Chapter 24 · The Freedom Trap

The barrel slammed against Kael’s forehead hard enough to split the skin.

Zero stood over him, one knee pinning his wrist to the metal floor. Her breathing came fast and sharp. The gun in her hand did not shake.

His did.

Not from fear. From the pain screaming through their neural link.

“Move,” she said.

“If I move, you pull the trigger.”

“Good. You’re learning.”

“Your hand’s locking up.”

Her jaw clenched. “Shut up.”

“Your left shoulder is seizing. Your vision’s going white. You’ve got maybe ten seconds before the pain-lock hits your spine.”

Her finger tightened around the trigger.

Kael stared up at her. “And if you kill me, it hits you too.”

“Then I’ll die free.”

“That’s not freedom.”

“No?” Her knee pressed harder into his wrist. “You want to explain freedom while you’re under my boot?”

“I want you to stop pointing a weapon at the only person who can shut that circuit down.”

Her eyes flashed silver in the low emergency lights. “You keep saying that like it makes you important.”

“It makes me useful.”

“Same thing to a lab rat.”

The words landed harder than the gun.

Kael’s mouth went dry.