The rain poured harder, washing away the filth of the alleyways as I ran. My breath came in sharp, ragged bursts, my lungs burning with every inhale. I barely registered the water soaking my clothes, clinging to my skin in the cold night air.
I had to move.
Had to think.
Had to survive.
The tracking signal pulsed in my vision like a taunting reminder that no matter how far I ran, they would always find me. I clenched my fists, trying to suppress the rising frustration clawing at my chest.
Reed moved beside me, his pace steady despite the exhaustion in his eyes. "We need a plan," he said, voice low but urgent.
Claire nodded, keeping close, her breath heavy. "We can't keep running forever. They'll just keep closing in."
They were right. Running was pointless now.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to push past the panic. "I need to disable the signal."
Reed frowned. "Can you?"
I swiped open my system menu again, scrolling through the settings, my fingers moving faster than my brain could process. There had to be a way—some kind of override or emergency shutoff. But the more I searched, the clearer it became.
The tracking wasn't just a feature of the system.
It was built into it.
Claire watched my expression tighten, her hands balling into fists. "No luck?"
I exhaled slowly. "Not through the menu."
Reed's jaw tightened. "Then we have to find another way."
Claire ran a hand through her drenched hair, frustration evident in every movement. "What if we destroy it?"
I paused.
Destroy it?
The idea seemed absurd at first. The system wasn't just a piece of hardware. It was embedded into me—woven into my very existence the moment I transmigrated. Tearing it out could mean losing everything.
But…
If I didn't, I would never be free.
And right now, freedom was the only thing that mattered.
I took a deep breath, weighing the risks. "It might be possible to sever the signal without destroying the system entirely. But I'll need—"
A sudden shift in the air cut me off.
An unnatural stillness.
Then—
A blur of motion.
Something fast. Too fast.
I barely had time to react before a figure slammed into the ground in front of us, the impact sending a shockwave through the wet pavement. I skidded to a halt, nearly losing my footing.
Knox stood there, grinning.
Her combat suit clung to her frame, soaked through from the rain, but she didn't seem to care. She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with amusement. "You really thought you could outrun us?"
I didn't respond. My heart pounded violently against my ribs.
A second figure stepped into view behind her. Tall. Cold eyes. Ezekiel.
His expression was unreadable, but his presence alone was enough to send a chill down my spine.
Reed cursed under his breath. "We're out of time."
Knox took a slow step forward, her knife twirling lazily between her fingers. "You gave us a good chase. Almost made it fun." Her grin widened. "But I think it's time we wrap this up, don't you?"
I gritted my teeth, my mind racing for options.
Fighting them head-on wasn't an option. Not like this.
I had to cut the signal.
I closed my eyes for half a second, reaching deep into the system, past the layers of menus and interfaces, searching for something beyond the admin settings.
And then—
I felt it.
A thread.
Something thin and fragile, barely noticeable—hidden beneath layers of security.
The connection.
The direct link between me and whatever was tracking me.
I latched onto it.
And I pulled.
A sharp pain shot through my skull, like a thousand needles piercing into my mind at once. My knees nearly buckled, but I held on, gritting my teeth against the agony.
The signal wavered.
Knox's eyes flickered slightly, her grin faltering for a split second. "What are you—"
I pulled harder.
And then—
The thread snapped.
A deafening silence filled my mind.
The red pulse in my vision disappeared.
The connection was gone.
Ezekiel's holo-device flickered violently before the screen went dark. His expression shifted ever so slightly. A subtle crease in his brow.
Knox's eyes widened. "No way…"
She lifted her wrist, tapping her own device. Nothing. No signal.
Their tracking was gone.
I staggered back, panting. My vision swam, but I forced myself to focus. "We're leaving."
Reed didn't hesitate. He grabbed my arm, steadying me. Claire moved quickly, stepping in beside us.
Knox let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. "Clever girl."
But there was something else in her tone now. A flicker of frustration beneath the amusement.
Ezekiel's gaze locked onto me, calculating. He didn't move to attack. Didn't even lift a weapon. He just watched. Studied.
And then—
"We'll find you again."
The certainty in his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
Knox grinned. "Yeah. And next time? You won't get the chance to run."
I clenched my fists, swallowing down the lingering pain in my skull. "Next time, I won't have to."
Then we turned and disappeared into the rain.