“Let’s hurry, boys.” I liked to pretend I was being protected instead of kept prisoner, but my imagination only went so far. Yeah, they’d keep me alive if insurgents ever stormed the building, but they were just as likely to take me out if I broke the rules.

Like I needed more reminders where I stood.

We didn’t see many staffers as we navigated through the maze of lifts and sterile hallways; it looked empty compared to the same places in the past and future. I recognized the few people we did pass. All were senior researchers—the same pay grade as Darren—with the security clearance to know that I existed.

Everyone else was banned from the floor when they trotted me out, and the few who stayed would be on their way to the viewing gallery to enjoy the show and make a sweet profit. I hoped Altair made it to watch, even if he wasn’t allowed to say hello. I didn’t want him forgetting we had unfinished business.

When we reached the simulators, the guards took up posts and Akua stepped to one of the wall-mounted consoles near a set of double doors. “What program?”

“Target shooting.” I flexed my fingers, eager to get inside. The sim was the only fun I got to have. Almost ever. “I’ll miss two if you’re betting on the first round.” I hadn’t picked up many life skills the last few years—unless eating cakes and manipulating people counted—but I could rock a shooter.

She palmed open the door. “I’ll watch from the gallery.”

The doors latched shut behind me as soon as I stepped in. The only light came from the back wall, where the shelves held a ridiculous choice of props. A crossbow was fun every now and again, but I kept it simple and grabbed one of the smallish handguns. In silver and white, it looked like the toy it was. At least I didn’t need ammo. The bullets were totally virtual.

Bodies pressed against the tinted glass in the gallery above. I squinted, trying to pick out the attendees. One in particular.

Will Altair show?

Just thinking his name sparked the fluttering of hundreds of new layers of Altairs, but they’d take time to sort. All I could pick up at casual glance was the ghostly pair of us sucking face in the corner.

Really?

So not helpful.

I forced out a breath and made myself relax. Altair would be here or he wouldn’t. Even if the lack of foresight was making me twitchy, I couldn’t do anything about it right now.

And either way, I’d rather focus on killing this sim.

When I lifted my gun, a bullet-shaped cursor appeared on the back wall at the same time the menu popped up. I scrolled down the list, looking for something fun.