Chapter 17 · The City's Heart

"You just painted a target on our backs." Mara shoved past Cade toward the table where Nix's screen still glowed red.

"Technically, I painted a target on the core." Nix's voice crackled through dying speakers. "Your backs are incidental."

"Incidental." She grabbed the phone. "They're coming here right now because you—"

"Because you needed the location." Cade was already moving, pulling weapons off the wall rack. "And now we have it. Zenith Tower, sub-level nine."

"We have eight minutes before they breach this floor." Nix's screen flickered. "Six if they're competent."

Mara's hand tightened on the gun. The same gun that should've put a hole in Cade's chest thirty seconds ago. "You changed my weapon."

"I optimized it."

"I didn't ask you to—"

"You were going to kill the only person who knows how to reach the core alive." Nix's tone flattened. "That seemed counterproductive."

Cade slid a fresh magazine across the table. "She's not wrong."

"Don't." Mara caught the mag one-handed, slammed it home. "Don't act like you're on my side."

"I'm on the side that doesn't get us both killed in the next four minutes." He pulled on a tactical jacket, tossed her one. "The memory file—