Chapter 14 · You Pulled The Trigger

"On your knees. Now." Dax's gun grinds into my temple and the tribunal lock on my wrist yanks me straight into his chest at the same second.

"Make up your mind," I choke out. "You wanna execute me or drag me? You can't do both."

"Don't tell me what I can do." His voice is ice. Flat. Judge-voice. But his hand's shaking. The lock's buzzing so hard my teeth rattle.

Leo's crying against my ribs. Hot. Soaked through my shirt. Jax is on the floor behind me, wheezing.

"Mara, don't — don't let him —" Jax gasps.

"Shut up," Dax snaps at Jax without looking. His eyes never leave me. "Hands behind your back. You're under arrest for core sabotage, loop interference, and theft of tribunal property."

"Yeah? Which one?" I jerk my wrist up. The chip Ione stuck to me is blinking red against the lock. "This? Or him?" I shove Leo tighter to me. He's burning up. "You gonna arrest a kid too?"

Dax's jaw locks. The badge on his collar is flashing EXECUTE: VENN, MARA — IMMEDIATE. Right next to it, the core alert is still screaming: LIVING KEY TRANSFER IN 19:42.

Two orders. Opposite directions.