The success of the Citizen Oversight Committee's audit boosts public trust in the GTA, but Arcadia's influence only deepens. Zane intercepts encrypted messages revealing Arcadia's next move: they've developed a powerful algorithm capable of manipulating Vigil's core systems, aiming to exploit Vigil's open-source nature to inject malicious code. If successful, Arcadia would control Vigil undetected.
Nyla and Zane urgently discuss options with General Aria. Zane proposes a preemptive counter-algorithm that would neutralize Arcadia's attempts before they could take root. But doing so would require them to shut down Vigil temporarily, a risky move that could spark panic and give Arcadia an opportunity to spread disinformation.
With heavy hearts, the team agrees to proceed. Nyla knows it's a calculated risk, but transparency must be maintained—even at the cost of temporary vulnerability. They publicly announce the shutdown, explaining the need to "fortify Vigil against external threats."