Chapter 16: The Ghost in the Machine

The rain had stopped, but the city still dripped. Leo walked beside Mei Lin through the slick streets, the neon glow reflecting off puddles like scattered jewels. His body was a symphony of aches—a percussion of bruises, a string section of strained tendons—but his mind was clear. The First Fracture pulsed against his chest, a warm, steady beat that felt less like a threat and more like a promise.