Chapter 11 · The Price of a Name

"Give me the mine key, Julian, or I put a bullet through your hand."

Julian froze with his fingers inches from the metal case.

Gabriel stood behind me, one hand pressed to the cut beneath his ribs. Blood had soaked through his shirt and darkened his palm. He should have been on the floor. Instead, he leaned against the blast pod wall and watched Julian like he was already deciding where to bury him.

Julian laughed, but it came out thin. "You won't shoot me. Not while you need the code."

"I need the key," I said. "The code can be pulled from the command logs."

"You don't even know how to read military encryption."

"Then I'll make you read it for me."

I pressed the pistol harder against his jaw. His skin dimpled under the barrel.

The pod shook as another distant blast rolled through the mine. Dust dropped from the ceiling. Behind the reinforced glass, miners shouted and scattered away from the support beams.

Julian glanced past me. "Look at them. Your people are running out of time. You kill me, and the detonation chain stays locked."

"You started the chain. You can end it.