Remember Me (ONC2020) ✔

Chapter 5

"It's like the machine snatched him with his memories and left his body," Runan said.

"Have you ever seen this before?" Solara asked.

"No," Ernesito said.

Solara's head spun and she braced herself on the counter. How were they going to fix this?

Ernesito stalked toward Runan and raised his voice. "You should never have involved her. She has no experience working with chips. Mem-Stem would have helped you."

Runan stood, overshadowing Ernesito by a few inches. "They threatened me with a ten thousand dozi fine if I didn't release her memories. They won't give me answers. It wouldn't earn them anything. They won't give a damn about a man now incapable of creating content for them."

He turned to Solara, frowning as tears slipped out of her eyes. "Sola, I'm so sorry. I should have never come."

Solara sniffled and wiped them away. Until fifteen minutes ago, she'd been thrilled he'd considered asking.

As Ernesito furrowed his brow, Solara stepped closer to Runan's side. "The same thing happened to Messita and led to her death. One minute she was laughing and healthy, and the next she froze completely. Something isn't right. 

"Am I supposed to believe you two with a comatose man on the table?"

"Check my memory," Solara blurted.

With a raised eyebrow, Ernesito scrutinized her from head to toe. "You've never let me touch your memories."

She ground down her teeth to keep the bile in her throat. "It's you or the police."

"I forgot how charming you were," Ernesito said dryly.

As Ernesito removed the brain-scanning cap from Ju'rah's head, her fingers traced the spiral of her wooden necklace. Runan tried to catch her eye, but she could only focus on breathing. Ernesito had bugged her for the better part of a year to share their memories, claiming other couples he worked with relived their favourite moments from the other person's perspective to appreciate them more. She'd never discerned if he wanted to feed his ego or had doubts about their relationship. While he wasn't a memory specialist, he was familiar enough with mem-tech to dig in various corners of her mind she'd rather keep private.

"Why not scan mine? We've never met, and you two know each other. If you want to check our sincerity, look at my motivation and experience. I saw Ju'rah's memory too."

She wanted to throw her arms around Runan's tall frame. Ernesito would have to try hard to refute this without revealing other motives.

"One of you put on the cap before I walk to the police station or call Mem-Stem."

Runan grabbed the infrared cap, and as he sat in the chair near her desk, she helped him secure the device in place. Her fingers brushed away locks of his dark hair and smoothed them down in a way that had Runan following her every move. That was intimate, too intimate in front of her ex who was meant to help them with the false hope they'd mend things.

Solara pressed her palms to her sides and looked to Ernesito. "From the beginning?"

"Yes."

"Close your eyes, Runan. Picture yourself on the street outside the shop, you find the noodle shop, see Lunita and head upstairs," Solara said.

Ernesito kept the tablet angled, so she had to stand close to him to review the memories. Her nose still crinkled at his strong cologne and leather scent. On the screen, Runan stood at the door, his eyes wandering everywhere but Solara. Emotions weren't as obvious in a video feed as when she wore the cap to relive a memory and make modifications to suit the commercial market. Runan's experience hours ago was similar to her own, but his version of her was far more flattering than any mirror.