Chapter 7 · I deleted her

"I deleted her," Victor corrected. "There's a difference. Now, be a good girl. Walk away from the weapon. Give me the synchronization key, and I might let you keep the memories of her for another week."

I looked at Kael. He was shaking, his eyes wide, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Through the link, I felt his desperation. He wanted me to leave. He wanted me to save myself. But for the first time, the AI's voice in my head wasn't a whisper—it was a roar. It wasn't telling me to obey. It was telling me to burn everything down.

I didn't walk away. I stepped closer to Kael, my shoulder brushing his. I could feel the heat of his body, the raw, unfiltered energy of a man who had nothing left to lose. I reached out and slid my hand into his, our fingers locking tight.

"I'm not giving you anything," I said. My voice was steady now. Cold. "And I'm not your prototype."

Victor’s expression shifted. The boredom vanished, replaced by a flicker of genuine irritation. "Wrong answer, Sloane.