Chapter 21 · Ghost Signal - Chapter 21: Beacon Under His Skin

The chip's signal pulses under my fingertips. Military grade. Active broadcast.

I can feel it thrumming through Qin Chuan's skin, right below his collarbone. Warm. Steady. Louder than his heartbeat.

"How long?" I ask Zero-Seven.

"Four minutes since activation. Maybe less." Her voice is tight in my ear. "Lin, you need to move. Now."

Qin's eyes flutter open. He's still pale, blood crusted on his neck, but he's awake. His gaze finds mine and he tries to sit up.

"Don't." I push him back down. My hand stays on his chest. I can feel the chip under my palm, that sick little rhythm. "You're broadcasting."

He blinks. Confusion first. Then understanding. Then something worse.

"What?"

"There's a tracker in you. Military issue. It lit up the second Zero-Seven opened that drone." I pull my hand back. "You didn't know?"

He looks at me like I just shot him again.

"No. No, I—" He reaches for his shoulder, fingers shaking. He presses down where I was touching and his face goes white. "They put it in after the collapse. Standard protocol for field ops. But it's supposed to be passive. It shouldn't—"

"Well it's not passive now.