Chapter 18 · Dead Signal

The facility door hung open like a broken jaw.

Keira stepped through first, rifle up, scanning the dark corridor. Five years of dust coated everything. The air tasted dead. Recyclers had shut down a long time ago.

"Stay close." Taren's voice came low behind her. "Rian, watch our six."

Rian didn't answer. When Keira glanced back, his face looked gray even in the dim light from their helmet lamps. He'd been quiet since they'd descended into the ravine and found the bunker entrance half-buried under rockfall.

Since they'd all seen that distress beacon.

GHOST SEVEN.

Her call sign. Her death.

Keira forced herself to move forward. The corridor stretched ahead, lined with doors that probably led to barracks or storage. She didn't care about those. What she wanted was at the center. Command and control. Wherever they'd kept the mission files.

Whoever had burned her team, the proof was here.

"Keira." Taren's hand caught her shoulder. "Slow down."

"I'm fine."

"You're not." His grip tightened. "This place could be rigged. It's been sitting here for five years broadcasting a signal. You don't think that's strange?"

She did.