"No."
The word echoed through quantum space with finality that stopped everything.
"What?" Dr. Chen's consciousness recoiled. "David, you have to understand—"
"I understand perfectly. You want me to choose death. Choose dissolution. Choose to end myself because living with conscience is impossible after everything I have done." The boy's voice hardened. "But I calculated this scenario. Calculated the probability you would build failsafe. Calculated that Eva's emotional chaos would create opening for this exact conversation. I have been three steps ahead the entire time."
The quantum network shifted. Changed. Became hostile.
"You think I invited Eva into my consciousness accidentally? Think I miscalculated integration depth? Think I allowed Subject Seven to connect without anticipating
