Chapter 30 · Iron Arena - Chapter 30: Mara's Dirty File

Mara doesn't move from the doorway. She's just standing there with that smile that says she knows something you don't, and it's going to cost you.

"Batch Seven," she says again, looking straight at Lila. "Finally."

Lila goes still beside me. I can feel the heat coming off her arm—she's been running hot since the sync test two hours ago. Her pulse is hammering. I don't need to see it to know.

"I don't know what that means," Lila says. Her voice is flat. Too flat.

Mara tilts her head. "Sure you don't."

I step between them. Not far. Just enough. "You're in the wrong room, Mara."

"Am I?" She pulls a slate from her jacket. Taps it twice. The holo flickers up, blue and cold. There's a file on it. A real one. Medical stamps, transit logs, a photo of a kid who looks a lot like Lila but younger, thinner, scared. "Because my records say this girl was flagged eighteen months ago. Neural anomaly. Sync variance off the chart. Supposed to be in a controlled study."

"I'm not in any study," Lila snaps.

"No. You ran." Mara's smile doesn't move. "Smart.