Chapter 33 · For someone being held at gunpoint, you're talking too much

He sighed through his nose. "You know, for someone with a countdown in her skull, you're not great at prioritizing."

"For someone being held at gunpoint, you're talking too much."

"That's how I cope."

"Cope quieter."

Jax reached toward the red slot. I kept the weapon against him and watched his fingers slide beneath the console panel.

The moment he touched the hidden drive, the screen flared white.

My vision broke into fragments.

Red code crawled across the inside of my eyes.

12:00:00.

12:00:01.

12:00:02.

The numbers started climbing.

I staggered.

Jax caught my elbow before I hit the desk. "Kaelen?"

"Don't touch me."

"Your pupils just changed."

"I said don't—"

A voice spoke from somewhere behind my teeth.

ACCESS WINDOW OPEN.

TARGET MEMORY BLOCKS: 01-09.

RESTORE? Y/N.

My hand tightened around the gun.

Jax's face blurred, then sharpened. "What are you seeing?"

"A choice."

"What choice?"

"It wants permission."

"Don't give it permission."

"Why not?"

"Because Olympus doesn't ask unless it already knows the answer."

"You said the rig could reset me."

"The rig can reset the locks. It can also open a backdoor."

"You knew that?"

"I knew it was possible."

"You knew.