Chapter 50 · Blood Authorization

"Get away from the console, Evelyn. Now."

Lucas slammed into me and shoved me sideways.

The gun fired.

The shot tore through his coat instead of my chest. He crashed into the control rail, one hand clamping over his ribs as blood slipped between his fingers.

I grabbed his arm. "You took that for me?"

"Don't sound so touched." His jaw locked. "It was faster."

Across the command room, his father lowered the pistol and pressed a red key on the purge console.

"Commander Vale," the system announced, "emergency identity purge is ready."

Lucas stared at the screen. "Dad, stop."

His father smiled without warmth. "You brought a terrorist into my command center. You broke a city lockdown for her. You burned three loyal squads to keep her alive."

"You don't know what happened."

"I know exactly what happened." He tapped the console again. "You stopped being my son the second you chose her."

The blast doors slammed shut behind us.

My fingers tightened around Lucas's sleeve. Hot blood soaked through the fabric and slicked my palm. "You said you controlled the exits."

"I did." He pushed away from the rail and staggered toward the central console.