Page 64 of Rupture

Air crystallized, dense and solid around her, freezing her lungs mid-breath. White sparks cascaded from the door locks, crackling through the space like lightning.

God, let this work.

Luca convulsed. His back arched violently until only his shoulders and heels touched the ground, boots hammering against the floor in a frenzied rhythm. His fingers splayed and twisted, tendons straining against the skin of his neck, veins distended and dark.

Around her, door locks exploded in a chain reaction, the sound ripping through the Io as Remy’s power surge tore through the habitat’s magnetic systems.

The force threw her to her hands and knees, driving the air from her lungs. She curled her hands against the cold floor to stop herself from reaching for Luca. Contact now could kill them both.

His jaw wrenched open in a silent scream, muscles straining against an impossible force. The swarm exploded from his throat—a writhing mass. It rocketed upward in a single dark column, slamming against the ceiling before fracturing, scattering into smaller, buzzing clouds. In seconds they dissolved into a fine metallic mist thatdissipated into nothing, leaving only the sharp, bitter stench of scorched metal.

Luca’s body went slack, dropping to the floor with a heavy thud.

Holy shit, it worked.

“Rose.” Finn’s fingers dented her shoulder with pressure.

“I’m okay.”

Relief softened the tension in his face. “Can you stand?”

“I think so.” Her knees felt disconnected from her body and a marching band crashed against her temples, but Luca’s body was free of the suffocating swarm.

“What the actual fuck just happened?” Liev dropped to his knees beside Luca and pressed two fingers to his throat. A long breath escaped him. “Thank fuck. We have a pulse.”

“Rose Wyndham. Bio-hybrid systems have been temporarily incapacitated. The duration of this state cannot be accurately predicted because of variable swarm parameters. Immediate containment measures are strongly recommended.”

Rose pushed to standing, determination giving her wobbly muscles strength. “First, Luca to med bay. Then we’ll deal with the swarm.”

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Finn scoopedhis arms under Luca’s knees and shoulders. He boosted up to standing in one power lift, taking Luca’s dead weight across his chest.

“Okay buddy. I got you.” He dipped, throwing Luca over his shoulder, jolting him once, twice to get into position.

Luca hung limp as a rag doll. Far from perfect, but it would fucking do.

“Med bay.Now.” The imperative in Remy’s synthesized voice was powerful.

“I hear you Remy. Moving.”

Liev followed with Rose.

Not daring to look backward, Finn took off, Luca’s heavy weight threatening to knock him off balance with every stride.

“Fuck me, Luca.” A wheezing grunt burst from him. “That’s the last time you have bacon for breakfast, buddy. It’s low calorie yoghurts all the way now.” His boots were loud on the metal floor. Too loud? Did nanobots have teeny tiny ears?

His skin pinched at the mere thought.

Keep moving. Just keep moving.

He followed the curve of the primary corridor. Relief flooded his system when the red cross of the med bay came into view, the door open, waiting.

“Duke!” Finn powered through the doorway and crossed to the nearest bed. Luca’s dark clothes contrasted with the brilliant white sheets when he laid him down. Finn’s stomach clenched—Luca’s skin was tinged dusky blue, his mouth slack, eyelids closed.Don’t you dare do this to me, Luca.

Duke hurried over, pulling on sterile gloves. “What the hell’s going on? All the electrics went haywire?—”

“The nanobots. They were…” Finn wiped his mouth, searching for calm. He should have been with Rose. This should have been him, not Luca.

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