Chapter 13 · You'd miss me if I died

"You'd miss me if I died."

"I would miss the access key."

"Liar."

Something flickered across his face.

Not guilt. Not fear.

Recognition.

The Glitch answered it.

The red line in my vision jumped from 8% to 11%.

Jaxon saw the change and swore.

"Now."

"Tell me what happens when we link."

"I get a door into your system."

"And you can walk through it?"

"I can stabilize the protocol."

"That isn't what I asked."

"I can see what the Glitch lets me see."

"My memories?"

"Some of them."

"Which ones?"

"The ones it uses to build its defenses."

"So you can dig through my head."

"If I wanted to dig, I wouldn't be asking you to hold the connection."

"You aren't asking."

He turned me around.

My back hit the door again. His hand came up beside my head, blocking the only clear path past him. The other hand held the connector between us.

His knuckles brushed my jacket.

The touch was brief. It still made my breath turn uneven.

Jaxon noticed that too.

His eyes narrowed.

"You're shaking."

"I'm deciding where to stab you."

"Decide faster."

"You first. Tell me your real mission.