Ghost Behind You

1.31. Return of the Soul (Final of the Season 1)

"This is the receiver—it'll be attached to your chest. It's discreet and won't interfere with your movements. Here's the earpiece, and you'll clip the main unit to your pants," the officer explained as he showed Rose the wireless communication device.

Elliot stood off to the side, growing increasingly anxious as he glanced at the darkening sky. Dusk had already settled, and by the time they reached the burial site, it would be close to 8 or 9 p.m. Nightfall always complicated operations, even with specialized equipment. Ensuring Rose's safety under such conditions would be a challenge.

Rose still wore the same shirt from earlier that day, clearly too preoccupied with the case to think about anything else. In just a few days, she had uncovered a year-old murder mystery, which was impressive, but Elliot was frustrated by her insistence on venturing out to the burial site at night. What irritated him even more was Rose's request for the police to keep their distance, allowing only her and her assistant to accompany the suspect. The police would stay nearby but refrain from intervening unless necessary. To Elliot, the plan felt reckless, if not outright dangerous. Still, he had reluctantly agreed, unable to resist Rose's persistent pleas.

Convincing the team leader had been difficult, and it wasn't until the last minute that he gave the green light. Elliot knew the chief would never have approved such a risky operation—his motto had always been "safety first."

The suspect, Tian Weiguo, was currently being held in the van, out of sight. He was the brother of the hotel owner. To avoid drawing attention, the team leader had opted for a discreet operation. Only four plainclothes officers were involved, and they arrived in unmarked vehicles. Now, the two cars sat parked outside the hotel while the team leader and his colleagues discussed possible exit strategies. Unlike a typical arrest, this operation felt surreal, as if they were preparing for something far more unsettling than just finding a buried body.

Elliot sighed inwardly. Rose, what are you really up to? Without his mediation, the operation—code-named "Bride's Journey"—would never have been approved. The whole thing seemed absurd: an operation to find a corpse, given such a whimsical name.

He lit a cigarette and glanced at Rose's assistant, who stood nearby. Elliot still didn't know the man's name, but there was something about him. He carried an air of quiet authority, almost mystical. While allowing a civilian to participate in a police operation went against protocol, Elliot felt that this man somehow belonged here. He didn't dislike him, but he couldn't shake a vague sense of unease.

"Mic check, mic check. Can the action team hear me?" The team leader's voice crackled through Elliot's earpiece. They were on Channel 3.

"Unit 1, receiving." "Unit 2, receiving." "Unit 4, receiving." Each officer confirmed readiness.

Elliot only saw three of his colleagues—he wasn't sure where the fourth one had been stationed.

"Falcon 1 and Falcon 2, confirm," the team leader continued, switching to Channel 5. Channel 3 could monitor Channel 5, but not vice versa. Only the team leader had access to both channels, ensuring the "Falcons" could focus on their task without distractions.

"Falcon 1, received," Rose's tired voice came through. "Falcon 2, received," her assistant replied, sounding focused.

"How's the 'pigeon'?" the team leader asked, referring to Tian Weiguo by his codename.

"Stable."

"Yue will stay back to manage the hotel."

"Understood," Elliot responded. He tossed his cigarette aside, switched the receiver to his left hand, and climbed into the other Santana. Night had fully fallen.