Chapter 35 · Breaking the Cage

"Don't touch him." Reid caught the armored trooper by the wrist before the shock baton reached Leo's throat.

The baton snapped against Reid's forearm. Blue current crawled over his skin, hot enough to numb his fingers.

The trooper leaned closer behind his black visor. "Down on your knees. Now."

"You first."

Reid twisted.

The trooper's wrist made a sharp pop. The baton dropped. Reid drove his elbow into the man's chest plate, but the armor barely moved. A red targeting dot appeared on Reid's ribs.

"Reid!" Leo shouted. "Behind you!"

Three more dots joined the first.

Reid shoved Leo flat and turned his back to the rifles. The first round hit him between the shoulder blades.

The impact threw him across the metal floor. His shoulder slammed into a support beam. For half a second, he couldn't breathe.

Then Leo screamed.

Reid pushed himself up. "Get away from the kid."

The trooper he had hurt was already standing. A thin line of blood showed beneath his helmet, but his voice stayed calm.

"The child is company property. You are a hostile augmented asset. Both of you are being transferred for evaluation."

"He's twelve."

"That doesn't change his classification.