The screen swam in front of me. Numbers. Letters. A cursor blinking, waiting.
“Does he have to be conscious?”
“For neural feedback, yes.” Havoc looked at Xavier’s unconscious form. “The device needs confirmation the implant received the shutdown command. If he’s not awake, we won’t know if it worked.”
“Then wake him up.”
“Clare...”
“I said wake him up!” I was already moving, grabbing a vial of stimulant from the kit, drawing it up. “We don’t have time.”
I administered the injection.
For ten seconds, nothing happened.
Then Xavier’s eyelids fluttered.
Those emerald irises opened, unfocused, dilated, terrified. He didn’t know where he was. Didn’t know who I was.
“Xavier.” I cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. “Stay with me. I need you to stay awake. Just a few more minutes.”
He blinked. Recognition flickered, faint but there.
“Clare.” The word was destroyed, barely audible.
“I’ve got you.” I positioned the tablet where he could see it, even though I doubted he could focus. “Havoc, first code.”
“Alpha-7-Tango-9-Zulu-3.”
My fingers shook on the screen. I entered each character, double-checking, triple-checking.
CODE SEQUENCE 1 ACCEPTED
The tablet beeped. On the monitor, Xavier’s vital signs stuttered, pulse spiking, then dropping, stabilizing slightly.
“It’s working. Next one.”
“Delta-2-Echo-8-Kilo-5.”
I entered it. Slower this time.
CODE SEQUENCE 2 ACCEPTED
Xavier’s respiration evened out. The arrhythmia on the monitor smoothed, the spikes less erratic.
“Last one. This is the kill switch. Once you enter this, Dresner loses remote access permanently.”
“Good.” I positioned my fingers over the screen. “Code.”
“Bravo-4-November-1-Sierra-6.”
I entered it.
One letter at a time.
Verified it.
Hit confirm.
