He landed in front of the door and sucked in an enormous breath. Light poured from its corners and it seemed to vibrate, pulsing with the power of whatever was behind it. Michael knew he’d made it. Weber was on the other side. He’d found her. He wasn’t even sure he knew how he knew anymore. He was beginning to feel like the code was a part of him and he was a part of the code. Just like the old days.

He didn’t bother knocking. The door was just an illusion anyway, created by him, a way of visualizing the path. It wouldn’t be locked. She didn’t even know he was coming, at least not this way, this quickly. He reached down, felt the cool hardness of the brass handle, turned it, and pushed the door open.

The light was blinding.

He stepped into it.

2

“Michael,” she said. At first there was only her voice and white light. “I won’t mince words. I’m shocked to see you here.”

He shook his head, rubbed his eyes, righted himself in the world of code that he’d been so recklessly manipulating. Everything around him trembled, then snapped into focus. He took another deep breath to steady himself and looked around.

Weber was only a few feet away. She stood in front of a glowing glass case. And she wasn’t alone. At least a hundred Auras stood around her. Michael knew they were there to protect her as she destroyed the world.

“You said you programmed me,” Michael said, trying to hide any surprise at where he’d ended up. The room was so ordinary—what was she hoping to accomplish in such an everyday place? He’d been expecting the Hive. “Why would you be surprised that I figured out a way to come after you?”

She cocked her head, as if he’d said something profound and she wanted to consider it for a moment. “This may surprise you, but I wasn’t…completely honest with you.”

“Shocking,” he replied.

“I did program you,” she said, still contemplative. “You and others. Don’t worry, you’re still special, but we’re not quite as mother-son close as you might’ve thought.”

Michael laughed. It was maddening how skillfully this woman was able to tick him off. “Do you think I really cared? What, you thought I’d feel something for you? Think of you as my mom? Just when I think you couldn’t be any farther from reality…” He really didn’t know what to add to that.