Chapter 37 · Forbidden Lock: One Last Heartbeat

"Don't touch that switch." Kael caught Zero's wrist before her fingers reached the red lever.

The reactor chamber shook hard enough to throw dust from the ceiling. A warning siren screamed above them. Three levels below, the base groaned like it was coming apart one bolt at a time.

Zero twisted against his grip. "Move your hand."

"If you cut the core now, the containment field drops."

"Good."

"The station blows with it."

"Also good."

Kael shoved her back from the console. His boots slid across the metal floor, but he kept hold of her. His palm burned against her skin. Not from heat. From the link between them.

Her pain circuits had been screaming for six minutes. Every pulse crawled up her spine, locked her jaw, and turned her vision white at the edges. Kael felt all of it. She knew because his face had gone gray.

He still didn't let go.

"You want to kill Victor?" he asked.

"I want to kill the entire Syndicate."

"Including us?"

"Especially us."

The console flashed red.

CORE MELTDOWN: 04:12.

A second line appeared beneath it.

NEURAL LINK DESTABILIZATION: 03:58.

Kael glanced at the timer. "That wasn't there before.