Chapter 17 · The Ghost in the Machine

"Don't move. One twitch and I'll fry your nervous system through that collar."

Silas's voice wasn't a shout; it was a whisper that felt like a razor blade against my skin. He had me pinned against the cold, vibrating wall of the server hub, his palm pressed flat against my chest, crushing the air out of my lungs. The smell of ozone and expensive cologne clung to him, an intoxicating mix that made my head swim even as my heart hammered against his hand.

"You're late with the report," he murmured, leaning in. His lips were inches from my ear, his breath warm, contrasting with the freezing air of the restricted zone. "Did you think you could skim a few bytes of your memory back and not let me notice?"

I glared at him, my jaw tight. "I didn't skim anything. The Ghost Code fragmented. I barely got out with my skin."

Silas chuckled, a low, dark sound that vibrated through my own ribs. He shifted his weight, pressing his thigh between mine, locking me into the wall. The power imbalance was a physical weight, a suffocating blanket.