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Samil leaned back and crossed her arms. “I don’t need a platoon. I only need one mole inside each command center. And with the virus rampant, MYTH will be blind, unable to communicate with each other. It’s the best sort of divide-and-conquer. All I’ll have to do is sweep up the pieces when the rest of the universe realizes what MYTH has become.”
The images on the holoscreens cycled through different parts of each facility, showing MYTH men and women at their posts or rooms full of servers. There was even footage of the front gate of one of the buildings, with two laser cannons at the ready.
Renna’s skin went clammy. Thousands of people would die if Samil went through with this. “These people are smart,” she protested. “They’ll find a way to stop you and fight back. And when they come for you, I’m going to be leading the charge.”
Dr. Samil chuckled. “You won’t be going anywhere, my little dove. That virus should also destroy any last resistance between your neural system and the implant. You’ll be mine to command in a matter of hours. My ultimate secret weapon.”
Renna stared at the woman. She’d expected to feel horror or fear before she turned into a hybrid, but right now she was f**king furious. Her fingers itched to curl around Samil’s neck, but she needed to focus on figuring out a way to stop Samil or warn MYTH. Not exactly an easy feat when she wasn’t able to move.
But maybe there was another way. Her implant had been behaving lately; maybe she could use it one last time.
Renna let her eyes drift closed.
“Don’t you want to watch, dear?” Samil asked. “I think MYTH is about to find out they’re no longer the ones in charge.”
She shook her head. “I’d rather stab my eyes out with a needle.”
“Even if your former lover is on the screen?”
Renna’s eyes flew open, despite herself. In one of the panes, Finn and Dallas strode through a hangar. Perhaps the Athena had landed or was getting ready to leave again. Maybe they’d be able to escape in time.
She studied his tired face as Finn gestured angrily at something Dallas said and the older man shook his head. Dark shadows ringed Finn’s eyes. Even though it had been only less than twenty-four hours since she’d fled from him, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.
“Perfect. Two of my favorite people.” Samil pressed a button on her tablet, and a moment later, both men stopped dead in their tracks. Finn’s head snapped back and forth as he searched for something.
“That will be the defense warning sirens. The breach is irreparable. I used your implant to take down their shields and render the security systems useless. You, dove, are the best secret weapon in the galaxy. Using you, I can control almost any communication system. Anywhere.”
Horror rushed through Renna, making her stomach swoop as though she was jumping to light speed. She couldn’t let this woman destroy everything. There had to be a way to stop her.
Renna exhaled as she reached out with her implant to the Athena. She needed to feel that connection with the ship, to become one with it again. Maybe she could warn them. They could strike Samil’s facility before she hurt anyone else.
Slowly, she felt herself slide into the ship’s systems. This time was even easier than before. The footsteps of the crew as they rushed through the ship to their stations vibrated through her. Another deep breath and she went deeper, into the Peron fusion engine and the network that ran through the ship.
Through both of them.
Across the room, Samil chuckled at something on the holoscreen, but Renna concentrated on her connection, on passing her thoughts and feelings to the Athena. She needed to send the ship coordinates to this place. Finn would be able to stop Samil, even if Renna couldn’t.
She tried to enter the nav systems so she could input the data, but around her, the Athena suddenly let out a shrill alarm. The ship threw up a firewall, resisting as Renna tried to take control.
The Athena thought she was under attack.
Renna backed out, heart pounding. It had to be the virus inside her making the Athena freak out. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to be subtle about it or figure out a way get around the firewall. She’d have to crash through it and hope for the best.
She pushed against the firewall with her mind, using every piece of tech in her implant to bring it down. With a snap, the wall broke and her connection slotted into place. She had control of the ship.
Renna reached out, feeling the connection, feeling the exchange of information.
Her leg twitched.
She ignored it, focusing on trying to input her location into the Athena’s system. Around her, she could feel the crew scramble to prep for takeoff as the sirens wailed in the facility.
Energy flowed through her like a current as the ship’s engine spun up. Her arms twitched, but she ignored it. She was almost there.
“Look at them, running around like ants. Don’t they know it’s futile?” Samil said, a smile in her voice.
With one last push, a surge of energy rushed through Renna as the floodgates opened. Data flowed freely between her and the Athena in a heady rush of power. Her whole body vibrated with it, and she opened her eyes. Had she done it? Had she implanted the data coordinates into the ship’s nav computer?
Her right leg twitched again. Must be an electrical impulse from her connection. But maybe…Slowly she curled her toes.
How was that possible? Samil had said…
Screw what Samil had said. If she could move, she could kick the woman’s ass. Carefully, Renna flexed each of her muscle groups, making sure it was true. Her heart kicked with excitement.
The virus wasn’t working. Samil couldn’t control her any more.
THIRTY-THREE
“I suppose it’s time to show MYTH exactly what kind of power I really have,” Samil said, setting her tablet down on the table.
Renna tensed her muscles. She’d have one shot at this. With a huge push, she launched herself off the gurney. Her legs trembled but held as she landed and grabbed Dr. Samil from behind. She jammed her forearm against the doctor’s throat, holding her in place.
Samil went perfectly still, pressed against Renna. “Interesting. It looks like my virus calculations were off. I had no idea you could still move.”
“Not so smart after all, huh?” Renna squeezed tighter. The woman’s labored wheezing vibrated against her forearm. One small movement and she could snap the bitch’s neck.
“If you kill me, you’ll never get the cure,” Samil whispered, as if she could read Renna’s thoughts.
