Chapter 28 · What does it say?

He released her wrist and pushed himself upright. His face had gone pale, but he stayed on his feet.

"What does it say?"

Evelyn scanned the file. Lines of code rolled past too fast. Most of it was damaged. One fragment held steady.

CLEARANCE BURN PROTOCOL.

"It wants a live confirmation from you," she said.

"No."

"Kade."

"No. Close it."

"If I close it, we lose the file."

"If you keep it open, it can send our location to every Crown hunter in the city."

A deep thump hit the sealed door.

Someone was outside.

Another thump. Metal bent inward.

Kade reached for the weapon at his hip. Evelyn caught his sleeve.

"You can't fight them in here."

"Watch me."

"The tunnel is collapsing."

"Then we leave through the gate."

"The gate needs your clearance."

"You just said it was a trap."

"It is."

"You have a better idea?"

She pointed at the console. "Burn your clearance."

Kade stared at her. "That would erase the rest of my Crown access."

"And your memories."

"The lock would take them with it."

"Maybe."

"You said you could crack it."

"I said maybe."

The door buckled.