Chapter 19 · Lethal Upgrade

"Step away from him, or I start cutting code instead of skin." Lilith's blade pressed under the stranger's jaw, but he didn't even blink.

Kai tried to move. His knees buckled. Black numbers crawled beneath his skin, sliding from his wrist to his throat like trapped insects. The Reaper Plugin screamed across his vision.

[CRITICAL FAILURE] [HOST IDENTITY: UNSTABLE] [FOREIGN ADMIN ACCESS DETECTED]

The man in the old-fashioned suit looked down at him. His gray gloves were spotless. Not one drop of blood. Not even after Kai's hand had slammed into his chest hard enough to crack the glass behind him.

"You still lead with threats," the man said. "That never changed."

"You know him?" Lilith asked.

Kai grabbed the edge of the server column and forced himself upright. "Don't answer her."

"You're in no shape to give orders." The stranger tilted his head. "Your left lung is spasming. Your motor cortex is losing sync. In about forty seconds, you'll stop breathing."

"Great. Put it on my schedule."

Lilith's eyes cut toward Kai. Her grip tightened around the blade. "Fix him."

"Why?"

"Because if he dies, your little prototype gets buried with him."

The stranger smiled for the first time.