She stood, feeling both anchored and out of place. The last time she’d stood in this room, it had been a simulation. But it had felt no less real than now, and it was difficult to fight the sense that the same thing might happen again. Nicolai was looking up at Kai, assessing her, practically staring. “What?” Kai asked. “Is it real this time?” “I don’t know,” Kai said. “Try and do some magic.” Nicolai frowned then stood. “That’s not funny.” “Ryu didn’t have to worry. That was easy.” “I don’t know I’d characterize that man as worried,” Nicolai said. “Worried that he’d have to dispose of our mindless corpses. Worried that we’d get into a loop and not get out then hit a time accelerant and lose years in the blink of real-world seconds inside.” “Was that ever a danger?” Nicolai asked. Kai shrugged, already over it. “Ask Ryu. I guess there are spots where you can get stuck when you’re off the official paths of The Beam.
