The four women stopped in front of the gate. The commander at the front nodded to the program director seated next to the controls.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with you,” he said just before pressing a button and keying in a password, signaling the opening of the gate and an oncoming rush of bitter cold.

“With all due respect, sir,” the commander replied, “neither you nor whatever higher power you believe in has any influence in there.”

The team of four secured their helmets and marched through the gate, leaving only the closing of the gate to penetrate the silence of the speechless on the other side.

“Miss Quinn, you are here to remove one memory and gain one in return. When you relinquish the memory you’ve chosen, it will become the property of Cerebrum, and we may use it how we see fit. We will make all attempts to protect your privacy so that it will not be linked to you once it is no longer yours, and we may also make changes to it for whatever reason. Do you consent to this?”

“I can at least try to do something.”

“We never had a chance to verify that the time machine won’t harm humans.”

“I’ll be the first test.”