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He shook with fury, wishing to kill him, hurt hi his threat over Blackburn’s head, knowing the guy feared what Toh to cool the hot rage inside hiers in his hair, because he was so angry he didn’t feel in control of hi hiht to contain himself

"You had your ood punch, and I’et that" He leaned closer "What you do not get to do is toy around with the exosuits Do you hear et to co with machines that can kill people"

"Fine"

"We’re clear here?"

"I told you, I get it! What else do you want?"

"I want you to think You looked around today and you saw that every other trainee was having trouble controlling those exosuits, and your first impulse--your first one--was to show off to your friend Didn’t you step back for one microsecond and consider that ability you have with machines, and wonder ifto do with this This was just exosuiting"

"It was hooking into ait Think About It" He jabbed his finger into Tom’s forehead to punctuate each word

To The truth was, he hadn’t realized he was doing so

"Thatta boy It’s starting toto have to beoff, and no as"

Tom’s mouth went dry His eyes flew to Blackburn

"Yes, you didn’t think I knew about that" Every line stood out on Blackburn’s face "Do you honestly believe the Depart around their server? I a to trace the source of that drone hijacking as we speak You knohat thatto tell me," Tom said

Blackburn stabbed his thu up all traces of what you did I’ to condescend to explain to you why my time is of utmost value around this du your tracks You sio to Joseph Vengerov and share what you can do with hi leverage there, but it’s a hydrogen boet to use it once That e is null and void, and there is nothing to stopevery secret froet to you first"

"That’s lucky?" Tom repeated bitterly "Lucky now reat Good to know"

"Sir," Blackburn corrected

"You outrank me You shouldn’t call me ‘sir’"

"Raines, you’ll address me as ‘sir’ or I will stick you back down in that cell next to the census device until ‘sir’ is the only word you remember"

Tom bristled He’d never hated someone so much "Sir, yes, sir I’ll use ‘sir,’ sir Is that all, sir?"

"Oh, I’d say that’s all Get into the simulation with the others" Blackburn jabbed at his forear at you"

Back at you, To sensation shot up his neck, and the Calisthenics simulation cranked to life in his vision center The Japanese ared toward Tom in the simulated, World War II–era China, and Tom threw himself into the workout But however fast he ran, he couldn’t escape his lingering fury at the ined every single fake ene Blackburn’s face

CHAPTER FOUR