Chapter 8 · Don't You Die On Me

"Don't you dare die on me." Sloane slammed both hands against Kael's chest. "Kael. Open your eyes. Now."

The monitor above him answered with one long, flat tone.

"No." She grabbed the side of his face and shook him. His skin was cold under her palm, too cold for someone who had been burning through a kill-switch less than a minute ago. "No, you don't get to do this. You don't get to leave me with the bill."

Kael didn't move.

The restraint bands around his wrists flashed red. The room had locked itself down when Victor triggered the command. Steel shutters covered the only door. The emergency lights blinked over the medical table, turning Kael's still face pale, then red, then pale again.

Sloane spun toward the wall console and drove her elbow into it.

"Override." She hit the panel again. "Open the door."

A calm synthetic voice replied, "Authorization denied. Prototype K-17 has entered terminal shutdown. Please remain inside the containment unit. Recovery personnel are on the way."

"Tell recovery personnel to go choke on their badges."

"Please remain calm."

"I am calm.