Chapter 13 · How do we get there?

She stared at him.

Kane leaned forward against the restraints. "He has a second control room under the altar. It connects to every defense grid in the bastion. He doesn't need to win the war outside. He only needs to own the doors inside."

"How do we get there?"

"You take me with you."

"Absolutely not."

"Then you die at North Gate."

"You keep saying that like my death is a bargaining chip."

"It is. Victor made it one. I'm the only person who knows when he plays it."

The timer flashed.

00:03:04.

Victor's voice returned, colder now. "Commander Selena, this is your final order. Confirm the contract or I will classify the black wing as hostile."

Selena's hand hovered over the key.

Kane watched her finger. "Don't sign yet."

"You just told me I had thirty seconds."

"I lied."

Her gaze snapped to him. "You what?"

"The contract isn't the trap. The confirmation signal is. The second you activate it, Victor gets a clean lock on both our neural patterns."

"How do you know?"

"Because I saw the scar behind your ear after he burned the interface out."

She stepped in close and grabbed the front of his suit.