A moment of silence passed before Mike could contain himself. "I promised Alex I'd keep you safe," he said, "so I won't let you die here." His tone was resolute, a promise repeated despite Lily's apparent unconcern. She surveyed the small room, finding it a significant improvement over her quarters at X Department. Bedding and necessities were all provided. Relieved, she inspected the bathroom, noting the absence of surveillance cameras; their presence would have eradicated any semblance of privacy.

Exhausted from the ordeal, she pulled a chair closer and sat. Noticing Mike still standing demurely by the door, she said softly, "It's okay. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, so you don't need to be so upset."

"Even without my assurances, they'd discard me once I became useless," she continued, "so I don't need to tiptoe around them. My words mean nothing to them, whether they need me or not." She paused, a thoughtful smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, right. Your son," Lily asked, "still no news? It's been a while since you worked here. Can't you…?"

Mike interrupted hastily, "No! I've tried; it's futile. Now, I only do what the organization's superiors demand. Once that's done, I believe Nicky will return safely."

His words sounded odd to Lily, but before she could question him, he strode toward her, extending a hand as if to take hers. Surprised, she prepared to resist, but saw his other hand covering his lips, a silent gesture for her to remain quiet as his eyes darted around the room.

Understanding, she complied. "Are you that loyal to them?" she asked.

"It's not loyalty," he replied, "it's the weak bowing to the strong. I resisted, I struggled, but nothing worked. I haven't found my son, so I have no choice but to submit!" As he spoke, he affixed a small, circular device to Lily's collar, near her lips.

Lily looked down in confusion, recognizing it as a signal jammer. Meeting his gaze, she scanned her surroundings. "You're right," she said. "If I had a choice, I wouldn't be here either."

Sighing, she exchanged a look with Mike, then straightened her collar. "Whatever. I'll hope for the best. When do I start?"

"As soon as possible!" Mike said solemnly. "The sooner we finish this project, the sooner we get what we want. Our families will be safe, too. I won't disturb your rest. I'll pick you up in three hours and take you to the lab."

"Okay," Lily replied hopelessly. "I guess that's all we can do."

Mike cast one last glance at her before leaving, closing the door behind him.

Upstairs in his office, the small man removed his earphones, digging at his ears and frowning at the device. A pained expression crossed his face. "Tsk," he muttered. "The signal interference is getting worse."