- UNWANTED

felt diff

onking car, every pedestrian brushing past her, felt like a potential threat. The br

ow ground, and the flash drive-the tiny piece of plastic

of it as both a shield and a reminder. Every step felt calculat

is wat

nsteady rhythm of her pulse. The shadows weren't just shadows

or jingling as she entered. The place was empty except for a lone barista poli

e street. Every reflection in the glass,

nged on h

number; she hadn't contacted anyone since escapi

ut not clever eno

o traceable num

fingers to her lips, trying to slow t

ow wher

mercenaries? Someone even higher up, tied directly

screamed: don't

, every alley felt exposed. Every co

jacket. She clutched it tighter. She had to

phone pin

re alone. We're clo

ght she saw a man lingering across the street-just a shadow, half

ping against the floor. The barista looked up, confused. K

over her head, ducking her face into the shadow. Every glance over he

owing me. Th

ctable. The city's night lights glinted off windows, painting brief silhouettes t

ve her. The place was deserted at this hour. She powered up a compute

icked by

her messa

They're tire

e words were both a th

fied or enraged. Both feelings twis

he okay? Could he even survive in the shaft al

ng these messages? Someone with access. Someo

a drum in her ears. Sh

ugh the café's window. Across the street, in the shad

a f

deliberate. The moment she looked, he vanis

ounter, heart hammering. Eve

ne she could trust. Not yet. Not

er eyes scanning online forums, old conta

ther text

forever. We w

ned. Her breath ca

. Someone knows exactly what

t, every alley, every potential safe house

struck her: maybe I'

rvive for a while-but she couldn't fight back, couldn't expose the truth. The

dened. She had

a way to understand who was watching her, how mu

ded...

cts Donovan had mentioned before-the few people she could tentatively trust. Each po

ump-a chair scrapi

an had entered. He didn't approach her directly.

inct screa

hers. Cold, unreadable.

ash drive burned i

doubt, that he was

nded violentl

btle gesture-a no

stoma

? A threat? Or..

d react, her ph

ng out. Meet u

ds tremble

r she faced. She was alone, but not invisible. Someone was pul

lized: she was being funneled. Controlled. Fo

She gripped the flash

make... som

et corner. A figure moved silently, ap

e them now. Clear as day. Not a re

ad shoulders. His presence

en he

calculating-l

ntly: he was no

o watch. To t

omach

tonight, she realized, survi

ser, the café door cr

hts fli

lute certainty: someone

man's gaze bore into her. E

ly around the flash drive in her pocket. Every muscle in

tched, eyes calculating, unyielding. It was a predator's star

rporate spy? Or someone even higher up-someon

ed again. She da

spoke, low and deli

ped. "Who... who

s expression. "Someone who knows what you're carrying. And

back against the counter, feeling e

ou mean," she said,

though never too close. "I've been watching

f to breathe, to think. She had survived so far by relyin

d a plan.

oice firmer now, "I don

r her. "But safety comes at a pri

ed. "What do you

Information. Contacts. Movement. You're not the only one who knows se

rating everything. Every step.

ter. "I don't know what you want, but I'm not givi

ad, studying her. "Bo

kered and went out, plung

Shadows stretched across th

rned a moment later,

ands shook. Was he real?

She didn't want to loo

eet me. Alone. M

efinitely a trap. But it was

ould learn who was orchestrating everything. Who was be

o the counter. The flash dr

do thi

pped, somewhere below the city, probably injured. I

hakily and ma

their game. But I

ng alleys and backways she never thought she'd use. Every glance over her sho

thick and impenetrable. She moved cautiously, every sense height

st. Tall, hooded, shadowed b

ure said, voice fam

words carried an edge of autho

no

oice was wrong. Deep

you?" she

, into a patch of light.

en presumed loyal to Donovan's father's empire, someone who

widened

mmediately. Just smiled, s

he said softly. "And you have no

g the flash drive so tightly it

t it," she stam

very step you've taken, every decision you've made, has been watched. T

. "Then... then why ha

. "Because you've become useful. But that usefulness h

ving entity, pressing in. Kira felt

demanded, trying

again, faintly, cr

larm. "Choice? What-what

voice dropping to a whisp

ve. Or you can play their game, and risk e

e. His...

s trapped. Injured. Poss

ke a decision-rig

ed in the fog. "You hav

her like a heartbeat she could feel in her hands. Her

slow, deep breath, trying to f

dies. The empire cont

soft, mechanical w

illing certainty, she was

m the fog. Shadowed, sile

eath c

e she cou

abbed her

pun a

n't who sh

closer to the empi