Chapter 33 · Loop Eighty-Five

Cole woke up in the drop ship.

Again.

His hands weren't shaking. That was new. Eighty-five loops in and his body had stopped pretending this was survival instinct. It was routine now. Wake up, gear check, countdown to Ivy's death.

Except last time he hadn't reset.

Last time he took the round meant for her and the world kept burning. No white flash. No rewind. Just blood in his mouth and Watcher's voice saying loop eighty-five like he was reading off a grocery list.

Cole sat up slow. The drop ship's engine drummed under his boots. Nail was across from him, same as always, cleaning his sidearm with the same oil-stained rag. Same joke halfway loaded on his face.

"You look like shit, Ash."

Cole didn't answer. He was running the math. If he died and didn't reset, that meant the loop kept going. Someone else hit the trigger. Or the system didn't need him conscious anymore.

That was worse.

"Ash." Nail's voice sharpened. "You hearing me?"

"Yeah." Cole strapped his vest down, fingers moving on muscle memory. "I'm good."

"You're not." Nail leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You've been different the last two drops. Quiet.