Layla arrived at Donovan Enterprises the next morning with a deep sense of unease. Ethan's words echoed in her mind: The USB drive needs to be planted today.
As she stepped through the grand glass doors of the skyscraper, the weight of her decision felt heavier than ever. Every interaction, every glance from her coworkers seemed magnified, and paranoia lurked at the edges of her thoughts.
She tightened her grip on her bag, feeling the outline of the USB drive hidden in a small inner pocket. Today, everything had to go perfectly. There was no room for error.
---
The Opportunity
Mid-morning, Aiden summoned her to his office for a project update. It was a routine meeting, but Layla knew it presented her best chance to access the secure network.
As she entered, Aiden gestured for her to sit, his demeanor calm but calculating.
"Layla," he began, "I've been reviewing your recent work on Project Vanguard, and I have to say, I'm impressed. You've managed to stay ahead of schedule, even with all the complications we've faced."
"Thank you," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "I've been putting in extra hours to ensure everything runs smoothly."
"That's exactly what I need in someone at your level," Aiden said, leaning back in his chair. "Which is why I'm giving you temporary clearance to access the private server. There are some documents I need reviewed and updated, and I trust you to handle them discreetly."
Layla's heart nearly stopped. Clearance to the private server? She hadn't expected the opportunity to come so easily—or so dangerously. She quickly masked her surprise, nodding professionally.
"Of course," she said. "I'll handle it immediately."
Aiden handed her a small keycard. "This will grant you access to the secure room. The documents are already queued up for review."
"Understood," she replied, standing. "I'll get started right away."
As she left his office, Layla felt a mix of triumph and dread. The keycard was her ticket to completing Ethan's plan, but it also meant she was venturing deeper into enemy territory than she'd anticipated.
---
The Secure Room
The secure room was located on the 42nd floor, a level restricted to only a handful of employees. Layla swiped the keycard and entered, her palms slick with sweat.
The room was minimalist and cold, dominated by rows of sleek computers and blinking servers. She found the terminal assigned to her and sat down, taking a moment to steady her breathing.
The USB drive felt like a lead weight in her pocket. With a quick glance around to confirm she was alone, she inserted it into the terminal's port.
The software launched instantly, a small, unassuming window appearing on the screen. Ethan's instructions were clear: don't touch anything. Let the program run, and it would handle the rest.
Layla stared at the progress bar, each percentage feeling like an eternity. Every sound outside the door made her flinch, her paranoia mounting.
---
The Unexpected Visitor
Just as the program hit 80%, the door opened. Layla froze, her heart pounding as footsteps approached.
"Layla," said a familiar voice.
She turned to see Emily, one of her coworkers, standing in the doorway.
"Oh, I didn't know anyone else would be in here," Emily said, stepping closer.
Layla forced a smile. "Aiden assigned me some documents to review. What about you?"
"Same," Emily replied, sitting at a nearby terminal.
Layla's mind raced. The program was still running, but Emily's presence complicated everything. If Emily noticed anything unusual, it could ruin the entire plan.
"So," Emily began, breaking the silence, "I've been hearing some rumors about Vanguard. Something about a new acquisition?"
Layla seized the opportunity to distract her. "Oh, yeah. Aiden's been hinting at it, but he hasn't shared many details yet. You know how he is—always keeping things close to the chest."
Emily nodded, rolling her eyes. "Typical. It's like he enjoys making us guess."
Layla kept the conversation going, her tone light and casual, all the while glancing at the progress bar out of the corner of her eye.
---
The Close Call
When the program hit 100%, the window disappeared without a trace, and Layla quickly ejected the USB drive. She slipped it back into her pocket just as Emily turned toward her.
"Done already?" Emily asked.
"Almost," Layla replied, logging out of the terminal. "Just need to finish a couple of things back at my desk."
"Well, good luck," Emily said, turning back to her own work.
"You too," Layla replied, heading for the door.
As she stepped out of the secure room, relief flooded her. The hardest part was over—at least for now.
---
The Fallout Begins
That evening, Layla met Ethan in a quiet parking garage to hand over the USB drive.
"Everything went smoothly," she said, though her voice betrayed her lingering tension.
"Good," Ethan replied, taking the drive. "I'll start analyzing the data tonight. If there's anything incriminating, we'll have it soon."
Layla nodded, but her nerves didn't abate. "Ethan, I was almost caught. Emily walked in while the program was running. What if she noticed something?"
"She didn't," Ethan said confidently. "And even if she did, there's no way she'd trace it back to us."
Layla wanted to believe him, but the nagging feeling in her gut wouldn't go away.
---
Aiden Strikes
The next morning, Aiden received a notification from his IT department.
"Sir," the head of security said, "we detected an unusual data transfer on the secure network last night. It was subtle, but not invisible."
Aiden's expression darkened. "Who was in the secure room at the time?"
"Only two employees logged in: Layla Carter and Emily Harris."
Aiden's jaw tightened. "Focus your investigation on Layla. Discreetly. I want to know everything she's been up to."
"Yes, sir."
As the call ended, Aiden leaned back in his chair, a cold smile forming on his lips.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Layla," he murmured. "And I always win."