Kai’s fingers flew across the keyboard, the glow of the screen painting their face in pale blue light. The breach had been catastrophic—millions of names, locations, and personal histories leaked from VaultCore, the company that promised unbreakable security for the digital age. Among the stolen data: Kai’s mother’s bank details and her online medical records, now plastered across the dark web.

The official statement blamed "sophisticated cybercriminals," but Kai didn’t buy it. Not after finding the encrypted files buried in VaultCore’s server logs, files that didn’t belong in any legitimate operation.

"Someone left the back door open," Kai muttered, decrypting another file. And it wasn’t hackers. It was VaultCore itself.

The file revealed chilling plans: selling anonymized—yet traceable—user data to private contractors. The breach wasn’t a crime. It was a smokescreen.

A faint sound broke Kai’s concentration—a creak on the stairs.

They froze, ears straining. At this hour, it should’ve been just them and the hum of their outdated laptop.

Then came the knock: sharp and deliberate.

Kai’s heart raced. They quickly inserted a USB stick, copying the files. The knock came again, harder this time.

"Kai, open up!" A man’s voice, deep and calm, like it wasn’t 2 a.m.

They shoved the laptop and USB under their bed just as the door splintered inward.

Three figures stormed in, clad in black, faces obscured by helmets. One of them grabbed Kai, forcing them into a chair.

"You’ve been busy," the leader said, pulling off their helmet. A woman, sharp-eyed and terrifyingly composed. "VaultCore doesn’t appreciate your curiosity."

Kai stayed silent, staring defiantly as the woman pulled out a tablet, swiping through lines of code.

"You’re talented," she said. "We could use someone like you. Or..." She leaned closer. "We could make you disappear."

Kai’s mind raced. The files were safe—hidden. But for how long?

"You can’t stop this," Kai said, voice steady despite the fear gripping their chest. "The truth will come out."

The woman smirked. "Truth?" She gestured to her team, who began tearing the room apart. "The truth doesn’t matter. People believe what we tell them to believe."

They didn’t find the USB.

By the time the intruders left, warning Kai to stay quiet, the house was trashed, and their laptop was gone. But the files were safe—tucked into a hidden seam in Kai’s backpack.

As dawn broke, Kai boarded a bus, heading for a journalist contact they’d found online. The fight wasn’t over.

VaultCore had resources. But Kai had the truth—and they weren’t about to let it be buried