Mal knew what was coming. She gripped onto Xander. “It was lucky you killed the woman who loved you. I know she would have hated to see the monster you’ve become.”
Forge’s eyes flashed, then he touched the computer screen embedded in his arm.
The floor beneath Malin and Xander opened up.
As they dropped, a scream lodged in her throat. She wrapped herself around Xander, unable to do anything but hold on.
They slid down a chute, and seconds later, flew out an opening. After a sickening drop through the air, they landed in a pile of disused wiring and insulation.
Part of Xander’s upper body landed on Mal, forcing all the air out of her lungs. Stunned for a second, she lifted her head, trying to focus.
Her heartbeat reverberated in her ears, and she stared at the scrap metal walls that towered over them.
They were in the maze.
Xander foughtthrough the fog weighing him down.
His systems were rebooting. At least one of them was damaged, but most of them were spooling back up.
“Xander? Can you hear me?”
A hand brushed over his hair. So gentle.
“I’m here.” His voice sounded rusty.
“Thank the stars.” She blew out a breath. “Are you okay?”
No. Malin was stuck in this goddamned maze. It was his worst nightmare. “I will be. Systems are coming back online.” He managed to lift his head. Her dark hair was mussed and sticking up in spikes at the back, but she looked fine.
She looked around, her eyes a little wild. He looked too. Thankfully, none of Forge’s creations were rushing at them.
Yet.
Until his systems were back, Xander only had his enhanced strength and his training. He’d need all of it to get Malin out alive.
“Well, you wanted to get in here,” she said.
Yes. But not like this.
A loud clanking noise echoed along one of the pathways leading to the pile of insulation they’d landed in.
She stared that way. Swallowed. “What do we do now?”
“Head towards the center. Solve the riddle.”
“The riddle? That’s our best chance?” She made a face as she helped him stand. “Our odds aren’t good.”
She was correct. He’d run the probabilities of their survival. But, his probabilities didn’t take into account what he would do to keep this woman safe.
He cupped her jaw. “You’re with a CenSec, remember?”
Her lips trembled. “I’d never forget that.”
No, she wouldn’t. And she was the only person he’d met who was never scared of him or bothered by it.
Xander stripped out of his coat and yanked off his bowtie. He watched her kick her heels off. “You can’t go on with bare feet.”
“It’s not ideal, but I’m likely to break an ankle in here.”
