Chapter 26 · Six Hours Left

"Step away from the console, Kade. Now."

Iris didn't just snap; she snarled. Her sidearm was leveled dead center of his chest, the barrel steady, the intent clear.

Kade didn't move. He didn't even look at her. His fingers kept dancing over the holographic interface, the pale blue glow reflecting in his eyes.

"The shutdown sequence is halfway through," he said, his voice too calm. "Stop now, we lose the window. We don't get another one."

"You’re not shutting it down," Iris countered. Her voice shook—just a fraction, but enough. "You’re rewriting the protocol. That’s a federal breach. I can’t let you walk out of here with that data."

I stepped between them, my boots clicking hard on the sterile metal. I didn't have a gun, but I jammed my shoulder into Kade’s side. He was solid, radiating a sudden, sharp heat. He smelled like ozone and old rain.

"Put the gun down, Iris," I said. "We’re out of time. You said six hours. That’s for the whole zone, right? Not just this room?"

"It is," Iris spat. She glanced at the countdown timer flashing red on the wall. 05:52:11.