Obviously, I didn’t explain everything. I didn’t mention my sense of betrayal at learning that my parents had chipped me to disguise my own powers. I didn’t mention how many prisoners had survived to escape into Mars City. And I sure as hell didn’t mention the moment when my shot went wide and killed Matt. The thoughts followed close on the words, though, threatening to break through the wall of detachment I’d created. I forced myself to turn to the problem at hand, which offered plenty of fuel for emotion all on its own. “Those things are on their way here right now. They’re following that beacon, and it’s going to lead them right to you.”

“Of course, I understand your concerns,” Yang said smoothly. “We’ll do our very best to find and eliminate the signal.”

Find and eliminate the signal . . . My heart plummeted right through my feet. My lips moved, forming soundless words until I realized I wasn’t breathing and sucked in a gasp of air. “You’re not going to destroy the ship,” I managed, my voice little more than a whisper.

She smiled thinly. “Kenzie, be reasonable. That ship is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. It represents billions of credits on its own, not to mention the potential advances to weaponry and space travel. Do you really think the corporation would allow me to destroy it?”

Fear surged over the border into anger. “You lying little—”

“I suggest you don’t finish that sentence.” Steel entered her tone. “I promised you nothing. My subordinate had no authority to bargain, and I won’t be held responsible for his words. And even if there was an agreement in place, you voided it with your stunt outside. Now tell me, Ms. Cord: Exactly how many anomalies are running loose in my city?”

Cage snorted. “I thought you were going to round them all up in a matter of minutes. Not as easy as you anticipated?”

She leaned forward, pushing the security stick aside and resting her elbows on the table. “Do you three understand exactly how much trouble you’re in here? Omnistellar Concepts has been alerted to your presence, and they are very interested in speaking with you. Your crimes are going to warrant a lot worse than a cushy stint on a prison like Sanctuary. You have maybe twenty-four hours before they get an operative here, at which point it’ll be beyond my power to help you. Think on that for a while.” Abruptly, she pushed back and nodded to the guards. “Take them to their cells. We’ll see how they feel in a few hours.”