Chapter 24 · The Zero Core

"Don't touch him." The thing wearing Milo's voice reached through the cracked black floor, and I slammed my boot onto its wrist before the hand could grab Cael's ankle.

The fingers bent the wrong way.

Not broke. Bent. Like the bones had no opinion about what shape they were supposed to keep.

"Lex, move." Cael caught the back of my jacket and dragged me away from the opening.

"Let go."

"You want to lose the leg?"

"I want to know if that's Milo."

"It isn't."

The hand snapped toward me. Cael stepped between us and drove his heel down. Black code burst across the floor, sharp white symbols cutting through the dark like broken glass. The thing pulled back with a wet electronic screech.

Under my feet, the station shuddered.

A red timer appeared in the air.

00:59.

00:58.

"That's new," I said.

Cael kept one arm out in front of me. His other hand pressed against his ribs. Blood had soaked through the side of his coat, but he stood straight anyway.

Of course he did.