Zuree strode briskly between lecture halls. Her mind was a tangle of thoughts, the cacophony of her recent experiences pressing against her temples. She barely noticed when Dr. Mark stepped into her path until his voice cut through her haze.
"Zuree, a moment of your time, if you don't mind?"
Startled, she stopped and turned, forcing a polite, fake smile. "Of course... Is something wrong?"
Dr. Mark's calm demeanor was oddly unsettling. He adjusted the strap of his leather bag and tilted his head slightly. "Not wrong, per se. I noticed you seemed... troubled at the charity event. That scanner can be intimidating to some."
Zuree stiffened, and the air around her suddenly became heavier. "I wouldn't say intimidating... Just new technology, right?"
Dr. Mark leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "New technology always comes with... possibilities. You'd be surprised what it can uncover."
They found themselves in an empty lecture hall, the dim lighting and echo of their footsteps amplifying the tension. Dr. Mark took a seat on the edge of a desk, casually folding his arms. Zuree remained standing, her hands clasped tightly.
"I've always been fascinated," Dr. Mark began, "by how much a single piece of data can reveal about someone. A handprint, for instance... it tells a story. Sometimes one we don't even know we're sharing."
"Why are you telling me this?" Zuree's voice was sharper now, defensive. "Is there a problem with the data from the event?"
"Oh, no problem," he replied with a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Just... observations. Let's just say some patterns stand out more than others."
Zuree's heart raced. "Patterns? What are you talking about?"
Dr. Mark let the silence stretch, his gaze steady on her. "Relax, Zuree. I'm just saying it's fascinating. You're an interesting subject... academically, of course."
The conversation left Zuree itching to leave, but as she turned to go, Dr. Mark's voice halted her.
"Sometimes, the things we want to hide are the very things that make us vulnerable," he said, his tone soft but weighted. "Be careful who you trust. Technology has a way of making secrets... public."
She froze in her tracks. "What are you trying to say?"
Dr. Mark's faint smile returned, this time with a hint of something darker. "Just a piece of advice. Take it or leave it."
---
Back in her room, Zuree locked the door and slumped against it, her legs giving way. The tears came before she could stop them, a torrent of fear and frustration spilling over.
"How does he know? Was that a threat? Does he have something to do with this?"
Her thoughts spiraled, each question more suffocating than the last. She threw herself onto her bed, gripping her pillow as if it could anchor her to reality.
"Why did I let him get to me? What am I supposed to do now?"
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table, and she lunged for it, half-expecting another coded message. But the screen was blank, save for the usual notifications. The silence was unbearable.
Hours later, Zuree sat cross-legged on the floor, staring into space as she replayed the conversation in her mind.
"Patterns... vulnerable... secrets becoming public... He knows something. He has to."
Her breathing slowed as the pieces refused to fit together.
"But why would he approach me like that? Was he warning me? Or... taunting me?"
Her phone vibrated in her hand, breaking her reverie. A message flashed across the screen from an SB-LS-YTG6CWWY:
"He's watching you. Be careful."
Zuree's breath hitched, the weight of the warning pressing down on her chest. She looked toward the window, the creeping darkness outside a reflection of the storm brewing within.