Chapter 27 · Freefall Overload

"The dragon is dropping us!" Valerie shouted.

Jesse's shoulder slammed into the mech-dragon's armored spine. Metal shrieked under him. Below, Port Rust spun in broken pieces—neon signs, rooftops, burning traffic lanes, all rushing up way too fast.

His stolen deck flashed across his vision.

[WRAITH DECK: CRITICAL FAILURE] [HOST VITALS: 31%] [ALTITUDE: 418 METERS] [IMPACT WINDOW: 19 SECONDS]

"I can read the numbers," Jesse yelled. "Give me something useful!"

The deck answered by stabbing six black cards through his forearm.

Jesse gritted his teeth. The cards had grown out of his skin like hooked shards, blue veins of aether pulsing beneath their edges. His arm jerked toward the mech-dragon's open chest cavity.

"Jesse!" Valerie caught his belt and locked both boots against a ridge of armor. Her body slammed into his back. Her breath hit the side of his neck, hot and sharp. "Stop fighting the deck!"

"It hijacked me. I'm not exactly choosing the conversation."

"Then break the link."

"Great plan. How?"

"You built the thing."

"I stole the thing. Big difference."

The mech-dragon rolled hard.

Valerie's grip slipped. Jesse caught her wrist before she went over the edge. His fingers closed around the warm metal of her gauntlet.