Chapter 50 · I'm not smiling

"I'm not smiling."

"You are."

"Maybe I'm enjoying the arrest."

"You should enjoy the part where I put you in restraints."

"You tried that."

"I can try again."

"You brought one set?"

Mira's eyes narrowed. She reached to the back of her belt and pulled out a thin silver collar.

The device unfolded with a soft mechanical click.

Reid's smile vanished.

"That thing doesn't go on me," he said.

"It goes on anything that can channel a hostile Current."

"I don't wear company hardware."

"Then wear a bullet."

"You really need new lines."

"You really need to stop making me repeat them."

She advanced with the collar in one hand and the pistol in the other.

Reid backed toward the emergency door.

"Don't," she said.

"You already said that."

"This time I mean it."

"You mean all of them. That's your problem."

"My problem is you keep treating survival like a negotiation."

"It is a negotiation. You need me."

"I need you breathing long enough to answer questions."

"There it is. The part where you pretend this is about information."

"What do you think it's about?"

"You don't want me dead.