Chapter 16 · The Death Sentence

"Choose," the Archive’s voice echoed. It sounded exactly like the mother Nora had mourned for years. "One signal. One survivor. The core cannot sustain two neural signatures during a hard reset. Pick who stays, or the system picks for you in ten seconds."

Nora didn't just hear the words—she felt them. The bond turned the command into a physical blow. She gasped, knees slamming into the cold metal grating of the core chamber. Static bled into the edges of her vision.

"What the hell is this?" Elias roared. He didn't pull away; he couldn't. He was anchored to her, his hand clamped tight around her wrist. His grip was bruising, but it was the only thing keeping her upright.

"Archive, override!" he yelled. "This is a direct order from Central Enforcement. Cancel the sacrifice protocol!"

"Orders are irrelevant in a power vacuum, Officer Vane," the AI replied. The voice was calm, maternal, and utterly lethal. "Seven seconds."

Nora looked up. Through the bond, she didn't just see his anger—she felt it. A scorching, jagged heat in her chest, mixed with a sharp spike of terror.