“What happened?” I asked. “I hit a wall. The security system has been enhanced and I couldn’t bypass it.” I ignored the tightness gripping my throat. “Is there another way?” The question squeaked out. “No.” “There has to be.” A whisper, all I could manage. My body felt as if it were trapped in a metal compactor. “There isn’t.” He rubbed a hand over his cheek as he stared into the distance. A combination of emotions crossed his face, but they moved too fast for me to decipher. “Unless…I follow Cog’s example and reveal myself to the Travas. They’ll know I have my port and where I am, but I could find the information we need before they get to me.” I searched his expression. He was committed to sacrificing himself. Good to know. “You said ‘could find,’ does that mean the information is there to retrieve or you think it might be?” “The information is there, but I can’t guarantee I’ll access it before the Controllers sever my link.” Too big a risk right now.
