He picked up his phone. For the first time in two years, he called his mother.

Leo tried to pull the headset off. His hands wouldn't move. The engram had locked his motor cortex.

With trembling fingers, he deleted the file. Then he deleted his account. Then he smashed the data-wafer under his heel.

The last thing she saw was David’s tear hitting her cheek.

“No,” he whispered, but it was Corban’s voice that came out of his mouth.