Chapter 48 · He's lying

Kane glanced at Selena. "He's lying."

"I know."

"He has the lower gates."

"I know that too."

Victor's smile faded. "You have thirty seconds before the outer blast doors seal. Your soldiers are still in the transit shaft. If you keep Kane, they will be trapped outside the safe zone."

The display changed.

A camera feed showed Selena's crew moving through the lower access tunnel. Red warning lights spun over their helmets. Behind them, massive blast doors began sliding along their tracks.

Selena's jaw locked.

Kane watched her fingers tighten around the pistol.

There it was. Victor's real weapon. Not the case. Not Kane.

Her people.

"You planned this around her crew," Kane said.

Victor leaned closer to the camera. "I planned it around her priorities. You should learn from that."

"You think she will trade me for them?"

"I think commanders make ugly choices."

Selena turned to Kane. "Can you stop the doors?"

"Not from here."

"Can the case?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe isn't a plan."

"It's the one you have."

Victor's voice sharpened. "Hand him over, Commander. The case stays with you. Your people walk away."

Kane barked a laugh.