Shutdown (Glitch)

okay,” I said. “She can’t use you anymore. I just wanted to hug you. It’s what I’ve wanted for so long.”
    “Everything feels…” He looked around at the blood and the bodies on the floor before looking back at me with a face as bewildered as a child’s. “So much .”
    My heart broke as I watched him. He hadn’t had time to sort through all the emotions that came with glitching, that was clear. He’d never had the chance. The Chancellor must have pounced on him almost as soon as he started showing anomalies.
    The noises beyond the clogged-up door were louder now. The rest of the Regs would be here any moment. I was barely keeping my mast cells in check. I wouldn’t be able to stop them. My head drooped against my chest. Markan stood a few feet away from me, still looking disoriented.
    “Move to the other side of the room,” I said, gesturing with my good arm. “Stand straight against the wall. Don’t panic when they come in. They won’t have kill orders for you. You’re gonna be just fine.”
    “But—” he started. There was no chance for him to finish. Several Regs had pushed through the blockade. I tried to send my telek toward them, but I absolutely had nothing left now. I was only managing to pull on the tiniest thread to ward off an allergy attack, and that was all I could do.
    They raised their forearms, weapons gleaming in the stark overhead lights.
    “Shut your eyes!” I shouted to Markan. “Don’t watch!” I didn’t want him to have memories that turned to nightmares like I’d had of watching our older brother die in front of me.
    Then I shut my own eyes and waited for the blasts to slice through me. If they aimed for my head, it would be a quick enough death.
    One second passed. Then another.
    Was I dead? Had it happened so quickly that I hadn’t even realized I’d shed my mortal body and now my soul was going wherever it was that souls went? But no, I still felt the pain in my back and thigh. I peeked one eye open.
    The Regulators had stopped their assault. They stood halfway in the room, their eyes full of wonder, with strange awed smiles on their faces.
    It was such an incongruous expression paired with their weapon-encrusted arms, for a second I could only stare.
    Then I heard a voice. “Zoe! Are you down there?”
    Adrien. It was Adrien’s voice.
    “We’re here!” I shouted back, still staring at the Regs in confusion. Then it hit me. The team was here. And Amara was with them. She must have cast her web of bliss over the Regulators. I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. She’d overcome these programmed killing machines by giving them an overwhelming taste of joy.
    “Zoe! Where are you?”
    “Bottom floor,” I shouted back. I hauled my exhausted body off the ground and went over to my brother. My legs were weak, but knowing Adrien was close gave me one last burst of strength. Markan looked more confused than ever. I reached toward him and took his covered elbow so he would know I wasn’t trying to touch him for his power.
    “Come on,” I said, laughing with relief and a sudden giddiness. The Chancellor was dead. Help was here. We’d won. I led Markan forward and together we moved through the smiling Regs, closer and closer to the stairwell door.
    “Zoe?” Adrien called again, his voice closer now.
    “Here!” I shouted back.
    We finally got to the threshold of the door. Adrien hurried down the steps, elbowing his way past Regulators. I did the same and we met at the bottom of the stairs. He threw his arms around me and lifted me up off the ground in a giant hug.
    “Ow,” I said, laughing even though it hurt. I couldn’t believe he was here. That I was here. That I’d survived .
    He immediately put me back on the ground. “I’m so sorry I stabbed you. She took over and I couldn’t stop it.” He pulled back and finally got a good look at me. His eyes widened in fear as he took in my blood-soaked clothes. “Oh my god, Zoe, what happened?”
    “It’s okay,” I said, lifting my hands to his face for a brief moment as if to make sure he was real. “It’s okay, I’m safe now. Most of it is Max’s blood. He didn’t make it.” A wave of grief swept over me again, but I tried to swallow it back. There would be time for grieving later. “And there’s someone I’d like you to meet.” I gestured behind me for Markan to come forward. “This is my brother.”
    Adrien nodded a greeting to Markan. “And the Chancellor?”
    “Dead.” Now