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“Stop!” someone yelled Holden couldn’t place the voice “Everyone stop shooting!”

Because so it with authority in their voice, people did Holden fuht came on The rest of his team quickly followed his example Corin and Cass were still unhurt Holden wondered how long in actual time his jaunt into the simulation had taken

“My na voice said “What’s happening out there? Does anyone know?”

“It’s over,” Holden yelled back, then let his body relax into a dead man’s float in the corridor He was so tired that it was a struggle to not just go to sleep right where he was “It’s all over You can turn everything back on”

Lights started coe as people took out hand terhts

“Call Ruiz,” Cortez said “Have her send a teaet the ship’s power back People will be panicking in the habitation druet a medical team up here”

Holden wondered where Ashford was and why this Cortez guy was in charge But he was saying all the right things, so Holden let it go He pushed his way into the bridge, ready to help where he could, but keeping his hand near his pistol Cass and Naomi traded places with Juarez, so Naomi could help with the repairs

Clarissa, for near an open access panel, blood seeping out of a gunshot wound Cortez was pressing an ee to it Ashford floated across the roo Holden wondered if the captain was dead and then didn’t care

“Nao comms Find out about Anna and Monica and Aet the hell out of here”

She nodded and started trying to make connections

“Will she live?” Holden asked the white-hairedto her

“I think so,” he replied “She did this,” he added, waving a hand around to indicate the lack of lights and power

“Huh,” Holden said “I guess I’lad we didn’t space her”

Chapter Fifty-Three: Clarissa

S

he woke up in stages, aware of the disco rong before she could even begin to put together so toolbox of sensations any kind ofEven when the most abstract parts of herself returned—her name, where she was—Clarissa wasrong with her

The roorees too hot She lay in the thin, sweat-stinking bed, an IV drip hanging above her The significance of that took a long ti There was gravity She didn’t know if it was spin or thrust, or even the calht She didn’t have the context to know Only that it was nice to have weight again It

When she closed her eyes, she dreamed that she had killed Ren, that she’d hidden him inside her own body and so she had to keep anyone fro scan for fear they’d find him in her It was a pleasure to wake up and remember that everyone already knew