It had been fitted precisely to his neck — not loose enough to slip over his head, not tight enough to choke him. Deliberate. Controlled. Her chest began to feel tight, but not from age. From realization. “This comes off,” she said under her breath. “It comes off now.” Rex looked up at her, eyes steady, as if he understood the effort even if he knew it would fail.
She straightened slowly, brushing grit from her palms. Her mind moved through options quickly, efficiently — the way it used to when Michael called from overseas and she had to interpret tone more than words. There was only one place she trusted to look at this properly. Dr. Martinez. If anyone could scan the device or cut it safely, it would be her.