I need to beg of you a promise..

Recoil then left the room and stood outside waiting. A few minutes passed, finally Zoya exited also and joined her.

She looked troubled, expecting bad tidings. "Is it a temporary cure...?" she asked grasping Recoil's hand..

Recoil shook her head smiling..

That's not it she replied and there are no negative side effects..

I need to beg of you a promise.... a promise in return for having saved your life..

This promise you will have to keep even from Arkady... or the cost of saving your life... could be me losing mine!

This is the story about the miraculous medicine and how I came to have it..

Then she recounted her's and Vladimirs story of how they left their lives as scavengers fleeing from the Over Seers.. and inadvertently discovered not just a miraculous medicine but enhancments that would remold them mentally and physically..

Zoya listened to the story entranced.

When Recoil had finished.

She asked.. So I am enhanced now??

Yes.. are you ok, I'm sorry, I, we Vladimir and I knew it was the only way to save you...

And we couldn't tell a soul that it was an enhancement.

They may have forbid it, arrested us, or worse.. and you would lose the cure..

Do you understand everything now, she asked??

Zoya nodded quietly,.. I understand.

You and Vladimir have saved my life.. and now my silence will save yours in return..

Thankyou.. she said.. I understand..