Chapter 22 · Neon Zero - Chapter 22: Puppet Code

"Look at me, Knox. Not the thing wearing your face. Me."

His hand tightened around my throat.

Not hard enough to crush my airway. Hard enough to remind me he could.

His eyes were open, but the gray in them had gone flat. No anger. No fear. No reaction when my nails dug into his wrist. No flinch when I drove my knee into his thigh.

That was the part that scared me.

Knox always reacted.

He swore. He glared. He shoved back harder. He made every fight feel personal, like the universe had offended him by putting me in his way.

This version of him just watched me struggle.

"You heard me," I rasped. "Get out of my head."

His thumb pressed under my jaw. "That request is not available."

The voice was his. The rhythm wasn't.

Knox spoke like every word had already survived a knife fight. This voice was smooth, almost bored.

I twisted my wrist and slammed the heel of my hand into the control panel beside his head. The screen flashed red. A warning jumped across it.

SYNC COMPLETE.

IDENTITY COLLAPSE IN: 04:12.

"You have four minutes," I said.