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CHAPTER 10 – NO TURNING BACK
Noah had been staring at the laptop for two hours.The files were ready. Compressed. Encrypted. Addressed to three different oversight agencies and two investigative journalists who'd spent years chasing corporate conspiracy stories.One click.That's all it would take.His phone rang. Sarah."Are you absolutely sure?" she asked.Noah held the phone tighter. "I'm not…to be honest.""Then stop. You still can."He stared at the open laptop on his kitchen table. Files layered inside files. Dates. Names. Conversations that were never meant to be seen outside boardrooms."If I stop now," Noah said, "this all disappears.""And you don't," she said. "That's the point. You get to stay alive."He laughed. It came out bitter. "Alive doing what?"Silence on the line."You don't have to be the hero, Noah.""I'm not," he replied. "I'm just tired of being the victim.""They don't forgive people who expose them," Sarah said. Her voice cracked. "You know that.""I know."She let out a shaky breath. "
CHAPTER 9 – THE HIDDEN ALLIANCE
"Close the door."Noah turned. Sarah stood behind him, hand still on the knob."You shouldn't say that so loud," she added.He glanced around the office floor. Empty. Too empty for a Tuesday night. "Say what?""That you're still here," she said. "They notice patterns."Noah pulled his chair back. "You stayed too."She hesitated. Then stepped inside and closed the door. "I wanted to warn you.""About?"She lowered her voice. "People who don't fold to pressure don't last long in roles like this."Noah studied her face. "And you think I won't fold.""I know you won't."He leaned back. "You didn't come here just to scare me."She exhaled. "I saw your name."His chest tightened. "Where?""On a list," she said. "Not here. Somewhere else.""Where?"She shook her head. "I don't know exactly. But it wasn't just our company."The system pulsed faint behind his eyes."Say that again," Noah said."There were logos," Sarah continued. "Different firms. Legal. Finance. Tech. All sharing something."
CHAPTER 8 – THE TRAP REBUILT
Noah was halfway through his morning coffee when the email arrived.MANDATORY MEETING – 9:00 AM – CONFERENCE ROOM BNo subject. No agenda. Just Linda's name at the bottom.His stomach dropped.He looked at the system overlay.CRITICAL MEETING DETECTEDTHREAT LEVEL: HIGH"Great," Noah muttered.The conference room was cold. Linda sat at one end of the table. Mark at the other. Noah took the chair between them.Bad sign."Thanks for coming," Linda said. Like he had a choice."What's this about?" Noah asked.Linda slid a thin folder across the table. "A promotion."Noah stared at it. Didn't touch it. "To what?""You'll be coordinating the oversight," she said.Noah looked up slowly. His coffee had gone cold in his hand. "Oversight of what?"Linda smiled. "Everything.""That's not an answer.""It's a flexible role."Mark leaned back in his chair. Too relaxed. "Think of it as central responsibility. You're the point person.""For which department?" Noah asked."All of them," Mark said.Noa
CHAPTER 7 – NEW ENEMIES, SAME GAME
"Why are they all staring at you like that?"Noah didn't look away from his screen. His hands were shaking. He pressed them flat against the desk."I don't know….Maybe because I stopped being useful."Sarah pulled a chair closer. "That's not funny.""I'm not joking."She lowered her voice. "Ever since yesterday, management's been asking questions. Not normal ones though."Noah's stomach tightened. "What kind of questions?""About you. Your access habits. Your work hours. Who you talk to." She paused. "What you said in meetings. What you didn't say."Noah finally looked at her. "And what did you tell them?"Sarah hesitated. "Nothing. I just said that you're good at your job.""That's enough to make people nervous."She frowned. "You're acting like you're waiting for something bad to happen.""I am."She leaned closer. "What did you do, Noah?"He shook his head. His throat felt tight. "I didn't do anything. That's the problem."Sarah stood slowly. She looked scared. "Ok then. Just... wa
CHAPTER 6 – THE FIRST DODGED BETRAYAL
"You should feel honored."Noah looked up from his laptop.Mark stood at his desk, hands in his pockets, wearing that same easy smile. Behind him, Linda hovered near the glass office, pretending to sort files while watching them."Honored by what?" Noah asked.Mark leaned closer. "This project..of course. This is your fast track to senior lead. A once in a lifetime opportunity. "Noah didn't answer."And it's also selective," Mark continued. "Only a few people got the offer."Noah closed his laptop slowly. "Okayy….who's leading it?"Mark hesitated. "Julian Cross."The name hit Noah like a punch. The overlay flickered at the edge of his vision.JULIAN CROSS Status: Active Threat Betrayal Index: 61% Probability of Host Damage: HighNoah leaned back in his chair. "What's the project about?""Data migration," Mark said. "Sensitive stuff. Corporate partnerships. Big money."Linda walked over. "It's a huge opportunity, Noah," she said. "We thought of you immediately."Noah met her eyes
CHAPTER 5 – THE BLACKLIST SYSTEM
"Don't send it."Noah froze, phone halfway to his ear.Martha stood in the doorway of his apartment, arms crossed. "You don't need to change the passwords," she said. "It'll just slow things down."Noah lowered the phone. "Slow what down?""Work. Transfers. You know how it is."He looked at her face. The way she tilted her head. The easy smile. The old Noah would have said okay and moved on."I'm changing them," Noah said.Her smile tightened. "But…why now?""Uhmmm…because I want to.""That's not a good reason.""It's the only one you're getting."She moved closer. "You're being paranoid, babe.""Maybe."Her eyes dropped to his phone. "Did Mark say something?""Nope."She let out a breath. "Then what's all this about?"Noah felt the pressure behind his eyes. The system was watching. Always watching."I need the passwords back," he said. "All of them.""Right now?""Yes."Martha stared at him. "You don't trust me anymore?"He wanted to hold her hands and tell her he trusted her. That s
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