Chapter 56 · Answer me

"Answer me."

"I'm fine. Move."

"You always this difficult?"

"Only with giant murder machines who refuse to follow directions."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Means you're alive."

For one stupid second, neither of them moved.

Her breath warmed the space between them. His hand was braced beside her head. His other arm locked around her waist, keeping her pinned under him while gunfire cracked against the walls.

Lila's eyes dropped to his mouth, then snapped back up.

"If you're done staring," she said, "there's a door behind you."

Cain looked over his shoulder.

A maintenance hatch sat behind the weapons rack. Three guards blocked it.

"Can you run?"

"Can you stop asking questions you already know the answer to?"

"No."

"Then no."

Cain pushed up.

Lila grabbed the front of his armor. "Wait. The collar."

"What about it?"

"Silas is still controlling the pulse. If you cross the red line on the floor, he can shut your heart down."

Cain glanced at the painted strip ten feet away.

"How do you know?"

"Because the line is connected to the panel. And because the last time you crossed one, you collapsed for six minutes.