The room buzzed softly with the sound of data transferring.
A thin progress bar crawled across the screen—
Slow.
Too slow.
Emily couldn't sit still.
Her eyes kept moving between the screen… Daniel… Noah.
"How long?" she asked.
The man didn't look up.
"Ten minutes. Maybe less if the system doesn't choke."
Daniel checked the window again.
Habit now.
Instinct.
"We don't have ten minutes," he muttered.
The man glanced at him.
"Then hope we don't get interrupted."
Not reassuring.
Noah sat quietly this time.
No questions.
Just watching.
Learning the tension without understanding it.
Emily stepped closer to the screen.
Watching files duplicate one by one.
"After this… what's step one?" she asked.
Daniel answered immediately.
"We don't release everything."
Emily looked at him.
"What?"
Daniel turned toward her.
"We leak a piece."
The man nodded slightly.
"Smart."
Emily frowned.
"Why not all of it?"
Daniel's voice stayed calm.
"Because once everything's out… we lose control."
Silence.
That made sense.
"We give just enough," he continued,
"to make them react."
The man leaned back.
"And when they react… they expose themselves."
Emily's chest tightened.
"This is dangerous."
Daniel gave a faint, dry smile.
"We passed dangerous a while ago."
The progress bar moved.
60%.
Suddenly—
A sharp beep echoed from one of the screens.
The man froze.
"That's not good."
Daniel stepped closer.
"What is it?"
The man's fingers moved quickly.
"They're scanning."
Emily's heart dropped.
"Scanning for what?"
The man looked at her.
"For this."
Silence hit hard.
"They know?" she whispered.
The man shook his head slightly.
"Not exactly… but they know something moved."
Daniel's voice tightened.
"How long before they trace it?"
The man didn't hesitate.
"Minutes."
The progress bar—
75%.
"Finish it," Daniel said.
The man nodded.
Working faster.
Emily's hands clenched.
"This is happening too fast."
Daniel looked at her.
"I know."
Noah stood up slowly.
Walking closer.
"Are we losing?" he asked quietly.
Emily immediately shook her head.
"No."
Daniel added—
"Not even close."
The progress bar—
90%.
The beeping grew faster.
Sharper.
"They're getting closer," the man said.
Daniel looked around.
Thinking.
Calculating.
"We need to move as soon as it's done."
Emily nodded.
"Where?"
Daniel hesitated.
Then said—
"Somewhere they won't expect."
100%.
The screen flashed.
Transfer Complete.
The man pulled out the drive quickly.
"Done."
Daniel didn't waste a second.
"Send the first piece."
Emily's breath caught.
"Now?"
Daniel looked at her.
"Now."
The man selected a file.
A small one.
Names.
Connections.
Just enough.
"Where am I sending this?" he asked.
Daniel's voice dropped.
"To someone who can't ignore it."
He gave a name.
Quietly.
The man's eyes widened slightly.
"…You're serious."
Daniel didn't blink.
"Do it."
The man hit send.
A second passed.
Then—
"It's out."
Silence.
Heavy.
Because there was no taking that back.
Emily exhaled slowly.
"What happens now?"
Daniel looked at the screen.
"We wait."
But they didn't have to wait long.
Because just seconds later—
A new alert flashed.
Bright.
Sharp.
The man's expression changed instantly.
"They know."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"How?"
The man shook his head.
"They don't know everything… but they know enough."
Another alert.
Then another.
"They're moving fast," the man said.
Emily felt fear rise again.
"What do we do?"
Daniel grabbed the drive.
"We don't stay."
Noah moved closer immediately.
The man started shutting down systems.
"You can't come back here," he said quickly.
Daniel nodded.
"I know."
They moved toward the door.
Fast.
But just as Daniel reached it—
A sound.
Outside.
A car.
Stopping.
Everyone froze.
The man looked at Daniel.
"…Too late."
A shadow passed under the door.
Footsteps.
More than one.
Emily's heart pounded.
"They found us?"
Daniel didn't answer.
Because the answer—
Was already there.
A knock.
Loud this time.
Not patient.
Not polite.
Noah grabbed Emily tightly.
"Mom…"
Daniel's eyes moved.
Door.
Window.
Back exit.
Calculating.
The knock came again.
Harder.
And then—
A voice.
Cold.
Controlled.
"We know you're inside."
Silence.
Because everything had just caught up to them.
And this time—
There was no time to run.