Emily looked at the clock on the wall.

"I really need to get going! Coach will be even more pissed if I'm late to his stupid little meeting." She said as she stood up. 

"Kylie will give you the grand tour. "  and with that she walked from the dining room and out the door. 

Mya picked up her notebook and waited for Kylie to grab Jason.  She opened her palm and he stepped on.  They first walked across to the den.  

"This is the den.  We pretty much watch tv and movies in here" Kylie informed her.  Mya walked around the room,  examining it and writing down notes occasionally.    

Kylie led her out of the den and down the hallway.

"This is the workout room.  My mom uses it alot.  Sometimes Emily does too but she likes the schools gym more. "  

Mya took a quick glance around, seeing nothing of note, and signaled for Kylie to continue the tour.  She pointed out the bathroom on her left and their mom's office on the right.  There Mya took her time, documenting the layout and possible hiding places.  Jason remained silent as he was drug along unwillingly.  They passed through the kitchen and the sun room, Mya writing where necessary.  

"Down there is daddy's lab. I'm not allowed down there when he isn't here.  Jason can show you when we are done. " Kylie said, pointing to the basement door. 

"I look forward to it." Mya replied politely.  

From there they went upstairs.  Stopping first in Jason's room.  Kylie opened the door and turned on the light.  Jason looked around at his fortress of solitude, he missed it.  Mya stepped inside and began to scribble immediately as she looked around.  

"When I first found Jason, he was in here." Kylie told her as she looked around.

  "Oh? And what was he doing?" Mya asked, her voice having a motherly quality to it, as if just humoring a child. 

"He was trying to get to his phone." Kylie answered.

   "Hmm.  And why did you stop him?" 

"Well I. . . He. . ." Kylie began.  "I tried to help him! I took him to my room and offered to get Emily.  He got really mad at me!" Kylie blurted out.

"And would you say that getting Emily involved has made things better for him?" Mya prodded, trying to invoke thought in the young girl.

  "She just. . . .he's" she began but then went silent.  

Jason remained silent, himself reflecting on her words.

"Can we just move on!" Kylie snapped finally.  

"Sure, lead the way." Mya said calmly, taking one last look around the room.  Kylie turned off the light, and went across to her own room. 

  "This is my room!"  She said proudly.  "Very nice." Mya replied enthusiastically as she took a look around and jotted down some information.

After she had seen what she needed to, they moved on to Emily's room.   Kylie swung the door open and walked in, stepping over and on top of piles of clothes.   Mya was more careful not to disturb anything.  She took her time, looking over everything carefully, writing an abundance of notes here.  When she was satisfied she'd seen everything, they moved on. 

The bathroom across from Emily's room was next.  Mya didn't see much of importance here but took some notes for reference.  Then they moved to the guest bedroom.   She walked in and casually moved around the perimeter.   She stopped when she saw the  open vent.  She knelt and examined it closely, noting the Philips head screws on the carpet next to it, the painted that covered them was freshly chipped.  She wrote for longer than usual before standing up. 

"Was this vent always open?" She asked kylie.  

"I dont really know.  My mom rearranges in  here all the time! It's something she likes to do. " Kylie answered, not giving it much thought as she made Jason switch hands, tired of holding her arm up.

  Mya continued looking around.  She picked up items on the dresser, glancing them over before setting them over.  Then, for the first time since she had been in the house, she checked under the bed.  Jason's heart stopped as she was still, crouched down and searching.   Finally she stood up and dusted her hands off.  

"Ok, I think I've seen all I need to here"  Mya said in her standard calm tone.  She walked past Kylie and into the hallway.  The last door at the end of the hallway was the master bedroom.  She examined it quickly, not wanting to intrude.  When she fished she spoke to Kylie. 

  "Ok Kylie, that should do it.  I'll have Jason show me the lab now." She said, holding her hand out.   

Kylie dropped Jason into her waiting hand, before bounding down the stairs and into the den.  Mya carefully handled him as she made her way down the stairs, through the hallway and to the lab door. 

  "Are you ready?" She asked Jason with a smile

  "I guess so?" Jason replied, not really understanding her enthusiasm.  She opened the door and walked down the steps.  Her face instantly lit up as she took everything in.  She set Jason on the lab table, as she rushed around, admiring formulas and lab equipment.  

"Its even better than I imagined!" She cried, opening the freezer door.  

"Yeah, it's. . . It's pretty great." Jason said, his heart sinking as he was literally back at square one, where it had all begun.  The smile faded from Mya's face.  She stepped over the broken glass still on the lab floor and pulled out the stool next to the table.  She took a seat, and leaned on the table arms crossed. 

  "Can I ask you something Jason?" She said after a moment of silence. 

"Yeah, sure" he replied, keeping his eyes down.

   "Are you. . . . Okay?" She asked, carefully choosing her words. 

  "I mean. . . .my ribs still do hurt, but what you did helped a little." He replied, rubbing his chest.

  She sighed and rolled her eyes.  She reached for him and Jason instincually flinched.  

"You see what I mean!" She said, as she grabbed him anyway.  

She began to rub and adjust him in the hands.  After a moment, he began to feel better and better. 

"I meant are you okay. . . .up there."  She said pointing to his head.

 "My head?  . . .yeah, she didn't really-"

"I mean your mind, stupid!"  She interuppted with a smile.   Jason said nothing.  

"You just don't seem. . . .like yourself. . . Somehow?" She said, trying to reason with herself. 

" I mean, we only have 2 classes together, but I know you well enough to know that much. "

Jason closed his eyes as she massaged his ribs back into place with her thumbs.  

"Truth be told, you and your friends friends can be obnoxious little bastards sometimes, but I really can't stand to see you like this."  Jason remained quiet, his eyes closed. 

  "Hey, I'm serious.  Are you even listening?!"  She said as she put him down, making him stand up. 

  Jason opened his eyes and just stared blankly at her.

   "I'm fine Mya.  Just back off." He said flatly,  not wanting to have a conversation with the girl, who was there to make sure his sister could more efficiently kick his ass. 

"I won't jason! It's in your eyes.  A part of you is. . .  Is dead. .  Or at least dying." 

"Mya! Please. . . Please just fuck off!"  Jason yelled, choking back tears. 

  "I just think I can maybe help you!" She argued. 

  "Do you even realize why you're here!?   You were hired to keep me firmly burried in shit!" 

It was Mya's turn to remain silent.  She only stared back at him.  

"Jason. . .  Look.  I know you think you're invincible.  The numbers won't argue with that, believe me.  You don't want to KNOW what Emily's scale weight is on your body.  The fact that your still alive is a miracle, but your mind. . . . Your mind isn't crush proof."

  Jason looked at his feet as she spoke. 

"It's taken more of a toll than you think.  Your eyes don't really seem alive. . . If that makes sense? 

"Don't act like you care Mya!  I don't know if you're here just to make my sister happy, or to see my dad's lab. . . But it for damn sure isn't for me." Jason said coldly, turning his back to her.

They sat in silence for a long time before Mya broke the silence.

   "Do you want to know why I'm here. . . .honestly."  She asked quietly.  

  Jason still had his back turned and said nothing. 

"Hg32" she spoke clearly.

   Jason said nothing. 

  "Hg32. . . .it's an ongoing project that all the greatest scientists in the country have been working on.  It was designed to. . .  Increase certain attributes and characteristics in humans.  In theory it could cure degenerative diseases. . . . Really save some lives, you know. " Mya explained. 

"It hadn't been cleared for human testing yet, but it showed potential in rodents." 

"And let me guess, the only side effect was they shrunk?" Jason asked, still not turning back to face her. 

"Umm. . . .not exactly ."  She said, her voice trailing off.   

  Jason didn't have to ask to know what she meant. 

  "It's not that what Emily described to me sounded like too much like the 32 serum, but I read some papers your father wrote, and the scientific community agrees, he was the closest to cracking it.  I had to see for myself.  As for Emily, I just didn't see any other way to get what I wanted."  Mya said, fidgeting on her stool. 

  Jason was quiet, this time deep in thought. After a while he found the words. 

"Ok, so why not say fuck Emily.  Fudge the report.  Give me a chance at least." He offered. 

"No." She replied, without a moment of hesitation.

Jason finally turned to face her. 

"What do you mean "no" ?  You're getting what you want right now aren't You!" He screamed, waiving his arms around the lab. 

"Yes I am.  I always do." She said flatly.  " but this is a matter of pride now.  If you take a job, you have to do it right."

"Jesus, I can't fucking believe you!" Jason fumed. 

"That being said. . . . Even though I'm going to tell her everywhere you might hide, and every which way you might escape. .  . I'm leaving you with your little surprise under the bed.  I feel I owe you that much."

"Oh jeez!  Thank-thank you for that Mya!  I'm sooo glad you decided to be merciful and help a guy out!"  Jason spat, his voice drenched in sarcasm and loathing. 

Jason's attitude finally sparked some anger in Mya.  

"Look you little bastard, I'm doing you a favor!  I could save the trouble and tell Emily just to keep you on lock down! Have your little sister make you a tiny 4 inch by half inch box in arts and crafts, a coffin if you will.  But I'm not going to do that.  I want to see you rise above this.  Show the world you deserve to live and that you won't be so easily crushed!  You have been given a gift, and if you make it, I have no doubt in my mind that you will change the world forever!  It isn't exactly fair, but I want you to earn this!"  Mya finished her passionate rant, breathing heavy as she just stared at Jason. 

They sat in silence for 10 minutes before Jason spoke. 

  "I. . . . I need to know everything you know about this. . . . Hg32.  Help me. . . Understand what I am. "