Chapter 13 · The Face in the Screen

Every screen in Lab Zero went white.

Leia's breath caught. The dead monitors above the surgical bays flickered, cracked glass filling with the same image: a young woman standing beneath a rain of blue code.

She knew the face.

Her face.

Not the bruised, hollow-cheeked thing reflected in the stainless-steel cabinet. Not the courier with blood under her nails and Kane's jacket hanging off one shoulder. This girl was younger—years younger. Black hair cut sharp against her jaw. Mouth unscarred. She wore a white engineer's coat, Morn Systems insignia stitched at the throat.

She looked clean. Certain. Untouchable.

Then the image smiled.

"Welcome back, Origin Commander."

Nolan made a strangled sound. His knees buckled. Kane caught him before he hit the floor.

"Leia." Nolan's voice cracked. "That's not a recording."

Blue light pulsed through the walls. Cables trembled. Somewhere beneath the floor, something enormous began to turn.

The Covenant Engine opened behind Leia's eyes.

[MEMORY RESTORATION PROTOCOL: SECONDARY LOCK ENGAGED] [IDENTITY RECOVERY: 71%] [CORE ACCESS: DENIED] [FAILSAFE CONDITION: ORIGIN COMMANDER MUST BE TERMINATED BEFORE FULL RECALL]

Her stomach clenched.

On every screen, the younger version of her lifted a handgun.

Matte black. Compact.