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A classification field appeared.

OPERATIVE STATUS REVIEW

Then:

GHOST-VEY/R

My identifier.

Under it, one word populated slowly.

COMPROMISED

I stared at it.

The letters remained for several seconds.

Then a second line appeared.

RECOVERY NOT AUTHORIZED

My pulse slowed.

Talia stood.

I heard the chair move behind me.

The final line appeared.

HOSTILE ASSET PROTOCOL ACTIVE

The channel disconnected.

The screen went black.

I did not move.

There was no need to interpret the message.

I knew exactly what it meant.

The Veil had stopped trying to bring me back.

Now it would erase me for real.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Talia

For several seconds after the screen went black, neither of us moved.

The words stayed anyway.

COMPROMISED.

RECOVERY NOT AUTHORIZED.

HOSTILE ASSET PROTOCOL ACTIVE.