Deadly Game
“The lead sweep team bypassed the outer sensor grid. They didn't miss Grid 3; they intentionally left the path open. Victoria’s technician ran a diagnostic on the local server. They detected the micro-burst transmission you used to ping Zero’s network. They’ve baited the drop point.”
I stood perfectly still under the blinding, white glare of the tactical floodlight. My hands were raised, fingers splayed wide and level with my shoulders, mimicking the exact posture of a terrified, cornered runner.
To the three men fanning out in front of me, I was just Aria —the weak, fragile girl who had managed to slip away with Arthur Vance's most precious ledger. A civilian playing at survival.
"I didn't