The signal increased.
Toward Lucas.
Maya’s skin prickled.
Adrian stepped closer to the boy.
Lucas moved behind Maya.
“Don’t touch him.”
“I’m not going to.”
Adrian watched the signal.
Then slowly raised his eyes.
“Maya…”
“What?”
“It’s him.”
Lucas laughed nervously.
“That’s not funny.”
Adrian showed them the screen.
The signal was synchronized with Lucas’s heartbeat.
Every pulse generated a data spike.
Captain Reeves stared.
“You expect me to believe a child is controlling an airplane?”
Adrian shook his head.
“Not consciously.”
Then the cockpit speakers produced a sound.
Not radio static.
Not an alarm.
A tone.
Three notes.
Lucas collapsed.
“Lucas!”
Maya caught him before his head reached the floor.
His body trembled.
His eyes remained open.
But they were unfocused.
“Lucas, look at me.”
The three-note tone repeated.
Lucas inhaled sharply.
Then spoke.
But the voice was not his.
It was electronic.
