Chapter 36 · Crimson Dawn

"Get away from him!" Zero slammed Victor through the reactor door before his last command could finish.

The steel door folded around his back. Sparks burst over his shoulders. He hit the floor hard enough to crack the tiles, but he still smiled.

"You think breaking the collar makes you free?" Victor rasped.

Zero stepped through the bent doorway. Her eyes burned gold. The broken control ring hung from one side of her neck, wires twitching against her skin.

"No," she said. "I think breaking your face is the fun part."

Victor raised one hand.

Three drones dropped from the ceiling, rifles charging.

Kael caught Zero around the waist and dragged her sideways as blue fire tore through the spot where her head had been. His chest hit her back. His arm locked across her ribs.

"Move!" he snapped.

"Don't grab me."

"Then stop standing where the bullets go."

She twisted under his arm, elbowed him in the ribs, and kicked a drone out of the air. It smashed into the reactor housing. The whole chamber shuddered.

Kael grunted. "You could've warned me."

"You would've complained."

"I am complaining."

"Good. You're alive."

The base groaned around them. Pipes burst overhead.