After the meeting, Sophie and Marie quietly followed Alice back to her apartment. It was close by, which was good. Alice wasn’t nearly as confident as Harriet had been, and Sophie and Marie could practically feel the nerves coming off Alice.

They settled into their new place, both on the floor of the living room.

“So,” Alice said. “You are the famous daughter of the Germains?”

Sophie shrugged. “So I’ve been told.”

Alice gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Yeah, you are. I see both parents in you.”

Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes. Except the blonde hair. But… yeah, it’s dyed. That’s what I thought.”

Sophie reached up and played with a lock of her blonde hair. “Oh.”

Marie nodded. “Think her parents had her hair dyed during the night to try and make sure people didn’t recognize her.”

Sophie seemed troubled by this new information. Marie didn’t mean to cause more pain to her friend.

“Well, I welcome you to my apartment anyway,” Alice said. “I’ve got to head to work in about an hour, so make yourselves home. Sleep if you need. Anything in the kitchen is yours.”

“Where do you work?” Sophie asked.

“At the clinic over on Highland street,” Alice said as she entered her room to get changed.

Marie knew that was in the poor district, where the medical professionals were all overworked with barely livable pay.

“Do you live with your parents?” Sophie asked, glancing around the apartment.

“No,” Alice said as she emerged in scrubs, brushing her hair. “They’re in the clearing on the other side of the wall.”

Marie couldn’t stop herself from giving a small gasp. Alice noticed and nodded. “I know. I was ready to shut the door in Charles’ face when he asked me to join the underground again, but then he told me about Josef.” Alice gave a sigh as she stared at her reflection, the sadness fliting across her face before they settled in her eyes. “I’m sure we’ll find a way to stop Josef.”

Marie tried to nod, but she was finding it difficult. When Alice left, Marie considered taking a nap.

It felt like they’d been up all night, but as soon as the door clicked shut, Sophie turned around and faced Marie.

“I was in the basement of the skyscraper?” Sophie asked.

It started Marie, making her pause before she answered. “Yes. With me.”

“Tell me. Tell me everything,” Sophie said.

Marie did, not leaving out a single detail. She talked about how Sophie had been with Marie at the S.E.A. after school program because her parents refused to let them have sleepovers. They got separated, and Sophie sacrificed herself for Marie so Marie wouldn’t have to get a worse punishment from President Arnold.

Sophie stared ahead, blinking a few times as Marie finished her story.

“I don’t know what happened after we got separated, but I assume they gave you the formula to make you forget everything,” Marie said.

Sophie nodded. “It’s so strange. You keep describing who I was before, and to me it feels like a different person entirely.” Her voice was quiet.

“There’s still a bit of you in there,” Marie said.

Sophie couldn’t meet Marie’s eyes. “I’m just glad we’re getting the chemical to right all this,” she said, pointing to her head. “My time as a hobo hasn’t been fun, and I can’t wait to remember things again.”

“It’ll be just fine. In a week or so you’ll see. The memories will be back, and it’ll be like old times.”

Sophie stared at the ceiling. “It seems strange. When you talked about my hatred for my parents, I felt something. Like it was familiar. And there’s something comfortable about being with you, even though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it before.”

Marie looked excited. “You know, maybe some hobos have broken out of the memory wipe before without the chemicals. We could try some things to see if that works.”

Sophie nodded, smiling. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

***

Charles sent Sam on a mission to break one of the elevators down in the S.E.A. skyscraper. When one of the secretaries called for it to be fixed, Sam redirected the call so it would come to his phone, and he scheduled an appointment to get it fixed. They began planning everything around that day.

Marie tried to talk as much as possible with Sophie, and it turned out it helped calm her nerves as they planned for the heist. Sophie was like a sponge, soaking in the information. She would nod when things felt familiar, but that was it. Sophie described it more like remembering a dream. She remembered, but it still didn’t feel real to her.

***

Marie still felt sick to her stomach the day of the heist, pacing back and forth before the guys arrived right after school to get ready for the break in. Marie felt a nervous anticipation. In a short few hours, she could see her dad again! She was so focused on that she didn’t even realize she had walked into the kitchen while Charles and Alice were having a heated debate.

“...is the best we’ve got.”

Marie turned toward Charles’ voice before she realized she probably wasn’t supposed to hear that.

“Oh, hi Marie,” Alice said, the tone in her voice shifting to a much pleasanter one.

“Hi. Hello. Just, um, getting a drink,” Marie said. She could be so incredibly awkward at times. “Don’t mind me. I’ll, um...”

The door opened and the guys came into the apartment, thankfully helping her change the subject.

“Alright, we’ve got to get started now,” Charles said as he glanced at his watch. “We don’t have much time.”

“The appointment to fix the elevators is at five,” Albert said.

“Yes, and we have to remove everyone’s chips before then,” Charles said.

Billy frowned. “What? Why?”

“Anyone might get nervous and burst into song. Most of you are going as hobos, and it will compromise everything. It’s just safer. The procedure isn’t demanding, it’ll just be a bit sore for a couple days.”

Billy mumbled something, but agreed.

Sophie was in the living room, reading a book. Alice and Charles were busy removing chips from people’s heads in the bathroom. When Marie got dressed into her hobo outfit, she walked over to Sophie.

“Hey,” Marie said.

Sophie glanced up from her book and took in Marie’s clothes. She gave a nod. “Yep, you look like a hobo.”

Marie pointed at the book Sophie was reading. “Whatcha reading?”

Sophie held it up. “It’s a poetry book. I’m trying some things out to-” Sophie stopped talking when Marie started laughing. Sophie frowned. “What?”

“You hate poetry,” Marie said.

An annoyance mixed with anger filled Sophie’s eyes. “Well, you know. I thought I’d try it out for myself. You never know. I might have been lying.”

Marie shook her head. “No, you weren’t. Believe me, you hate poetry.” Marie reached for the book but Sophie pulled it back.

“I kind of liked some of the poems,” Sophie said, anger spilling into her voice.

“You hated poetry class. It was a constant fight between you and your parents. You even burned a poetry book. Believe me, you don’t like poetry.” Marie grabbed the book, but Sophie pulled it away.

“Maybe I’m different now! Did you ever consider that?” Sophie asked.

Though it might have been true, Marie gave a forced laugh anyway. “You’ll see, Sophie. When you get your memories back, you’ll be laughing at this conversation.”

Sophie snapped the book shut and stomped off. The abrupt gesture left Marie feeling rattled. She shook her head as she made her way into the second bedroom where they had a station for makeup and clothes to help turn them all into hobos. Edgar was currently in the corner, putting on his hobo makeup. Marie couldn’t help but stare as he removed the dark eyeliner from his eyes and the black lipstick. He looked almost normal, except the terrifying look in his eyes. Marie looked away before Edgar caught her looking at him.

“Okay, Marie. You’re next,” Billy said as Albert stood up. Marie gave Albert the smallest of smiles as she took his spot. Albert put on his wig that made his hair look shaggier. He was going as a repair man with Sam.

Marie sat in front of Billy in the stool as he began filling his brush with some foundation. She tapped her knee purely out of nerves.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just go roll in the dirt?” Marie asked.

“Maybe, if you weren’t you. But the thing is, you are you. President Arnold, the Germain’s, and a number of other hobos know who you are. We need to change your appearance, too,” Billy said.

“Isn’t there fake prosthetics or something?” Marie asked.

“You’re getting by with some makeup magic and a wig. Have a little faith in my skill,” Billy said. “Now, close your eyes. I need to make you into a different person.”

Marie gave him a humorous look before she closed her eyes and allowed Billy to do what he needed. Billy expertly passed the brush over her face. It seemed weird that she’d need makeup in order to look like a hobo. But she did as Billy suggested and trusted him.

“Nervous?” Billy asked.

“Does it show?” Marie asked.

“Yes. We’re also doing something incredibly illegal, so I’d be surprised if you weren’t a little nervous.”

Marie let out a small breath. “It also doesn’t help that I walked in on Charles and Alice having a heated argument.”

“Oooh,” Billy said like she just told him some sort of juicy gossip. “Did you now?”

Marie had no idea why Billy reacted like that. She cracked her eyes open to give him a curious look. Billy’s eyes were alight with gossip.

“What do you mean by that?” Marie asked.

“Three words, Marie. Unresolved sexual tension,” Billy said.

Marie opened her eyes all the way as she felt the cool brush on her forehead. “Seriously? Alice and Charles? They hate each other. Did you hear about their big fight that caused Alice to leave the underground?”

“Yes, the drama ensues!” Billy said. Marie frowned, but honestly, she shouldn’t be surprised. Billy seems to collect gossip on everyone. “Friends to enemies, now they’re on track for enemies to friends, and then friends to lovers! Those are the best slow burn love stories!”

“How on earth do you know about them? I learned about them because I was there when Charles did not want to ask her back to the underground,” Marie said as she closed her eyes again.

Billy laughed. “You pick up on things when you know what to look for.”

“And you honestly think they’re going to be... lovers?

Billy let out a strange giggle. “Sexual tension, Marie! It’s practically vibrating off them.”

Marie rolled her eyes, but Billy couldn’t see because her eyes were closed. She heard a door open, then close again. Marie cracked an eye open to see Abe walking in with his hobo clothes and his hair all messed up.

“Hey, Abe. You look great,” Marie said.

Abe gave his usual small but genuine smile. “Thanks, Marie.”

Albert gave a snort. “Not much of a compliment, Abe. She thinks you look great as a homeless person.”

Marie fought another eye roll and instead closed her eyes again for Billy.

“My homeless person is more noticeable than your fake repairman costume,” Abe said.

Marie tried not to smile since she felt the brush around her cheek. “Looks like Abe finally learned to dish it back while I was gone.”

She felt the brush pause for a second. “Actually, Abe just learned it,” Billy said.

This time Marie let the frown cross her face as she opened her eyes. “So it took him all of six months to learn to fight Albert back?”

Her statement brought an unusual silence in the room, one Marie didn’t quite understand. Billy lowered the brush and looked at Abe and Albert, who were both paying attention now. Edgar glanced over his handheld mirror, half his face covered in pretend smudges.

“What? Why are you guys so quiet?” Marie asked. Abe and Albert remained silent, so Marie turned to Billy.

Billy tapped his brush into the brown makeup again, not looking at her. “When you crossed over the other side, Abe and Albert got along swimmingly. Now that you’re back, they are once again vying for your attention the best way they know how.”

Marie froze, again slightly annoyed and in awe at Billy’s ability to read people. “Seriously?” Billy said nothing, so Marie turned to Abe and Albert who were both looking embarrassed. “Seriously?”

The ability to quietly take Abe and Albert’s passive aggressive banter shattered inside her. Breaking into the basement made her nervous ever since the idea was suggested, and she couldn’t handle subtle things going wrong. Things needed to work like they had planned. A righteous anger made her stand up and head toward Abe and Albert.

“Am I the only reason why you guys joined the underground?”

Both of them had some sort of excuse not to look at her.

“I have been across the wall for over half a year. I have studied until my brain has been exhausted looking for how I can get across the wall to save my dad. I have done nothing but fret about him ever since he got arrested. Sophie has forgotten who she is, and as much as we’ve tried, getting her the formula is the only way to get her memories back. I need my best friend to be okay. I need my dad to be safe. We’re about to go save them, and I need you both focused and working well together. If you guys are going to have some sort of petty fight, get it out now. Understand?”

Abe and Albert both looked a little shell shocked at what she said, but Albert was the first to recover as Marie was ready to head back to the stool. He caught her arm. “Okay well, our petty fight might be solved quicker if you just choose one of us.”

The anger burned deeper inside her and Marie gave Albert such a glare that he let go of her arm and took the tiniest step back. Why did this all have to fall on her? “So what you’re saying is if I make a decision, the other will have the maturity to suck it up and not dive into even more petty arguing?”

“Yes,” Abe said as Albert nodded his head. Marie glared at them both. Did they not understand a word she said? She was so focused on her dad and Sophie that she wasn’t focusing on anything else, and she refused to use up any more brain power on something she wasn’t ready for.

Marie headed back to the stool. “Neither one of you! Now focus!”

Marie sat on the stool and faced Billy, feeling her already nervous jumble of emotions knocking against each other and sending angry shivers down her body. Billy tried and failed to hide the mirth in his eyes as he picked the brush back up again. Marie was personally glad she had an excuse to close her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see Abe or Albert’s faces.

“Looks like someone is about to face one of their fears,” the quiet yet creepy voice of Edgar came from across the room. In the heat of the moment, Marie had completely forgotten he was there.

“Shut up, Poe,” Albert grumbled. Marie couldn’t help herself and cracked an eye open. Albert stuffed his hands deep in his pockets and shuffled out of the room.