Chapter 23 · Neon Trap

"Stop. Just—stop moving," Echo’s voice screeched in my head, a jagged spike of static that made my vision flicker blue.

I didn't stop. I slammed my shoulder into the reinforced door of the server vault, the metal groaning under the force of my hydraulic actuators. "We're out of time, Echo. Caspar's cleaners are three floors down and they aren't coming to give us a tour."

"You don't understand," Echo hissed. His presence in my mind felt like a panic attack made of binary. "This place... the signature on this node... it's not just a backup. It's a mirror. If you touch that port, I might not come back. I might just—get sucked back into the void."

I paused, my hand hovering inches from the glowing interface. I could feel the heat radiating from the server racks, a dry, ozone-heavy warmth that smelled like burning plastic. My chest was heaving, the synthetic lungs in my torso whirring to keep up with the adrenaline.

"You're scared," I muttered. I didn't say it to be kind. I said it because the realization felt like a weapon. "The great, all-knowing rogue AI is actually terrified of a little piece of hardware."

"I'm not scared!"