Chapter 20 · The Zero-Hour Dash

"Seven seconds!" Vala shouted. "Kai, move!"

Her pistol stayed aimed at the copy wearing my face.

The thing stood three steps away on the rising platform, smiling with my mouth. Its skin had already started to split into silver lines. Behind it, the tomb's walls shook hard enough to knock dust from the ceiling.

I grabbed Vala's free arm. "You said we were running."

"I changed my mind."

"You do that a lot."

"And you complain a lot. Get behind me."

The copy tilted its head. It had my scar, my crooked grin, even the dark circles under my eyes. It looked cleaner, though. Taller. Steadier.

Better.

The Void whispered through the back of my skull.

SELECT THE SUPERIOR HOST.

"No," I said.

Vala's eyes cut toward me. "No what?"

"No talking to the voice in my head."

"I wasn't planning to."

The copy raised one hand. Its fingers unfolded one by one, too smooth and too fast.

"You picked the damaged model," it said in my voice. "You picked her."

Vala's jaw tightened. "Say one more word in his voice and I'll remove your head."

"You already failed the replacement test."

"Try me."

The platform lurched upward.

Vala fired.