Chapter 17 · You have Admin Access

"You have Admin Access."

"I have a damaged copy of Admin Access. There's a difference."

"Make it stop being damaged."

"Great plan. Got another?"

Sila moved behind him and raised her rifle toward the door. Her shoulder brushed his back. The contact lasted less than a second, but Kael felt it through every sensor in his spine.

"Try the gold code," she said.

"It nearly cooked my nervous system last time."

"Then don't miss."

"That isn't how code works."

"You made a dead machine open a sealed vault. I don't care how it works. Do it again."

Kael looked at her. "If I lose control, you shoot me."

"I won't hesitate."

"You hesitated before."

"I was aiming."

"At my chest."

"Your head was moving."

He almost smiled. "Sure."

"Kael."

Her voice changed. Not softer. Worse. Honest.

He turned back to the console.

"If this fails," he said, "the system may broadcast my location to every active network in the Grey Zone."

"And if it works?"

"We get one door open. Maybe two."

"Good enough."

"You didn't ask what the door leads to."

"Because we don't have time to be picky."

A rifle burst cracked from the other side.