Chapter 27 · Marked Registry - Chapter 27: Mia Holds the Switch

Mia's fingers were still on the keyboard.

Ella stood three feet behind her, lungs burning, and watched her best friend type another name into the execution queue. The screen bathed Mia's face in cold blue light. Her hands didn't shake. They should've shaken.

"Mia."

Mia's shoulders locked. Her fingers hovered over the Enter key. She didn't turn around.

"Don't," Mia said. Her voice came out flat. Dead. "Just don't."

Ella took a step closer. The server room hummed around them, all steel racks and blinking lights and the smell of hot circuits. Her claws were still out. She could feel them digging into her palms.

"You're typing the list," Ella said.

"I know what I'm doing."

"Do you?" Ella's voice cracked. "Because it looks like you're killing people."

Mia finally turned. Her eyes were red. Swollen. She'd been crying for a while, maybe hours. But her jaw was set, and that scared Ella more than anything.

"You think I want this?" Mia's voice shook now. "You think I picked this?"

"Then stop."

"I can't."

Ella moved around the desk. Mia stood up fast, chair scraping back. They were the same height. They used to laugh about that.