The feeling in the motel room changed. The brave determination they had felt just moments before began to sour, turning into a cold and sharp fear. They had successfully stolen their weapon—the shocking data—but actually using it felt like they were signing their own death sentences. The small data drive, which had felt like a winning trophy, now seemed like a live grenade. They were holding it in their hand, and the pin was already pulled.
"We need a plan for what happens after we release this," Evelyn said, her voice cutting through the tense quiet. She nervously traced a line on the motel's cheap, plastic-coated desk. "The moment we send this data out into the world, we can't be in this room. We can't be in any place they might think to search for us."
