The steam in the suit was thick and hot. The extra coolant was the only thing keeping me alive, but it was also blinding me. And it wouldn’t be long before the coolant would run out and the steam started boiling—cooking my skin.

“I don’t know where I am anymore. The fog in here is bad.” I was moving, but I didn’t know if I was even running in the right direction anymore.

“I can see you just fine. You’re heading straight for me. Keep moving.” His voice was calm and even. I think he thought if he was calm, I would be, too. But I wasn’t calm.

I clawed at my helmet as I ran, hoping I was still heading the right way. “Get me the hell out of here. It’s too hot! I can’t breathe! I can’t fucking breathe!” The coolant had run out. I was screwed.

“You wouldn’t be talking to me if you couldn’t breathe. Hang on for me. I’m there in three. Two.” Strong arms caught me as I started to trip.

I let the weight of my body melt into him as he lifted me up. “Tyler. I can’t. I can’t. I—”

He hopped onto one of the cargo carts with me on his lap and zoomed off. “We’re not far. We’ll get you out of that suit in a jiff.”

“Hurry. Please. I’m frying.”

The tears evaporated before they could roll down my cheek, and for some reason that made me even more upset. I leaned against Tyler, counting my breaths. Wishing I could get out of here. Trying to trust that I’d make it to the cargo bay, but the heat was rising with every second. It felt like fire was licking along every inch of my skin.

The only thing I could see was the temperature readout. It rose another ten degrees, and I could hear my skin crackle as the heat rose.

“I can’t keep doing this.”

“No. I don’t reckon you can. We’re going to have to do something about it.” He drove the cart onto the elevator. It clanged and moaned with the added weight.

“I’m going to let everyone down if I give up.” That’s what calling my father was—giving up. Like cheating, and gambling the lives of billions on it. And I hated it. But I didn’t want to die. And if I died, my father would start the war, and all those billions of lives would be at risk anyway.

I whimpered as my lips cracked and the coppery taste of blood flooded my mouth.

“You’re not giving up! You’re a goddamned fighter. We can fix all of this.” I knew he was looking at the readout of my vitals in his own helmet.