
"It means…" he said slowly,
"…some parts of you weren't erased."
Amina's heart skipped.
"That's why you remember things sometimes," he added.
"Places. Movements. Feelings."
Silence.
"You did that?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Why?"
Adam looked at her.
Like the answer was obvious.
"Because I couldn't erase you completely."
Something in her expression shifted.
Just a little.
But she didn't smile.
Didn't soften completely.
"Or maybe you just couldn't let go of control," she said.
That hit.
Adam didn't respond immediately.
"Maybe," he admitted quietly.
They reached the exit.
A metal door, slightly open.
Night air slipping through.
Amina stopped in front of it.
"For now," she said,
"…we focus on them."
Adam nodded.
"But this…" she added, looking at him again,
"…is not over."
"I know."
She pushed the door open.
Stepped outside.
Cold air hit her face.
Clear.
Sharp.
Real.
Adam followed.
But this time
Not as close as before.
End of Chapter 22