“Then I’m ordering pizza.” She started tapping into the touch screen on the refrigerator. “I leave you to dispose of the remains.”

Out of curiosity, I took a bite. Charred, cardboard bacon. The taste was as awful as expected.

I’d tasted it before. Many times, unless I was—

Quanta.

Dizziness rolled over me and I gripped the countertop to keep from falling from my chair.

Doctor Nagi.

The time loop.

Breakfast after breakfast. My memory came back in bursts, each image hitting me like a fist to the chest.

The torture.

Darren fucking Waldman.

And Quanta.

Quanta. The breath froze in my lungs and white tinged my vision.

I remembered everything. And Jesus. I’d abandoned her.

No.

She’d pushed me away at the end. She’d given me the chance to survive.

More than a chance. A choice. To accept our pairing or not.

Now her words echoed over the ringing in my head. You have to tell Eva. Make a difference.

I would make a difference.

By going after her.

No question.

Lightheaded, I panted, trying to ride out the wave of images, but my thoughts kept twisting.

Quanta had been on her own for days, dealing with the fallout. Alone with Darren. Nagi. In that cold, white room.

“Tair?”

I jerked as Cass touched my shoulder, jolting me back to reality.

“You okay?” She asked.

Not at all. I had to go now. I had to get to her now.

She had to be okay.

I lurched from the chair and Cass grabbed me before I could stumble.

“Whoa. What’s wrong?”

“Just a little lightheaded.” But there was no time for that. “Let me sit in one of your VR chairs.”

“Why? Shouldn’t you—”

“Cass.” I widened my eyes and flicked my gaze toward her workroom, knowing she’d pick up the hint.

“Fine.” She gripped my arm and started to drag me down the hall.

Images and memories still jumbled in my head. I could hardly balance. Hardly focus. Anxiety gripped my heart and lungs. I had to get to Quanta, but I wouldn’t be able to reach her on my own.

I needed Eva’s help. She was the last person I wanted to ask, but I had no other choice. Quanta couldn’t stay in that dungeon a second longer.

As soon as I collapsed into one of Cassie’s chairs, I held out my hands. “Toss me a helmet.”

“You can’t be serious.” Cass’s brows lifted almost to her hairline.

“You’ve never seen me so serious.”

She squinted at that, but handed over the helmet. I jammed it on and gripped the chair arms as I waited for the program to start.

“Running in three… Two… One…”

Whiteness blinded me. I spun for a moment, disoriented in the empty space.

“You’re such a—”

“Call Eva,” I said before she could get started.

Cass sucked in a breath. “You remembered?”

“I remembered.”