- THE FL

hind them, swallowed by distance, dust, and th

a deserted rural road, bordered by tall grass and scattered storage lots. He pulled into

cameras. No company assets.

ng through her bloodstream. She held the flash drive like i

t heavier now

lves, and a portable generator. He kicked it on, filling the room with low, steady b

hesit

opened this drive, h

n and stepped closer. "We do

swallowing

n dim and scratched. "Let's see

e flash drive with

mmediately-CONFIDENTI

omach

lized there were far more files than she

they get more?

. "You didn't scroll down a

she hadn't. She'd bare

. "Alright. Let's go t

d with the

in, scanning

larities instantly. Rows that didn't align. Columns labeled in misdi

a scale she'd

ng at a coded column, "this is m

s always been able to live with con

cked the

ion fees" or "expedited services." Names of

ank lower w

," she whispered. "Not just

said. "And my father i

olled f

ai

nal m

led with chill

LEANUP

EMOVAL

NT COR

embled as sh

ployee #7394

report of finan

n Status:

d a hand ov

spered, voice cracking. "

t. His jaw tightened, anger si

her doesn't run a corporation. He runs

en though every instin

e was a vide

d it before sh

lear enough to recognize the warehouse. Men in tactical

s a shot rang o

ay, tears sti

e," she whispered. "This i

sted a steady hand on her shoulder. His touc

hing wrong. This landed on your desk becaus

think someone tr

an accountant instead of a director or a manager... they wanted s

ghtened. "Th

e a sh

re is trying to stop him," she murm

lone anymore,

him-really l

bellio

lack

intment of

e standing between h

another fil

der l

TARGET LI

fr

me was

ir

ligh

a red

ETHAL FORCE. DO

uth we

ace darkened. "We nee

d numbly a

whistleblower.

n investigat

tive t

to die," sh

ly, grabbing her hands. "

her-something trembling, terrified, su

sed the

t icon caug

ed

ck

ryp

with two-facto

la

tocol - Fin

click

d prompt

yes narrowing. "That's ne

tarted to ask

p screen

flick

line of tex

D. LOCATION LOGGED. R

lood tur

ovan

, already grabbing the drive, alr

," he said sharpl

t h

d. "We awakened a geotag the m

dered. "How lo

n't ev

min

Cliff

athe, a low rumble sh

multiple engi

e through a

onovan Hale.

outside-big ones, heavy ones. Kira heard doors sl

g us," she whispere

ered grimly, "they'r

tenance door and pushed he

The air smelled like rust and hot metal. Donovan follow

re footsteps

nov

said. "We get to

ut

ir

ice sh

urvive if y

shaking. She forc

with discarded tools and old rope. Donovan checked every corner before lett

ical boots spread

p," Donovan whispere

hot down K

ned both of them behind a broken forklift

istraction,"

he whisp

pocket, pulling out

igh

u're planning to

icking it open

from the forklift floor, doused it in leftover e

wooden pallets that ins

s eru

! Fire

ed, curling u

onovan w

y r

ough the smoke, she heard the team scrambling to contain the spr

d the last row

toppe

into his ba

ords

pe route w

blac

of ar

acing

tepped

ulate suit.

tomach p

cogniz

. The man whispered about in hallw

ll

hilling. "Donovan. Your

nch. "He can send

yes slid

an insult. "So ordinary. So timid. And yet

ed back in

ved in fro

d over the flash drive, a

rive inside her poc

don't?" Don

mly, "my men shoot you

aised thei

breath

't ready

like

everything

shed Donovan's

ithout turnin

ied and delirious-because

," Wells warne

l hook from the ground and hurl

ruck

ank s

es widene

ugh the yard, a burst o

ragged her to the ground,

orld

nshots fired blind

onovan yelled,

oke, stumbling and coughing,

ust ahead-its chrome gli

r make it!"

t have a

y r

whizze

shouted

oke th

re emerging from th

directly

fr

houted, too far a

er tightened o

d, a new vehicle scr

k moto

ne Kira had nev

un at the man targe

T DOWN IF YOU