chaotic mess of overturned anti

oward the grand staircase. Annetta's eyes darted upward. The small red li

the mai

he agent to he

in gates. Press is trying

s toward the front of the hou

ard, and collapsed heavily against the wall near the concealed side door that

snapped, reaching

twisted it, her fingers cramping as the metal pin bent under the strain. It wouldn't turn. The agent yanked her arm. At that exact second, the heavy thud of a bre

ammed her shoulder into the door. It gave way. She grabbed

d, raising his weapon

ed the red emergency fire s

water blasted from the ceiling, creating a thick, blin

heavy steel deadbolt. The muffled thud of the agent thro

n minutes.

a," Annetta ordered, her clothes

ropped to her knees in front of the climate-controlled seed vault. She pried up a l

ted her pale, wet face. Her fingers flew across the keyboar

to Satell

ed. She was in.

cted the high-grade antibiotics, combat trauma kits, and

pendent, untraceable shell companies. She issued the orders: Pick

ing and sprinted to the gr

d incubator. The thick glass shattered. Sharp shards sliced across her knuckl

cold-resistant wheat, modified soybeans, and droug

ng. Dust rained down on her head. They were u

control interface for a series of abandoned shipping

The green bars filled the screen. The heat

al hinges shrieked as they bega

minu

rations. She emptied the balances, ran the funds through a tumbling protocol

s bar crawl

forehead. Her heart hammered aga

0

snapped it in half over her knee and tossed the pieces i

as the acid ate through the metal and

lew inward with

eir riot shields raised. Blinding tactical light

g her bleeding hand under the running fa

and slammed her face-first into the concrete wall. The cold s

e you doing down

pathetic whimper. Her

d, her voice cracking with perfect, manufacture

ide, shivering. Scattered on the floor next to her were three

ent scoffed

tered. "Can't even run away

ts to haul her up the stairs by her arms. She k

witched upward. The seeds were safe. The