Shadow Dealers Compound – Sublevel Three

  The server room hummed with an unnatural heat. Rows of machines blinked like the eyes of a sleeping beast. Paige sat strapped to a steel chair, her arms pinned, electrodes still taped to her skin. Her face was hollowed from exhaustion, her eyes red from sleepless nights. Operator 47 guarded the door.

  Kyle was chained beside her, forced to watch as Malcolm’s engineers tested the new build of the headset. The man shook his head.

  “She’s not the key to opening this lock,” the engineer said.

  Of course Rothchild’s DNA wouldn’t work. Jane Takahashi wouldn’t have taken that chance. Could Aiko’s DNA be the key?

  “You may dispense of Ms. Rothchild Mister 47,” Malcolm said.

  Operator 47 moved into position and removed a gun with an enormous steel gray barrel then shoved it into Paige’s mouth.

  “No!” Kyle said in a panicked tone.

  An audible clicking noise as Operator 47 readied the weapon.

  He turned to Kyle, his smile curdling into cold desperation. “Pray that Aiko’s DNA unlocks the Mindjevity interface, otherwise I’ll have you kill your beloved.”

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  “No—no, you don’t need her anymore, but you don’t have to—”

  Malcolm silenced him with a raised hand. “On the contrary. She’s a liability. If I allow her to live, she’ll become a symbol of resistance. Fear is more useful to me than mercy.”

  Paige shook her head, trying to break free. Her lips trembled. For the first time, she looked directly at Malcolm and tried to speak. But only a muffled noise emanated from her occupied mouth.

  Malcolm gave Operator 47 a signal to stand down.

  “You’re a coward. You can build machines, but you’ll never build loyalty. People follow you only because they’re afraid,” Paige said.

  An unfamiliar sensation overcame Malcolm. A pang of grief, guilt and regret washed over him. It must have shown on his face because for just a moment Kyle’s expression changed—then Malcolm drew his pistol, and pressed the barrel against her temple.

  Kyle strained against his chains, his voice breaking. “Please! Kill me instead!”

  Malcolm leaned close to Paige, his voice a whisper meant for Kyle.

  “No. He needs to learn what real loss feels like.”

  Paige met Kyle’s eyes and gave the faintest shake of her head. A final, silent plea: Don’t break.

  The gun fired. Paige’s body went limp, the deafening sound echoing through the server chamber like rolling thunder.

  Kyle screamed, raw and guttural, his chains rattling until his wrists bled. The techs looked away, their faces pale.

  Malcolm holstered the weapon and turned to Kyle.

  “Now you understand, Mr. Brennan. Betray me again, and you’ll wish your death will be so merciful.”

  He stepped over Paige’s body without a glance, addressing his men. “Unlock with the child’s DNA then prepare the next phase. Soon Mindjevity will be restored and the world is ours to sell.”

  Kyle hung his head, grief boiling into something darker.