Chapter 29 · The Silence of Zero Hour

"Put the gun down, Vera. Or don't. Honestly, it'd be a hell of a lot faster if you just did it," Kael spat, his voice raw, sounding like he'd swallowed a handful of glass. He didn't move. He couldn't. He was pinned against the jagged remains of a concrete pillar, the cold bite of the rubble digging into his spine.

Vera’s muzzle didn't waver. It was pressed hard against the soft skin just under his jaw, forcing his head back. Her finger was tight on the trigger, her breathing shallow and jagged. He could smell her—ozone, gunpowder, and that sharp, metallic scent of adrenaline.

"You think this is a joke?" she hissed. "You think because the clock stopped, we're suddenly friends? I should have ended you ten loops ago."

Kael let out a sharp, jagged laugh that turned into a cough. "Ten loops? Baby, I've been dead more times than you've had hot meals. Just pull it. Let's see if the Protocol actually cares about us now that the timer's dead."

"Shut up," she snapped, her voice trembling.