Twice Burned, Twice Desired

uth only has one. And I was about

-

stepped out of the black car, heels cli

behind me. Only a few lights dotted the pier. Most of the area had bee

secre

hrived off NDA whispers and protected patents. But now?

ive tighter in my coat

yptic voicemail about stolen te

ne re

one des

needed to know

en in shadows. As I approached, I saw a flick of a lighter and t

when I was close enough

angers," I said col

tur

eath

t under the hood. His eyes, sharp and gold

remember me

ave time f

his coat a file. Thick an

"Cyber-division. Data compliance. Quiet

wh

developed five years ag

iffe

thm that could optimize supply chains in real-time. It was th

onglomerate in Dubai for ten times what it was worth. I saw

oat we

ued. "Emails. Internal memos.

give it t

esit

ppeared in the last two months. One of them was my friend. You

udie

slightly as he p

ies of patent transfer agreements. A document

ked, s

n't bl

me?" I as

n any of us," he replied.

spoke. The wind picked up, r

lly said. "I'm leaving town to

odd

ou," I w

turned, disappearing int

te, gripping the file like a w

-

the file had been scanned, digitized

computer scree

nature, every transfer of my

le of it all st

. Isabelle Mor

ldn't

coul

life with greedy fingers, and n

dn't just

t

to bleed

they thought was

ke it

i a short

morning. We have

at mattered now an untouched envelope with the last remaining orig

ht they'd er

just enough of

-

p in my office, coffee in one

said, noting the dark

nt lawsuits filed in every country Ve

aised. "That's

kholders nervous. I want reporters curious.

. "Calculated ch

cly relaunch ARIA under my maiden name. A

l spook

Let the

fee down. "Wha

rt cle

his name out

starts sinking," I said, staring

hen he

my shoulder, v

et him

-

phone

the screen.

?" I

the phone

message.

u have. We need

the betrayer wante