Mira hurried back to her apartment, the city's distant sirens echoing in her mind. She locked the door, drew the curtains, and placed the data chip on her desk. Her hands trembled as she connected it to her encrypted terminal. The screen flickered to life, revealing a maze of files—encrypted, fragmented, and laced with warnings.
She recognized one name in the metadata: Lira Voss. The infamous hacker. Mira had heard the rumors—Lira could break any code, slip through any digital barrier. If anyone could unlock these files, it was her.
But Lira was a ghost. Finding her would be like chasing shadows.
A sudden knock at the door jolted Mira from her thoughts. She froze, heart pounding. She hadn't told anyone about the meeting. She reached for her phone, ready to call for help, but the knock came again—softer this time.
She peered through the peephole. A man in a battered coat stood in the hallway, his face hidden in the shadows. He slid a card under the door:
Draven Holt. We need to talk.
Mira hesitated, then opened the door a crack. "What do you want?"
Draven's eyes were sharp, haunted. "I know about the Veil. And I know you have the chip. If you want to survive, you'll need my help."
Mira studied him, searching for any sign of deception. But desperation and conviction flickered in his gaze. Against her better judgment, she let him in.
As Draven stepped inside, Mira realized her investigation had just become a war—and she was no longer fighting alone.