Shutdown (Glitch)

we’d broken through.
    The hum of the transport shuttling along its tracks would have been comforting if I weren’t so terrified of what we’d find on the other end. My fingernails dug into Max’s palms. The door opened and I breathed out a sigh of relief. We were quickly back in the arena lobby and took the elevator down to the Uppers quarters. We ducked into an alcove, and Max transformed us into Darl and Nihem again.
    My hand felt strangely bereft after Max let go of it. Holding his hand had helped keep my terror at bay. But then again, now more than ever, we had to play our parts perfectly, and Nihem and Darl would never hold hands. We walked stiffly together, side by side but not touching.
    We walked straight to the departure bay, and as we saw the attendant valet we started arguing.
    “You can’t even let us stop to enjoy the game?” Nihem said loudly.
    “I said I want to leave NOW.” I put an angry whine into my voice. “And if you have any hope of keeping our marriage alive and saving yourself from complete and desolate financial ruin, you’ll come with me. My daddy will cut you off as sure as the morning sun.”
    “But Darl—”
    I turned to the attendant and handed him our passkey. “It’s the pretty one with the shiny silver stripe,” I said.
    The attendant stared at me a little blankly.
    “Women.” Max shook his head, stepping in front of me. “She means the purple BT6.”
    “Nihem!” I said, sounding exasperated. “It’s things like this. You treat me like I’m a child. You are so patronizing I could just strangle you—”
    “I’ll be right back with your vehicle,” the attendant cut in, then hurried off.
    Max and I continued arguing in case anyone else was watching. Our purple BT6 soon came around the bend.
    Max suddenly pushed me against the wall. My eyes instantly widened. Was something wrong? Had someone found us? A quick look over his shoulder only showed the attendant getting out of the car. And then suddenly Max was mashing his lips against mine. I was so stunned by the audacity of it that I didn’t move at all for a second.
    And then I felt fury. We had failed in our mission, we didn’t know how many people were in danger, and he was taking this opportunity to steal a kiss when he knew I couldn’t hurtle him across the room like I wanted to? Max hadn’t changed at all.
    I pushed him hard on the chest instead, conscious that I couldn’t say everything I wanted because of the attendant. “You act like you’ve been forgiven already.”
    “You have to forgive me someday,” he whispered, his eyes searching mine.
    I bit my tongue to keep myself from saying more, pushed off the wall, and headed for our transport. I slid into the driver’s side. Max made some joke with the attendant that I couldn’t hear and then jumped in the other door. My telek buzzed loudly in my head now. So much had gone wrong, and so much still could.
    But then the doors of the transport garage opened up and we lifted into the sky.
    We’d made it out.
    *   *   *
    I stood under the allergen wash shower back at the Foundation with my hand against the wall as the heavy spray beat down on my head and shoulders.
    I’d failed.
    This had been our big plan, and it had failed so utterly and completely that I had no idea what to do next. I’d sent the abort signal out once we were far enough away from Central City, but some cells still may have gotten cracked.
    “Zoe, oh my gosh, are you okay?” Ginni asked as soon as I stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around me. “Simin said it didn’t work.”
    “I’m fine,” I said, gritting my teeth when I saw the rest of my team and several high-ranking Rez soldiers waiting for me. “I’ll debrief everyone later about what happened. But yes, the mission was a failure.”
    “What happened?” Ginni asked.
    “I’ll debrief you all later,” I repeated, my voice more snappish than I intended. Xona put a hand on Ginni’s shoulder and led her away. I rubbed my eyes tiredly, then went to change in the dressing room.
    All I wanted was to sink into my bed and forget the failure that weighed so heavy on my chest it felt like I could barely breathe. But I knew the other Colonels were waiting for me in the Sat Com office, and I was anxious to find out if everyone was safe.
    Henk had set up the teleconference room in what used to be Taylor’s office, at my request. I knew the Professor hadn’t wanted me to—he’d wanted to leave all her