Chapter 24 · You all right?

We left the guard bound to the railing and pushed toward Platform Nine.

The tunnel narrowed. Kael went first, gun raised. I stayed close behind him, close enough to catch the back of his coat when the floor shifted beneath us.

He looked over his shoulder. "You all right?"

"Did you just ask?"

"Answer."

"I'm fine."

"That wasn't the question."

"Then ask a better one."

His eyes held mine through the dark. "Can you keep moving?"

"Yes."

"Can you trust me for five minutes?"

"No."

"Good. You're thinking clearly."

The tunnel opened into the old platform.

A dead train sat on the tracks, doors hanging open. The control booth rose above it, wrapped in black cables and broken glass.

The signal pulsed from inside.

My mentor was there.

I stepped forward.

Kael caught my arm. "Wait."

"No."

"Look at the floor."

Thin red lines crossed the platform in a pattern I knew too well.

"Pressure grid," I said.

"Can you disable it?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"Thirty seconds."

"You have ten."

The lights behind us snapped on.

A dozen rifles rose from the tunnel mouth.

Selina's voice came through the control booth speakers.

"Vesper, step away from my brother.