Chapter 27 · Final Stealth

"Get out of my head." Vala drove her elbow into my ribs and slammed me against the server rack.

The metal bit through my jacket. Blue code jumped across the screens behind my shoulders. My lungs forgot what they were doing.

"I would," I gasped. "Your brain has terrible security."

Her forearm pressed harder against my throat. The edge of her shock blade rested under my jaw, warm from her hand and humming against my skin.

"Kai."

She said my name like a warning shot.

I grinned because the other option was panicking. "Vala."

"Stop fighting the lock."

"Stop trying to kill me."

"You are not the one making that choice."

The black lines crawling under my vision twisted into a face. Not mine. Older. Sharper. Its eyes opened inside the code, silver and empty.

VOID whispered through my nerves.

LET ME DRIVE.

"No," I said.

Vala's gaze snapped to mine. "You heard it too?"

"Hard to miss. It has a voice like a bad radio."

"Kai, listen to me." Her grip tightened. "The core is taking control of your motor system. Your left hand is already gone.