The Copy: Project 863

Reunion

(Ben's POV)

All of us, Matthias, Samantha, Woodland, Deborah, Olivia, and I, were back at the studio when Deborah told us to go across the lot to the unit opposite Spellbound's.

It was discovered that the building was converted, by Deborah, into an organization to stop Syntec everywhere. In every timeline. I was treated with hostility, many patients, the ones who lived, worked here. Deborah came to my defense and they all trusted her with their lives, so they set aside their problems.

They gave me a few stitches, fixed my shoulder, and told me to try not to move. Olivia was in a comatose state. She wasn't well. I heard rumors around that Nelson was planning something. It didn't sound too far fetched. He is always planning something. I also heard Deborah was working on an antidote for Olivia. This is sounding familiar. I walked to her office. 

When I arrived I knocked twice. It took awhile, but she eventually opened the door. Her office wasn't much different than I remembered it had been at Syntec. Maybe it was slightly bigger. My memory isn't one to trust.

"Is there something you need?" she asked. What did I even come here for? 'Hey! I haven't seen you in awhile, let's catch up! I know I did terrible things, I don't remember what those are. Could you tell me?' 'Hey. I heard you're working on the antidote, how's that going? And can I have some?' Wait. Would it even work? Why am I here? I don't-

"Overthinking?" she broke me out if my thoughts.

"Yes," I said,"How are you doing?"

"Well enough." 

I nodded. 

"You're here about the antidote, aren't you?"

"It's one of the reasons," I admitted,"I know it won't work. I re-read all of the documents I still owned. I'm sorry." 

She was silent for a few moments,"I am too." It startled me.

Sorry? What for?

She laughed, a sound that brought me a wave of nostalgia,"You are drowning in self-pity. Look, he tricked you-"

"No, he didn't. I just wanted to believe him."

"He manipulated you. He is very good at that. I, failed to notice what was happening." she looked down,"I'm sorry for what happened to you, I truly am. I know Matthew doesn't remember anything, but I have a feeling you remember at least some of it."

That last sentence broke me. Tears filled my eyes, I turned around to wipe them away. I heard her sigh behind me. "Ben, what happened was terrible. I can't hate you for being hurt by it." I rested on the door frame and closed my eyes. My mind kept replaying every conversation I'd had with her, they were all terrible. She was cold, unfeeling, cruel.

"Did you know he can erase memories?" I opened my eyes.

"I'd assumed so."

"Do you want to know what I hate him most for erasing?" She nodded,"You." She was taken aback."I remember that I cared for you. But I don't remember why. All the memories I have of you, are you being cruel. To patients, to employees, to me. So I kept asking myself,'Why? Why did you feel for her? She's been nothing but terrible.' I argued with myself, trying to remember some instance of kindness. Nothing. I remembered nothing. However, I did remember a promise I'd made with myself. 'I will never forget her. Her brilliance, her kindness-" My voice betrayed me by choking. "If I remembered that, what made me think you were kind? And I still don't know! So, tell me, what do you remember?"