MY CRUEL PROTECTOR
They weren't soldiers; they were drones, their minds completely subsumed by the Sovereign’s network.
"They’re like me," I whispered, a wave of nausea hitting me. "They're all like me."
"No," Nevan said, stepping in front of me as the drones began to circle us. "They’re empty. You’re full. Don't let them in, Ruby!"
The drones attacked with a terrifying, synchronized speed. Nevan was a whirlwind of violence, his movements a masterclass in lethal defense. He fired with surgical precision, taking out the drones’ legs to disable them without killing—still trying to preserve some shred of the humanity they had lost.