“Failure.”

Dr. Marken scribbles in his notebook, harshly crossing off the last test. He grabs his tape recorder and hits the button.

“Project Pennsylvania already gained supernatural powers. Pyrokinesis,” he comments lowly.

Project Tennessee, Ness, watches as he looks disappointed. Maybe disheartened?

“Tests are unable to give controlled, contained abilities. Still produce ones of destructive.”

She can practically hear Project Texas, Tex’s eyes roll.

A beeping startles Dr. Marken. He shuts off his recorder and slam his notebook closed. Hurrying, he leaves, the door locking behind him.

“Finally, he’s gone,” Penny slumps in relief. He was particularly hard on her today with the experiments. Ness feels bad and relieved at the same time. “He’s got to be mad if he expects to get away with this,” Project Rhode Island, Landen grunts, tapping the glass with his knuckles.

“Our families haven’t found us yet,” Tex points out, ever the optimist. That thought heavily weighs on Ness. It has gone through her mind before, but she never let herself voice it.

Her parents would look for her, right? They haven’t found her because they are hidden, right?

“We have to do something,” Penny says, her voice quivers, with an emotion that Ness doesn’t know how to describe. Fear? Nervousness? Resignation? Or maybe it’s determination?

“What do you suggest? Stage a coup?” Tex questions. He sounds harsh and gruff, but Ness knows he doesn’t mean any harm. That’s just how he talks.

“Yes! We are the ones with the powers!” That takes the three of them aback. Penny has been here the shortest amount of time. Her positivity hasn’t been broken down yet.

Ness shakes her head, “We’ve tried, Penny. The cells he keeps us in are immune to our powers.”

“And when we are in the test cell, our powers don’t do anything to that either,” Landen adds.

“Maybe it can contain one of our abilities, but not all. We need to convince him to put us all in the experiment cell,” Penny suggests, her tone getting more hopeful by the second. Ness almost feels bad for her.

“If we talk when not spoken to, Dr. Marken will only go harder on us. He doesn’t listen to us. He’ll know the second we say something that something is up,” Ness disagrees. Tex grunts in agreement with her.

It takes a moment for Penny to respond with anything. “Who is E? Sometimes he mentions E.”

“His daughter,” Landen answers.

“He’s looking for the fucking cure for her,” Tex adds, sharply. Ness can see his clenched fists.

Penny doesn’t relent, “Well then I’ll suggest it. I don’t know the social rules of this place yet. I’ll try to imply it would be a good idea. For her.”

“Penny, his experiments will only get worse for you,” Ness warns, hoping that one of the onoy people she cares for won’t get into trouble. “Projects Arizona was taken away when she was no longer useful. Who knows what he’ll do to you.” Her voice is pleading by this point. If she never sees her family again, then the other subjects are her only friends. She can’t lose anyone else.

There is this glint in Penny’s eyes. Ness remembers it from the first day Penny came through, reminding them all about their human side. “I have to try. I can’t spend the rest of my life in here. I won’t.”

Ness glances at Tex and Landen. Both give her the same feeling. Understanding. Agreement.

They won’t live their whole lives in this room. They’ll either escape together or die together.

The unbreakable bond formed from trauma.

“Ok, what’s the plan?”