Chapter 25 · Barrel to the Bone

"Don't touch that door."

Kane's gun stayed trained on Vera, but his eyes locked on me.

That was worse.

The red door hummed behind my shoulder. My metal card sat hot in my palm, its edge digging into my skin. Vera stood close enough to grab me. Kane stood far enough to shoot her before she reached me.

Nobody moved.

Then the countdown above the door changed.

00:04:17.

Vera smiled without looking away from Kane. "You heard him. He thinks he's in charge."

"I said don't touch it," Kane repeated.

"And I heard you." I lifted the card between two fingers. "You want to explain why?"

His jaw tightened. He looked at the card first, then at my face. His stare dropped to my mouth for half a second before snapping back up.

I noticed.

So did Vera.

"Careful, Jessa," Vera said. "He only looks at people that way when he's deciding where to put the bullet."

Kane's gun shifted an inch toward her. "Keep talking. I need a reason."

"You already have one." Vera's voice stayed smooth, but her fingers flexed at her side. "She opened the red door. The lock called her a copy. You knew it would."