Chapter 13 · Heart Zero

"Stop fighting the system, Nora."

Evelyn's voice slid through the speakers, calm as ever.

Nora dug her nails into the wet floor. A hand—metal, cold—crushed her ankle through her boot. "Go to hell."

"You have less than forty minutes."

Samuel fired into the thing dragging her. Sparks burst across the water. The metal fingers opened, twisted, pulled harder. Nora's shoulder slammed into a rail. Pain tore up her leg.

The core in her chest kicked once, hard and wrong.

Every dead machine in the chamber clicked awake.

"Nora!" Samuel shouted.

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine." Tarin grabbed her arm. "Pull!"

The thing under the platform jerked again. Nora slid another foot toward the open lock. Something breathed down there. Not air. Pressure. A deep mechanical pull that made her teeth ache.

Samuel's face tightened. Blood ran from the cut over his eyebrow and disappeared into the water around his boots. "What happens in forty minutes?"

Evelyn gave a small laugh. "You already know."

"I know you're hiding behind a wall."

"I'm not hiding."

The engine groaned below them.

Nora felt it in her ribs. Her heart skipped.