Chapter 24 · The Golden Ticket Trap

"You have thirty seconds to hand over the chip, or this whole shelter comes down on our heads."

The Syndicate Boss said it through the old terminal, his voice chopped into metallic pieces by the damaged speaker. Behind him, a red timer blinked across the screen.

00:29.

Jesse Vance grabbed the edge of the console before his injured knee gave out. Pain shot up his leg. His Wraith Deck flashed under his coat, six black cards stuttering in and out of view.

"You invited us here," Jesse said. "Try being a better host."

"I invited three linked souls. I did not invite thieves."

Valerie Voss raised her pistol at the terminal. Her left hand pressed against her wounded shoulder, but the barrel stayed steady.

"Your gunships are already overhead," she said. "So stop pretending this is a negotiation."

The Boss's image twitched. A pale smile crossed his face.

"Good. You can still count."

Mara stood beside the console, one hand clamped over the dark marks crawling along her forearm. Her breathing came in short, uneven pulls. The black shape inside her core had been quiet since the soul tether closed. Quiet did not mean gone.

"Jesse," Mara whispered.