Chapter 18 · His First Run

"You died in this alley," Cade says. "Three months ago. First reset I ever saw."

I don't lower the gun. "You're lying."

"You want proof?" He steps closer. The muzzle presses into his chest but he doesn't stop. "You were wearing that jacket. Same grease stain on the left sleeve. You told me your name was Riley and you didn't know anything about the phone."

My hand starts shaking. "Everyone knows my jacket."

"You had a scar," Cade says. His voice drops. "Right here." He lifts his hand, slow, and his finger hovers an inch from my collarbone. Not touching. Just there. "From a soldering burn. You said your brother did it when you were twelve and he was trying to fix a radio."

The air goes thin.

Nobody knows that. I never told anyone that.

"The hunter put two rounds in your spine," Cade says. "You dropped the phone. The reset kicked in. You didn't get back up."

I pull the trigger.

Click.

Empty.

Cade doesn't flinch. He just looks at me, and his eyes are so damn tired I almost believe him.

"I've been looking for you for ninety-seven runs," he says. "You keep dying.