Elias froze. He knew Taylor lived in North Alabama. He wasn't just looking at a game engine; the "Retail" tag had been a lure. The zip file was a honeypot, a digital tripwire designed to catch anyone curious enough to go looking for Taylor’s more sensitive aerospace work.
He reached for the power cable, but the screen flickered one last time with a message from the author himself: Download Travis Taylor Ballistic (Retail) zip
"In physics, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. You've made your move, Elias. Now it's time for the reaction." — T. Taylor Elias froze