Chapter 23 · You’re protecting him now

She lunged.

Jaxon shoved me behind him and took the first strike on his forearm. The impact knocked him sideways. Vesper followed with a second blow.

I intercepted it.

Her fist stopped against my blade. The edge cut her glove. She looked at the thin line of blood, then at me.

"You’re protecting him now."

"I’m protecting my exit."

"You don’t have one."

"I do."

I glanced at the emergency hatch above us.

Jaxon followed my eyes.

"That hatch opens onto the transit rail," he said.

"Can you unlock it?"

"Yes."

"Can you do it while she’s trying to tear us apart?"

"Probably."

"I hate that answer."

"You’ll live."

He sprinted for the wall console.

Vesper came for me.

Her first strike grazed my jaw. Her second split the skin above my eyebrow. I slashed her side. She twisted away, but not fast enough. The blade cut through her armor.

She grabbed my arm and pulled me close.

"You’re not the original," she said. "You’re the leftover copy."

My breath caught.

She drove her forehead into mine.

Pain burst through my skull.

"Say that again," I growled.

"You were rebuilt from fragments. The Glitch kept the rest."

"You’re lying.