Chapter 20 · Rift Protocol - Chapter 20: The Last Round

"One bullet left."

Dalen's voice cuts through the static hum of the core chamber. His hand's shaking. Not much. Just enough that I notice the tremor in his fingers as he ejects the magazine, tips the last round into his palm.

I'm on my knees. Blood's still wet on my temple where Yael's neural spike tore loose. The floor's cold. Metal grating digs into my kneecaps. My wrists ache from where Dalen cuffed me ten minutes ago—back when Yael was still riding shotgun in his skull, forcing his hands around my throat.

"You broke through," I say. My voice comes out raw. "You're still you."

"For now." He doesn't look at me. He's staring at the bullet like it's the only thing holding him together. "Yael's not gone. He's waiting. I can feel him in here, Kess. Like a hand on the back of my neck."

I push myself up. My legs don't want to hold me. I make them anyway.

"Then we finish this before he comes back."

"Yeah." Dalen laughs. It's a broken sound. "That's the problem. We finish this, and you die. That's the shutdown protocol. Your brainwave powers the core. No brainwave, no AI. No you."