"I just did. ‘Don't you think you're overreacting a little,’isthe code. It didn't work!"
"You've tested it before launch?" he asked.
"Of course. I had to make sure my override was functional." But it wasn't working now. "Maybe the computer was damaged in the crash."
"Or maybe it was sabotaged by the enemy." X's mouth was a flat line, his eyes cold.
"Self-destruct in five minutes," Magnis informed them.
"God, I hate when you start counting down!" Sylvie shouted at the computer, remembering his emotionless countdown to her crash landing.
"Try another access code," X said, grabbing her hand to recall her attention.
"If I screw up again, it will speed up the self-destruct sequence to one minute. We've got to get out of here. My ship is lost, but I don't want to go down with it."
"We can't leave," X said. "The room is sealed. Protocol dictates that the seal cannot be opened until the self-destruct sequence is ended, or the ship is destroyed."
"You shut us in here?"
"You said you knew the code!"
She lowered her head, defeated. They'd both screwed up.
X put a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to his own. "I'm sorry. Come here and let me hold you one more time."
She gave him a sad smile and moved into his strong arms. "My fault. You warned me about coming here. You were right. It was dangerous."
As if to accentuate her point, Magnis said, "Self-destruct in three minutes."
"I can't believe I actually missed this stupid computer," she grumbled.
"Look on the bright side," he said, the glow in his eyes swallowing his pupils. "I get to spend the last few minutes of my life with the most beautiful woman on the planet. I know it’s ridiculous, but I’ve begun to fall in love with you."
She searched his face, realizing that it had become serene. He was beautiful and she had to quickly admit to herself that it wasn’t lust, but love she was falling into as well. "There's no one else on the planet I'd rather be with right now."
He laughed. It was a pleasant sound. "No one else on the planet likes you, woman."
She stuck out her tongue at him as fire ignited in his eyes. “I wish I could have you, one more time.”
"Self-destruct in two minutes."
She snuggled against him as her heart began to race. To act calm and collected about dying on the outside was one thing, but to be unraveling on the inside was another. “Nothing we can do to survive this?”
“No, baby. I’m sorry.” He kissed her softly before she pulled back.
"Goodbye, cruel world," she grumbled and lifted to her toes, pressing her lips tightly to his as he lifted her into the air. The soft brush of his tongue was all she needed to open up to him and forget everything. If death was imminent, she wanted pleasure to be her last memory.
X jerked back. "What the hell happened?"
"Happened?" She opened her eyes, realizing they were still standing there together.
"To the self-destruct sequence?"
At that moment Magnis piped up. "Self-destruct sequence has been deactivated. Correct access code received."
Sylvie let out a shaky laugh as tears rolled onto her cheeks. “Goodbye, cruel world."
"What?"
