Chapter 14 · The Mirror Image

"Don't touch the pod." Sila's hand slammed against Kael's chest and shoved him away from the humming glass shell.

Kael hit the metal floor hard enough to rattle the ports in his spine. The gold light behind his eyes stuttered. For half a second, the vault doubled.

One pod became two.

Two became six.

And every person inside them had his face.

"Sila," he said.

"Stay down."

"There are people in there."

"I can see that."

She planted one boot against his shoulder and kept her pistol aimed at the pod. Her hair had come loose from its tie during the run through the Old World facility. A strand stuck to her cheek. Her breathing was rough, but her gun hand stayed steady.

Behind her, the vault doors groaned.

Not the little access hatch they had forced open. The main blast doors.

Something heavy hit them from the other side.

Once.

Twice.

Dust shook loose from the ceiling.

Kael pushed himself up on one elbow. "You said this place was empty."

"I said the security grid was dead."

"That is not the same thing."

"Congratulations. You can still count.