"And done," Marin said.
He tapped the tablet once, and the scanner released a soft chime. A moment later, the full hologram formed above the low table: Liam's body rendered in translucent blue-white light, every visible ether path mapped in clean, delicate lines through his wrists, arms, chest, spine, throat, and skull.
Liam stared.
For a few seconds, he seemed to forget there were other people in the room.
Then his red eyes sharpened with a dangerous, deeply familiar glint.
"I need to dissect that thing," he mumbled, more to himself than to anyone else.
"No," Arik said.
"No," Marin said at the same time.
Liam looked offended. "I was talking about the scanner."
"I know, the answer is still no," Arik said. "You promised to leave it alone."
Liam refused to accept that he had promised anything; he was given an offer; he could change his mind. "It is just equipment."
