Chapter 38 · You can't control me anymore

"You can't control me anymore."

The drones charged.

Lila shoved him toward the hatch. "Then be useful and open it!"

Cain spun, caught one drone by its metal frame as it lunged, and smashed it into the platform. The impact broke its weapon arm. The machine shrieked in a burst of static.

The second drone fired. Cain dragged Lila down by the back of her collar. The bolt cut across his upper arm instead of her throat.

"You took that for me," she said.

"I noticed."

"That was stupid."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep doing stupid things."

Cain kicked the damaged drone over the edge. It fell into the shaft, red light spinning until it vanished.

The third drone backed away and sent a signal through the tunnel. A human voice came from its speaker.

"Cain. Stop resisting. Your command pathways are still active."

Silas.

Cain went rigid.

Lila moved in front of him before she could think better of it. "Get your own voice. I'm tired of hearing it through machines."

"You should be more careful, Lila," Silas said. "You have no idea what he is without the chip."

"Neither do you, apparently.