: C

sign came

ed responding. By 2:23, Caelan was in the security cent

w b

look up. "Bad enough that I think you should

o

tr

yes narrow

cked us out of c

m fell

. Their network was armored with layer after layer of security. Honestly

ed someone to

Then another. Big, bo

ZED ACCES

stepped

re they

k his head. "We

don't

ents, but not where

n his chair. "Sir, someone i

ck

ca

t down,

t do tha

pt into Caelan's

owed. "The attack

ldn't be

n again. "How'd they g

ing to fig

g will i

sitated.

g info, acquisition records, encrypted co

s tone chang

turned.

Adrian blew up the activity display. He poi

t's their

older." It sat buried, locked be

an right in the gu

s when his assistant pointed out Varelia's wiped backgroun

ria

ir

s that archi

id

nd

again. Still nothing. The s

ded-the attacker r

ce dropped.

ing," Adri

har

"We need to cut off

o

take

't have

line. Analysts fought to trace the intrusion. It didn't matter. Whoever was at th

he alarms vanished, the screens flickered back to normal, and the financia

said

spoke. "What

t scrolled throug

e stop

N

who

le

closer. "Trac

e try

I

thi

e sign

thi

they br

etely

ghtened. "That'

. "Sir, they didn't just le

g folder: VOSS-ARCHIVE 17. Someone had fought their way

ian with a look.

ugged. "I

nd

wi

colder. "No-find out w

You think someone

someon

as just abou

d her laptop. For a moment, she ju

ypted connection window

o

aptop, swapped in another. A command fa

hit

ce disa

the moment it started. Honestly, something

Voss archive. They'd

mo

ted the attacker, reversed their access, and kicked them out-quiet

The bug she'd found under Caelan's desk. The symbol on i

er family vanished. Before she

omeone was starting to connect the dots: the fake jade

his was c

message: YOU SHOULD

THEY KNOW

She deleted both texts,

himself the same questions. Who attacked Vale Internati

ut her

me, she'd left behind just enough for

Everything seemed normal. The staff thought it was just a brief gl

lan kne

st for money, but for someth

olding a tablet. "We

wh

hey erased everyt

f corrupted data glowed on the screen-n

a s

e with three li

that last night. On the listening de

about looking for a book, that tiny bug, the marked jade. Threads connected. O

d up. "Don't

nfused. "Not the

on

an n

ought finally settle in. Maybe Varelia'

something dangerous enough for someon

stion wasn't whether Vare

her secret had already painted