Page 55 of Obsession

"Vol—how—what—?” Kann stammered, even as he threw his arms around his friend.

Volten's eyes darted between us once Kann released him. “Are you both okay?"

"How are you here?" Kann finally got out a full question.

"Zav got me in by using the adjacent holochamber and meshing the matrices.” Volten spoke quickly, his words clipped as he glanced over his shoulder. “He thinks he can get us all outthe same way, but we have a limited window of time to reach the entry point for extraction."

I thought about what he’d said. Using an adjacent holochamber and meshing matrices was smart but risky. I bent over and laced up my boots. "How did you even find us?"

"Tracker," Volten replied, pulling a small device from his pocket. "It let me pinpoint your signals within the program. Don't ask me how it works—I just know how Zav told me to use it."

The floor trembled, reminding me that we were far from saved. “I’m surprised Ariana let you take such a huge risk."

Volten's expression tightened. “Ariana doesn't know. She left the academy for Kronock space. The mission to save Sasha could not wait any longer.”

Kann cursed under his breath, and I fought the urge to do the same. If the three of us were in a simulation at the academy, that meant the rescue team was short at least three members.

Kann shoved his feet into his boots and hurriedly tied them. “Then we need to get thegrekout of here and join them.”

Volten grinned and slapped his friend on the arm. “I hoped you would feel that way.”

Kann thumped Volten’s back. “I cannot believe you are here. I cannot believe you stayed behind.”

Volten lifted one shoulder. “I could not leave you behind.” He slid his gaze to me. “I am not the only one who stayed. Fiona and Jess did not go on the mission. They could not leave with you still trapped in here.”

A wave of fondness washed over me at the mention of Jess and Fiona. I was touched that my friends had stayed, but guilt followed close behind. They should be on the mission to save Sasha. They'd been there from the beginning, helping to plan every detail, running scenarios late into the night. Just like I had.

I swallowed hard, remembering all those hours we'd spent hunched over maps and intel reports, planning insertion points and escape routes. That was my mission, too. I'd helped design it, helped work out the contingencies. Now Ariana was leading our carefully crafted plan without me, and Jess and Fiona were not even on the team.

All because Kann and I had gotten trapped in this simulation.

The thought crystallized everything into sharp focus. We had to get out. We had to catch up. The rest of the team—our friends—needed us, and we needed to be there. I hadn't spent months planning this mission to miss it entirely, or let my friends walk into danger.

Volten cleared his throat. “Now that I’ve found you, we need to make it through the academy to the extraction point. If it works like Zav hoped, he will pull us out.”

His gaze caught on the rumpled sheets, and he flicked his gaze to Kann, one eyebrow raising. "Anything I should know?"

"Nothing,” Kann said, shoving his friend toward the door.

The curt word stung more than they should have, but I pushed the feeling aside. Kann and I had never discussed being anything serious. We had barely discussed anything but our mutual desire. All I knew is that I’d thought we were about to die, and I hadn’t wanted to perish in a holochamber without having done something daring and reckless.

Nailed it.

I followed the Drexians from the room, casting a final look at the rumpled bed, wishing I could still be on it and tangled in Kann’s arms.

The corridor was shaking as the walls flickered, and fear iced my skin. Being with Kann had helped me forget reality for a short while, but things had gotten worse since we’d escaped into the room. I stayed close to Kann as we moved stealthily down the dark hallway behind Volten.

When we reached a point where two corridors merged, we paused, and he reached back for my hand. The warmth of his skin reminded me of the heat of his bare skin against mine, and for a moment my pulse fluttered from arousal and not fear.

"Halt! Stop!"

“Grek.” Volten looked back at us. “Ready to run?”

Kann's hand tightened around mine, strong and sure as he pulled me after Volten. Our boots thundered on the floor as we sprinted down the corridor. I no longer wore the cloak that had hidden me and covered my hair, which flew loose behind me as we ran. It might be a simulation, but the blood pounding in my ears, the stinging of my feet hitting the stone, the firmness of Kann's hand in mine felt all too real.

We were so close to being out, to being back in the real world, the real academy. Now we had to stay alive long enough to escape, and we had to outrun the Drexians. Then it would be up to Zav.

I tightened my grip on Kann's hand and pushed myself to run faster, letting the burn in my muscles wash away all thoughts except survival.

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