Shutdown (Glitch)

wound adhesive tape gently around the bandage to keep it in place. His eyebrows knit together in concern as he looked down at her.
    “Can someone give me the coordinates for where we’re heading?” Henk called back over his shoulder from the cockpit.
    Simin put a hand gently to Ginni’s face, then stood and headed down the aisle to the front of the transport. I followed him to the cockpit. He pulled out a tiny box from his console bag, slid out a chip, and plugged it into the dash console. A projection cube immediately popped out. He flipped through several screens and a map rose with a pulsing red dot indicating the Chancellor’s location. He zoomed in closer so I could see a Sat Image of the building.
    Adrien’s voice came from behind us, startling me. “That’s the building I saw in my vision.” I turned to look at him. His face was pale.
    “All right.” Henk swung the tip of the transport around and headed in the opposite direction. “The Chancellor’s all the way in the east-most part of the Sector, along the seaboard. Should take a couple hours to get there, so rest up.”
    I went back and sat down. Everyone around me fidgeted in their seats. I could tell they were scared, but there was also a palpable adrenaline rush at the thought of heading into battle. Adrien looked at me from several seats down across the aisle, his face drawn in worry.
    I forced myself to close my eyes so I couldn’t see him. It was the only way I’d be able to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to do.
    “Does anyone have a laser weapon?” I asked, opening my eyes ten minutes later. If the Chancellor was supposed to die by a laser weapon, I needed to have one.
    Adrien stayed silent but reached into the pack at his feet and pulled a small weapon out. He handed it Amara, gesturing for her to hand it to me.
    “Here,” Xona said, leaning over and unclipping the holster at her ankle. “Take this so you can conceal it.”
    I nodded and took the holster, wrapping it around my own ankle. I’d seen Xona do it enough times, but my fingers still stumbled as I tried to click the small clasps along the side closed. I finally got it and slipped the weapon into it.
    I sat back up, balling my hands anxiously into fists. There was nothing else to do but wait.
    Last time I’d seen the Chancellor six months ago, she’d crippled me with an allergy attack I’d barely survived and then she’d flown away in her transport before I could finish the job. Not this time. This time there would be no hesitation. She would die, and I would stand over her fallen body.
    I’d have thought such an image would make me feel powerful … but all it felt like was relief. If I could kill her, finally I could live again without fear for myself and for my loved ones. I’d get my brother back and the Rez could rebuild. We might have a real chance at trying to come up with an idea of how to free the drones without worrying about the Chancellor compelling Rez agents to tell her what we intended before we ever got a plan off the ground.
    After another half hour, I noticed Adrien riffling through the bag at his feet again. His back seemed oddly stiff as he bent over to look through it. I wondered if he was angry at me. He’d said he loved me and asked me to go away with him. I’d said no. I hadn’t meant it as a rebuff, but maybe that was how he’d taken it.
    I unbuckled myself and walked down the small aisle to where he sat at the back. The small twin telepath boy, Jare, watched me as I went. He must be wondering if I’d be able to do what I’d said. If I could kill the Chancellor and free his brother.
    “What’re you looking for?” I asked Adrien when I got to him. There was an empty seat beside him, so I sat.
    “Nothing,” he said, still not looking at me.
    “Oh.” I didn’t know what to say now that I was here. I took a deep breath. If I didn’t … survive, I couldn’t have our last words in this world be angry ones.
    “Adrien—”
    He surprised me by turning toward me and taking my hand. “I love you, Zoe,” he said. “All I want is for you to be safe. You know that, don’t you?”
    I nodded. “I know. And I know you might not believe it right now, Adrien, but I love you too. This is just something I have to do.”
    He smiled and lifted a hand to my face, caressing my cheek. Then, to my surprise, he dropped his lips to mine. I knew everyone was watching, but I didn’t care. I wrapped my arms up around his neck and