Alexandra pushed the datapad into Jessica’s hands. A fierce intensity burned off Alexandra like smoke billowing from a fire. Her mind seemed to be wrapped around distant thoughts.
“These are the coordinates.”
Before Jessica could ask a question, Alexandra shoved her toward the transfer room’s door. Jessica’s fingers danced over the access panel’s keypad and the door slid open. The two stepped into the transfer room.
Everyone inside turned in unison. Alexandra held the spider nuke out in the palm of her hand. Shocked silence. No one moved. If the bounty hunter set the device off, the Subdivision was finished.
Jessica’s eyes darted to the molecular teleportation chamber. Remnants of energy still crackled and hissed. Jack had just transferred out. Falko’s fingers wound into fists, but Alexandra didn’t give him a chance to speak.
“One move and I set it off,” she said. Something in the words was clear—she was not afraid to die. Stepping up behind Jessica, she whispered, “Go. Enter the coordinates. You’re the only one I trust.”
“No,” said Falko.
Alexandra’s eyes narrowed. Without warning, she turned her pistol on Falko. An azure blast exploded from the barrel of the gun. Falko lost all muscle control and tumbled backward. His body writhed and twitched for a second, and then he lay dormant.
“The next shot is lethal,” Alexandra spat.
The onlookers watched with growing concern.
Jessica moved to one of the terminals. The station operative looked to Taylor, who nodded for him to let Jessica take over.
“Nobody moves, except her,” Alexandra said before slowly making her way down to the teleportation chamber. Tense seconds passed as she worked her way through the pre-transfer process and finally into the glass teleportation tube.
Taylor’s face appeared as though it were set in stone. “Jessica…are you sure about this?”
Jessica didn’t answer. She waited for Alexandra to enter the tube.
And then she started the transfer process.
