Chapter 45 · Give me the access key

She saw him alone in a dark maintenance shaft, three years before the execution. Victor stood at the far end with a detonator in one hand and a small metal case in the other.

Selena's mother's case.

"Give me the access key," Victor said, "or the old woman dies."

Kane was younger. Thinner. His hands were shaking.

"She has nothing to do with this."

"She raised the Commander. That makes her part of it."

"If I give you the key, you kill her anyway."

"Probably. But if you don't, I kill her slowly."

Kane looked down at the case.

The memory blurred at the edges.

Selena clawed at the image. "Show me."

"Don't," Kane said behind her.

"Show me what happened."

"You don't want this."

"You don't get to decide what I can handle."

"That's exactly what commanders do."

She elbowed him in the ribs. His grip loosened.

"Show me!"

The memory snapped clear.

Kane handed Victor the key.

Victor opened the case.

Inside was a small black recorder.

A woman's voice played through the shaft.

"Selena, if you're hearing this, don't trust the man who wears the silver ring. He was inside the command network before your father died.