Chapter 28 · Burn It

"Drake. Step to the grate. This won't take long." Voss had a dart rifle low against his hip and a laminated sheet folded over his forearm like a bar tab.

Milo didn't move. "Step to it yourself."

"Don't make me repeat the list twice." Voss flicked the sheet open with his thumb. Names in block type. Drake, M. — third line down, red flag next to it. "Contamination risk, confirmed exposure, non-badge personnel. Command wants him sedated and boxed before the next scrub cycle."

I got between them before I decided to. Boots loud on the grate, badge swinging off my belt, and I put my palm flat on the rifle's barrel and pushed it down toward the floor.

"He's not on your list anymore."

"He's exactly on my list, Captain. I watched the ink dry."

"Then watch me un-dry it."

Voss laughed, short and ugly. "You don't get to edit a dump order. That's not override authority, that's — " He tried to bring the rifle back up and I grabbed the stock with both hands and drove it sideways into the grate rail.