Chapter 19

“What?” Ula said, yawning as the door to her apartment slid open, her neon green pajamas a bit too bright and shiny so early in the morning. “It’s not even electric dawn yet.”

Ula’s tired face greeted Mori and Cadell. She was her usual stage of grumpy, sleepy that she was every time Mori stopped by for an early chat.

Cadell’s posture was rigid, and he kept glancing around all the way up to Ula’s apartment. Like he expected an Transdot agent to step out of the shadows.

Of course, so did Mori. The tension was palpable. Cadell had objected repeatedly at heading into the living quarters. Where else would they go? The city was locked down for the night.

Dumol was bound to find them. They had a mediocre bit of privacy in the domiciles, since the cameras didn’t film inside the apartments, but plenty filmed in the hallways and up the lifts.

At least his arm had finally returned to his control, and he had it at his side. Evidently, they were out of range of whatever Dumol had been using to install the programming.

As strange as it was, him attacking her like that, he’d had much more opportunity after they had sex to do it. He could have killed her a lot easier when they were so physically close.

So she believed him that trying to choke her wasn’t because he wanted to.

She had to.

Because if she didn’t, then she’d saved a monster, and she couldn’t allow herself to think her visions were that wrong.

“It’s way too early for—wait.” Ula’s gaze roamed over them, and stopped squarely on Cadell. “Who are you?”

“I need your help,” Mori said, drawing her attention away from Cadell.

Instantly, her friend was awake. “What’s going on? Why are you dressed like maintenance workers?”

“Why are you wearing that?” Cadell asked.

“It’s my apartment. I can wear whatever I want,” she said, her hands on her hips. “What’s going on, Mori?”

Cadell raised his eyebrow. “Mori?”

“Mori,” Morrigan replied.

“You didn’t tell me that,” Luke said.

“You didn’t ask.”

He rolled his eyes as they stepped inside the apartment.

The door sealed shut, and Ula started speaking. “What’s going on? I’m serious. It’s still lowlights out there. You got no excuse to be here this early. And you didn’t bring me coffee.”

“I’m sorry about that. Next time,” Mori said. If she could help them, then she would buy her coffee every day for the rest of their time in The Colony. “He needs your help.”

Ula’s gaze raked over Cadell. “I’m not interested in a blind date, Mori. Or some kind of weird mate thing. I told you, I’ll find a mate. On my own, thanks. Not that I want one. At all.”

“What?” Cadell snapped.

Mori touched Cadell’s arm. “That is not why I’m here. Or why he is.” Mori shook her head. “Ula, you’re the best programmer in The Colony. He needs your help. Someone’s controlling his programming.”

She raised her eyebrow. “Wait. What...the...” She stepped closer and looked him up and down. “What do you mean? What the hell is he?”

Cadell pulled off his glove.

The cyborg vein lines glowed.

Ula’s eyes went wide, and a smile spread over her face, like a kid given a big bag of candy. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Ula looked at Morrigan. “You find all the fun people.”

“I found you.” Mori smirked.

“Good point,” Ula said, reaching for a small tablet.

“Can you help him?”

Ula nodded as she tapped on her screen. Mori guessed she was doing some scans of Cadell. “Tell me what’s been going on.”

So Morrigan did.

And Ula listened patiently while she fixed herself a cup of coffee. She said nothing as Morrigan explained everything. From reporting what she’d gleaned to walking up to Ula’s door, Mori left nothing out.

Even the intimate aspects.

Which made Cadell uncomfortable.

After she had finished, Ula stood, her metal coffee cup in hand, and she took a few steps around the small apartment.

Inhaled a breath like she was going to speak.

Stopped.

Glanced at Cadell.

And slammed the metal cup upside his head.

Cadell jerked, and let out a growl.

Ula growled back, her face shifting into something much less human and much more feral.

“Ula!” Mori said. “That was unnecessary.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, her face shifting back. She glanced at Cadell. “He tried to kill you.”

“It wasn’t his fault,” Mori said.

“So he says.”

“Why would I lie?”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Ula took a seat, and picked up her device again. “I will make you a deal. If he’s telling the truth, I’ll find the programming and revoke any external access.”

“And if he’s lying?” Mori asked.

“Then I’ll fry every circuit in his head,” Ula replied. “And believe me, there’s a lot of them in there. It’s a practical gold mine of tech parts.” Her eyes sparkled.

“They’re still in my head,” Cadell snapped.

“So far,” Ula replied.

Mori glanced at Cadell. “What do you think?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not really.”