Night fell like a velvet curtain over the city, hiding its secrets in shadows. I slipped through the back entrance of the office building, my bag light but containing everything I needed: encrypted drives, portable hacking device, and my sharpest instincts.
Ethan was already there, leaning against the wall, casual but alert. "You're on time," he said, his voice a quiet thread in the empty corridor.
"As always," I replied, keeping my tone calm. Inside, adrenaline raced through me.
We moved quickly to the internal finance floor, avoiding the cameras I had already mapped from my previous reconnaissance. Each step echoed softly, reminding me how precise we had to be. One misstep, and Trent's network would know we were inside.
"Here," Ethan whispered, pointing to the door leading to the server room. "Security is minimal, but the internal firewalls are complex. That's your domain."
I set down my bag and began working. Fingers flew over the portable keyboard, running sequences that would take a normal person hours. Each code line, each bypass, every silent command was calculated. My mind was a machine, focused, precise.
"Selina," Ethan said softly, watching me, "how are you so… calm?"
"Because panic gets you caught," I said without looking up.
The firewall was tricky. Trent's team had upgraded it last month, anticipating potential breaches. But I had already memorized the vulnerabilities from my analysis. It was like dancing along a knife edge — one wrong step, and alarms would trigger.
Minutes felt like hours. Then, finally, the system unlocked. I held my breath as the access granted screen flickered.
"Got it," I whispered.
Ethan's expression softened for the briefest second. "Now, extract the files."
I inserted the encrypted drive and began copying the data. Hundreds of files moved in silence across the transfer, each one a potential weapon against Trent's empire.
Halfway through, a sound behind us made me freeze — the soft click of shoes on tile. Someone else was in the building.
"Stay calm," I said quietly, my hand already moving to mask the transfer logs.
Ethan peeked around the corner. "Security?"
I shook my head. "Closer."
The lights flickered. A shadow moved past the doorway — Claire. She stopped when she saw us, her face pale, mask of composure cracking slightly.
"Selina?" she said, voice wavering. "I… I didn't expect you here."
I stood slowly, keeping my expression neutral. "Claire. Nice of you to visit."
"You shouldn't be doing this," she said, panic rising. "They'll—"
"They?" I asked sharply. "Who are you really working for?"
Her hands trembled slightly. "You don't understand… it's bigger than you think. Trent—he… he'll—"
I stepped closer. "Tell me what I need to know. Now."
Claire hesitated. I could see the internal battle. She wasn't evil, just trapped. "Trent has connections… everyone in this office is being watched. And he knows about Ethan…"
Ethan stiffened. "What do you know about me?"
She swallowed hard. "Everything. He's been tracking all anomalies. You're a threat, both of you. If he suspects—"
"I don't care," I interrupted. "I care about stopping him."
She looked at me, tears in her eyes. "And if you fail?"
"Then we fight harder."
For a moment, she looked like she wanted to run, but something in my gaze held her in place. She nodded slowly. "Fine. I'll help."
The transfer completed. I pulled out the drive, heart still racing. "Let's get out of here before anyone notices," I said.
We moved quickly, Ethan and I flanking Claire as we exited the server room. Every step was precise, calculated. The tension pressed against my skin, but the thrill was intoxicating.
Outside, the night air hit like a wave of relief. We stopped near a quiet alley to catch our breath. Claire clutched the folder I handed her, trembling.
"You did this," she said softly, voice breaking. "You actually did this."
I looked at Ethan. He gave me a rare, approving smile. "You're incredible," he whispered.
I let myself relax for a fraction of a second. "We're not done yet. Trent's empire is still out there. And he knows we're coming for him."
Claire nodded. "I know. I'll help, but… he won't go down easily."
"Then we make sure he can't," I said firmly.
The adrenaline subsided slowly as we walked back toward the city lights, each of us carrying the weight of secrets and new alliances.
Tonight was the first victory, but it was only the beginning. And I knew that tomorrow, the game would get even deadlier.