Chapter 24 · The Primary Sample

"Hands off her!"

The pale blue hand around Nia's throat tightened.

It wasn't flesh. It still crushed like steel, driving her against the vault door while the projection above them smiled with her face.

"Sixty seconds until cleansing begins," Nia's double announced through every speaker in the Crownstack. "Stay inside. Stay quiet. Let us fix what the thieves broke."

Nia clawed at the glowing fingers. Across the chamber, Elias slammed his shoulder into the black control pillar.

"I said get off her!"

The pillar didn't move. Blood ran over his split knuckles and disappeared into the lines beneath his boots.

"Forty-eight seconds."

"Elias, less yelling. More breaking!"

"I'm working on it!"

Nia drove her heel backward. Her boot caught the guard holding the projection anchor. He staggered, and the hand around her throat flickered.

She used the opening to jab two fingers into his eye.

The guard screamed. The projection shattered. Nia dropped to one knee, coughing until her ribs cramped.

Elias grabbed her arm. "You breathing?"

"Do I look dead?"

"Not yet."

"Then quit asking."

"Thirty-nine seconds," the system said.

The vault door opened six inches. Cold white light cut across the floor.

Elias caught Nia's wrist.