Alessio’s first instinct was to shoot the detonator clean out of Rook’s hand, but Rook wasn’t that sloppy. He’d already tossed it into the corner, blinking red, counting down like the goddamn end of days.
“Step away from the tanks!” Ivy yelled through the comms, voice sharp with panic. “If they fully activate Noa, they won’t just copy you. They’ll outnumber you.”
Noa stood frozen. My mouth is dry. Breath gone.
Each tank cracked and hissed.
One by one.
Rows of him.
His face. His body. His everything.
But wrong.
Sharper jaws. Colder eyes. Some with scars he didn’t have. Some with surgical metal grafted to their ribs. One had no mouth at all. One had ink-black eyes that didn’t blink.
“They’re not you,” Alessio said firmly, stepping in front of him.
“I know,” Noa whispered. “They’re
