“She needs pressure on that wound.”
Russ grabs my med kit.
But the second he moves—
Sentinel operatives raise their rifles.
Wu speaks calmly.
“No treatment.”
Rage detonates beside me.
Clay’s weapon snaps up instantly.
“You don’t get to decide that.”
Wu ignores him.
“Avery’s survival probability is below six percent.”
Avery laughs weakly through blood.
“There he is.” Cough. “Always calculating.”
Hearing her talk to him like that—
not scared—
not submissive—
makes me realize something.
Avery had emotionally escaped him long before she actually did.
Wu’s eyes settle on her.
“You could have remained protected.”
“Protected?” Avery spits blood onto the tunnel floor. “You tortured us.”
Wu’s expression hardens slightly.
“We created resilience.”
“You electrocuted a nine-year-old!”
The tunnel goes silent.
Not metaphorically.
Actually silent.
Even the operatives behind Wu seem to freeze.
My pulse stumbles.
Nine.
