Chapter 164: One Thing

A million thoughts ran through my mind, but I couldn't focus on any of them. I regressed for a moment before my conditioning took over and I began to breathe slow deep breaths.

Focus. 

I checked the controls. Fuck. They worked like nothing ever happened. I wheeled back and lifted him off me. I felt guilty even though I'd done nothing wrong as the top half of Gan swung from the robotic arm. I let him down gently onto the floor.

I considered briefly getting into an unused pod and discarded the idea instantly as insanely short sighted. I sighed. I resisted panic and a light blinked on my hud and it was Pieter - he was online.

I didn't hesitate and activated a call. The box blinked as it rang him, and it took so long I thought he was going to ignore me. I was about to send him a message when he answered.

"Ben," he said. "Did you miss me, or did they pull the rug from you?"

"From under you is the saying, but no. It's worse, much worse."