The silence in the atrium was absolute. Even the camera shutters stopped clicking.
"I'm hard to kill," I repeated, my voice steady, amplified by the speakers Elara had set up for her victory speech.
I climbed the last few steps to the mezzanine. My legs ached, my skin felt raw from the scrubbing, but my spine was steel. I wasn't just walking up a staircase; I was climbing out of the grave she had dug for me.
Elara backed away from the podium. She looked small in her stolen power suit. The arrogance that had fueled her broadcast evaporated, replaced by the terrified realization that she was facing a ghost.
"Security!" Elara shrieked, her voice cracking. "Remove her! She's armed! She's dangerous!"
Two guards moved toward me.
Oryn stepped into their path. He didn't draw his weapon. He s
