Its only been two days since Hunter apologized for the way he's been treating me, but everything has changed. The biggest change has obviously been at work. Instead of coming into a white sterile room to run experiments for hours alone and quietly like I used to, now I can enjoy a pleasant conversation with Hunter and some of the other interns that he had previously convinced to ignore me.

His best friends are John and Robert. Their parents work with Charlotte so they all got into the same isolation camp together. While their specialization is in chemistry, they have all the training necessary for doctors and medical researchers as well.

"Hello," John waves his hand in front of my face impatiently. Since it is our lunch break, the four of us are just sitting together and talking while we eat our food. "Are you listening to anything I'm saying? Because you just agreed to do all of our lab work for all four of us for the next month and a half. I mean, if you want to do that that's completely fine with me, but I think the issue might be you're just not paying attention." I blush beet red with embarrassment before responding. I didn't mean to ignore them, I just dazed off for a moment.

"Sorry," I feel bad for ignoring them since they've been so kind to let me sit with them and try to be friends with me because of Hunter.

"It's fine. I'm just messing with you. Although I am curious, what had you so distracted? I didn't realize anything was capable of distracting anyone from my incredible conversation skills." He smirks at me while giving me an out in case I don't want to answer his question. I shake my head his antics before answering him.

"Nothing two important, just thinking over some of the results we've got in from the experiments we've been running lately. The plague is spreading too quickly for us to find a cure in time. In fact, I'm starting to lose hope with the possibility of us ever finding a cure." I got up to throw my trash away, but before I can even finish gathering it, Hunter takes it out of my hands to go throw it away with his own.

"Thanks." I smile at him when he returns, only to notice Robert and John smirking at each other behind his back. Before I can take the time to think about what on Earth that look could mean, a bell signals the end of our lunch hour.

"Back to work!" Hunter cheers in a not very joyful voice. I look at him in shock before quickly masking my expression. This is the first time I've ever heard him say anything not completely serious and work-related. We all laugh before turning to head towards the room we work in to finish up another long dreary day at work.

As the day progresses, all I can think of is how much my life has changed in such a short amount of time. Two months ago, no one had ever even heard of the isolation camps. Now, they are our only chance at survival unless a cure can be found in time which seems less likely with each passing day.

Sometimes, Joy misses our mother. It's often at night when she wants someone to tuck her into bad when she just wants a parental figure which is much as I try I can't provide because I'm her sister. Our whole lives I've treated her like a younger sister, I can't suddenly start acting like her parent because she's not used to me having that level of authority.

Once I'm home, a little blonde blur comes barreling towards me like always.

"Joy, you're finally home from work! Can you believe Kayla got home before you? You're always home before she is. Of course Alyssa got home before both of you but she always does. I don't even know what she does in this place or how she got in. Although, I do wish she would leave; I can't stand her. She's always so rude and mean to me, and it's not just me she isn't nice to, it is you and Kayla as well." She rambles on excitedly thrilled that I'm finally home.

I catch her in my arms before she whizzes by and give her a hug. Joy and I always got along great even if she does talk a lot.

"I'm glad to finally be home. Although, work is a lot better now that Hunter and his friends are including me. It's still long and tedious work. I understand they need someone to do it, but I wish it were more exciting. Anything would be better than what we're doing right now.

In order to track the different symptoms of the plague to find out if there is more than one strain going around, we have to go through all the data coming in from all the hospitals and medical centers in Revere so we can sort it into different groups."

"Now that you're finally home, can I go hang out with some of my friends in the common building again?"

"Sure," I reply since there's no point in arguing with her. She always gets her way when it comes to something she really wants. "Just make sure you come back on time unlike the last time I allowed you to go."

"Thanks," she hollers as she runs out the door with her things well Kayla and just laugh at her excitement.

Joy comes back on time like she promised and both her and Kayla go to bed early because they're exhausted. Since Alyssa hasn't come home yet, I have plenty of time to look over the journal before I retire to bed myself. As I try to decipher the words behind the binary code, everything seems to be keeping up with the story Hunter told.

It seems to be true my parents were both part of the Elite to once, but they were unable to stomach the brutal experiments they were beginning to run in the name of science so they were forced to leave. I'm about to start decoding the part that talks about what exactly the experiments were when Alyssa comes in and goes upstairs.

Looking at the clock, I realize how late it's gotten. As much as I would like to continue decoding the journal, it's going to have to wait for another time. With the importance of the experiments I'm running I cannot afford to be tired. One small mistake could cost lives if the results are wrong.

Hopefully tomorrow I will have more time, but if I do I'll get around to it eventually. I think Joy signed us up for some sort of hiking Expedition that London is running tomorrow. Its purpose is to keep us from getting bored from a tireless routine here inside the city. If I am signed up, I hope they at least give us the day off of work.

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