Chapter 21

Angelina's expression stiffened as she bit down on her lower lip. Lucien's gaze darkened, fixated on Calliope. Calliope said calmly, "Of course I don't want to see everything I've worked for go down the drain." With that, she walked straight toward the central console. The technicians on both sides instinctively moved aside for her, like her presence carried its own gravity. Calliope's slender fingers flew over the keyboard, complex lines of code pouring across the screen like a flood. Her focus was razor-sharp, completely immersed-as if nothing else in the world existed except her and the machine in front of her. The engineers, who just moments ago had been panicking, were now completely silent, holding their breath. Angelina clenched her palm so tightly her nails dug into her skin as she watched Calliope's smooth, precise moves. Lucien's eyes never left Calliope's figure either. He found his breath hitching a little. All his life, through both times around, he'd never seen her like t