Day 273

We make it to the sixteenth floor, waiting patiently as Sig watches the rotation pattern of the guards. He gives me a nudge in my mind, an unsettling pulse from my comm implant, and I slide into the hallway. Travis follows, his breath the only sound I hear. The hallway is deserted; neat paintings hang …

Day 272

An hour later, Travis and I are out back of the compound, watching from across the bustling neon street as guards patrol the lobby. There are cameras pointed at the walkway in front of the skyscraper, small enough that I'm hesitant to take the shot. I motion to Travis and he follows, slipping into the …

Day 266

I crash in the morning, leaving the plan for Travis and giving him strict instructions to stay inside. Sig gives me a nod as I pull the curtains closed, settling into a relaxing day. It's a mercifully dreamless sleep. Evening comes too soon, and I wake with a sense of dread. Travis is dozing on …

Day 263

The meal arrives half an hour later, and we settle into the night, talking and strategizing about our next move. “What if,” Sig says, pouring another round of wine, “we release it all straight to the public. Get video proof, get the documents unlocked, and broadcast it across every fucking channel out there.”I mull it …

Day 260

I flip the safety off and cautiously creep to the door. My eye zooms and adjusts, allowing me to peek through the eyehole without blocking the light. A young man is there, his arms holding what looks like a menu and a bottle of wine. I put my best face on and open the door. …

Day 258

“Go over it again.” Travis sighs. “We’ve been through this. I stole data; they want me dead.” “That’s the part I’m not getting. Why kill you? They can’t destroy the face of the company without losing billions.” “They probably have a clone ready to take my place. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d been planning …

Day 255

We come up in a dingy alley across the channel, sweating bullets with aching calves. Sig checks his comp and nods, leaning against the grimy wall while catching his breath. “Should be just around the corner. Dyl?” I nod and take a deep breath, cracking my neck and loosening up in case of a fight. …

Day 252

My mods keep me conscious despite the impact. Travis isn't so lucky. I pull him from the car and start swimming down, looking for the hatch Sig noted. I spot it after a tense minute, starting to feel the burn despite oxygen conservation. The lid is heavy, taking the last of my strength to open. …

Day 251

I keep the illusion, driving like I don't care about the shit about to hit the fan. The army starts to turn, scanning our ride with whatever suped up gear Makita paid for. I hear Travis's belt click and I punch it. Alarms start blaring in my head, 900 pings at once making me grit …

Day 250

I break the handle off the roof access and start working my way down. Place like this doesn't keep a record of who's in which can. I scan each coffin for the supposed Mr. Dalton. Three floors before I find a match. I pause, taking a deep breath and readying myself, letting adrenaline course through …