Not mercy.
Not escape.
Training.
They were turning her into something that served the system.
Unless she turned herself into something that broke it first.
Jessica's gaze lifted to Halden behind the plexiglass.
Halden was watching.
Calm.
Unmoved.
Jessica leaned towards Micah, voice barely audible.
"We go to the Archive next," she whispered. "But not by
asking."
Micah's eyes narrowed.
"How then?"
Jessica glanced around the room, feeling the invisible
countdowns.
"There are other deferred cases," she whispered. "Halden said
so. If I can find one __ if I can talk to someone who survived long
enough to learn the rules __"
Micah's voice dropped.
"We need an ally inside the system."
Jessica nodded once.
"And we need to know where the schedule is written."
Micah's jaw c
