Chapter 14 · Celine felt Mira's attention lock on it

He held out the burner phone. "This has a route. It was sent from inside the old research level. Blackwater's original site."

Celine felt Mira's attention lock on it.

"That level was sealed," Mira said.

"It was supposed to be."

"Who has access?"

"I don't know."

"Bullshit."

"I don't know who sent it. I know who still has credentials that could open it." He paused. "Celine does. Or did."

Mira looked down at their hands.

Celine forced their right thumb to twitch.

Once.

Mira's breath caught. She hated that. Celine could feel it in the way Mira clenched her teeth.

Ethan noticed too. "She's trying."

"Don't talk about her like she's your missing dog." Mira shoved the phone back at him. "Show me the route."

"We go together."

"No."

"Then I call the police."

Mira stepped close enough that their noses were almost touching. "Call them. Tell them the dead COO of Vault Bio is trapped in my head and you need an officer with a scuba tank. See how that goes."

Ethan didn't blink.

Celine knew that look. It used to make her crazy. Calm, stubborn, impossible.