His heart hammered against his ribs. How did it know his name?

The software was licensed, but the cost had nothing to do with money.

Suddenly, his cursor began moving on its own. It didn't open the PDF editor. Instead, it opened his email. It started drafting a message to his firm’s biggest client, attaching not the blueprints, but a folder labeled Private_Bank_Records .

The download was fast. Too fast. He unzipped the file, expecting a simple crack, but instead, a window popped up with a single line of text: “Nothing is truly free, Elias.”

Elias grabbed the mouse, fighting for control, but the cursor was a ghost, sliding effortlessly across the screen. He reached for the power cord, but before he could pull it, the speakers crackled to life with a distorted, digital laugh.