Chapter 20 · Neon Zero - Chapter 20: Ghost Command

"Mara, move!" Knox hit my shoulder hard enough to spin me sideways as the ceiling split open above us.

A burst of white fire punched through the maintenance tunnel. Metal screamed. The floor jumped under my boots, and the shared interface across my vision flashed red.

SYNCED IDENTITY: TRAITOR STATUS CONFIRMED. PURGE RESPONSE: ACTIVE.

"You could've warned me!" I yelled.

"I did. You ignored me."

"I was busy keeping us alive!"

"Then keep doing it. Left door. Now."

He shoved me toward the emergency hatch before another blast tore through the tunnel. Heat slapped my back. My ears rang, but I still heard the city system speaking through every dead speaker in the walls.

"Unauthorized identity pair detected. Surrender for correction."

The voice sounded like Knox.

Not close to Knox. Exactly like him.

My stomach clenched.

"Don't listen to that," he said, catching my wrist. His hand was hot against my skin, his grip steady even while the floor shook. "The system is using my command profile."

"It sounds like you."

"It isn't me."

The speaker crackled.

"Mara Vey. Release Knox Arden. He has been compromised. He will terminate you within forty seconds."

Knox's jaw tightened.