Chapter 15 · The Zone Below

"Get your hand off the console, Hera."

Silas caught my wrist before my fingers reached the red switch. His grip locked around me, warm and hard, and the metal edge dug into my hip as he shoved me against the control desk.

"You built the system," I snapped. "You can fix it without touching me."

"I can. I just don't trust you near a live countdown."

"Then stop putting bombs in my missions."

His face stayed calm. That was the problem with Silas. He could watch a city burn through a dozen screens and still look like he was deciding between coffee flavors.

Behind him, the main display flashed three numbers in white.

00:04:12.

The countdown was dropping fast.

I twisted against his hold. "What did you trigger?"

"Not me."

"Cute answer. Try one that keeps us alive."

His thumb pressed against the inside of my wrist. Not enough to hurt. Just enough to remind me that he could.

"The Ghost Code breached the containment ring," he said. "If that timer reaches zero, every locked system in Orion opens at once. Prison doors. Defense grids. The city core.