Chapter 11 · The Voice in the Rune

"You saw the files."

Marcus stood in the hallway, blocking our way out.

Ash raised his gun. "Back off."

No guards. No backup. Just Marcus against the concrete wall, one hand buried in his jacket pocket like he'd been waiting for us all night.

The fluorescent light buzzed above him.

His face stayed calm.

That pissed me off more than the gunfire had.

"Put it away, Chen," Marcus said. "You're already in enough trouble."

"Yeah? So are you." Ash's voice stayed level, but his finger rested beside the trigger. "That video had your face all over it."

"I was following orders."

"That's your excuse?"

"It's the truth. The extraction was approved three levels above me." Marcus looked past him, straight at me. "Your girlfriend's sister volunteered."

The rune on my arm flared.

Heat raced up my skin. Ash's blood was still drying across my sleeve, black lines curling beneath it before retreating toward my forearm.

I shoved past Ash.

"Volunteered?" My voice cracked through the empty hall. "She was strapped to a table screaming."

Marcus finally looked tired.

"She signed the waiver, Ivy. Read the whole file. Lila knew what the program needed. She wanted to help."

"Help with what?