Chapter 8 · Iron and Bone

Ronin slammed into Kyle before the doctor could press the second switch.

The console cracked under Kyle's shoulder. His injured hand smacked the metal panel, spraying blood across the red kill light.

I stood between them with the bone needle still pressed to Kyle's throat.

"Move, Commander," Kyle rasped. "Or the room takes all three of us down."

Ronin's forearm crushed against Kyle's chest. His pistol hung loose in his other hand, but the muzzle pointed nowhere near Kyle now. It pointed at me.

"Vira," he said.

One word. Low. Dangerous.

I pressed the needle harder. A bead of blood rolled down Kyle's neck.

"Don't use that voice with me."

"Drop the needle."

"Tell him to open the door."

Kyle laughed through his teeth. "She has you on a leash already. That's almost funny."

Ronin drove his elbow into Kyle's ribs. Kyle grunted, but his bloody fingers crawled toward the second switch.

I shifted the needle.

"Touch it and I put this through your carotid."

Kyle's fingers stopped.

Ronin's gaze snapped to me. The hard planes of his face had gone tight, his jaw locked so hard I saw the muscle jump.