The crunch of the drive was a tiny sound that carried the weight of a death sentence. For a heartbeat, the world seemed to hold its breath. The high-definition hum of the tablet in the man's hand was the only thing anchorning them to reality, but even that felt distant as the impeccably dressed man the man who had just claimed to be "on time" finally lost his composure.
The mask of authority didn't just slip; it shattered.
"You fool," the man hissed, his voice dropping an octave, losing its melodic calm and gaining a jagged, predatory edge. "Do you have any idea what you've just unleashed? That drive wasn't just leverage. It was the seal. Without it, there is no order. There is only a vacuum."
