The Underdistrict pulsed with bass and neon, but Ava’s implant burned, Mara’s voice—You can’t hide—echoing in her mind. The familiar figure in the crowd vanished, leaving a chill. Jace’s hand gripped hers, his touch grounding her as they navigated the chaotic streets, Lena trailing with her rifle ready. Ava’s senses, heightened by the implant, caught every detail—sweat, perfume, Jace’s musk—and her desire for him surged, making focus a battle.

“Eli’s in a tech den,” Jace said, his voice low, eyes scanning for drones. “He’s a hacker, ex-Order. He’ll jam Mara’s device.” His thumb brushed her wrist, and Ava’s pulse spiked, her body craving his closeness.

“You trust him?” Ava asked, her voice husky, the implant amplifying her need.

Jace’s lips twitched. “Enough.” His gaze lingered, and she felt exposed, the air crackling between them.

They reached a hidden den, its entrance masked by a holo-sign. Eli, a wiry man with cybernetic eyes, greeted them, his scanners humming. “That implant’s a beast,” he said, eyeing Ava. “Mara’s tech—it’s rewriting your instincts. I can block it, but it’s risky.” He gestured to a chair wired with electrodes.

Ava hesitated, but Jace’s hand on her back steadied her. “You’ve got this,” he murmured, his lips brushing her ear. She sat, and Eli attached the electrodes, but the implant flared, and Ava’s senses locked onto Jace—his heat, his breath. She grabbed his hand, pulling him close, and their lips crashed together, hungry and desperate. His hands slid under her jacket, fingers teasing her skin, and Ava moaned, the implant making every touch electric. They pressed closer, bodies entwined, lost in a haze of desire.

Eli’s cough broke them apart, and Ava blushed, Jace’s grin unapologetic. “Signal’s jammed,” Eli said, but his screens flickered—Order drones had found them. Lena barricaded the door, but a voice cut through: Mara, outside, her device pulsing. “Ava, you’re mine,” she taunted. An assassin burst in, and Ava’s implant surged, revealing a vision: Mara’s lab, where a man—Jace’s spitting image—worked beside her. Was he Jace’s brother, and what was Mara’s true plan for Ava?

Cliffhanger: Is the man in Ava’s vision Jace’s brother, and what is Mara’s ultimate plan for her implant?

Chapter 5: Neon Heartbeat

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