For a moment—
No one spoke.
The word data lingered in the air like something alive.
Watching.
Waiting.
Emily's mind raced.
Files.
Systems.
Late nights staring at screens.
Encrypted folders she never fully understood.
"I don't have anything," she said finally.
Her voice steady—
But not certain.
The woman didn't argue.
Didn't raise her voice.
She just said—
"You might not know that you do."
That was worse.
Daniel stepped in again.
Enough of this.
"She said she doesn't have it," he said firmly.
The woman's eyes flicked to him.
"And you believe that?"
Daniel didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
A small silence followed.
Then the woman sighed.
"That's going to make this more complicated."
Emily's chest tightened.
"Complicated how?" she asked.
The woman tilted her head slightly.
"Because if you don't give it willingly…"
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't have to.
Inside—
Noah stirred again.
This time waking up.
He sat up slowly.
Looking around.
"Mom?"
No answer.
He slid off the couch.
Walking toward the door.
Outside—
Emily's voice sharpened.
"You don't get to threaten us."
The woman's expression stayed calm.
"I'm not threatening you."
A pause.
"I'm explaining the situation."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Then explain faster."
The woman looked between them.
"Someone higher up believes that a backup file was taken the day you left," she said to Emily.
Emily shook her head immediately.
"I didn't take anything."
The woman stepped closer.
"Maybe not intentionally. But systems like that don't make mistakes."
Emily's mind flashed again—
That last day.
The rush.
The panic.
Copying files.
Deleting traces.
Her breath caught.
"No…" she whispered.
Daniel noticed immediately.
"What?" he asked.
Emily looked at him.
"I… I accessed something before I left," she admitted.
The woman's eyes sharpened.
"There it is."
Daniel frowned.
"What kind of access?"
Emily's voice dropped.
"I downloaded files to review them… I thought I deleted everything after."
Silence.
Heavy.
"Thought?" Daniel repeated.
Emily's eyes filled with uncertainty.
"I wasn't thinking clearly… I just wanted to get out."
The woman nodded slowly.
"And that's when mistakes happen."
Inside—
Noah reached the door.
He hesitated.
Then slowly—
He opened it a little.
Outside—
Daniel ran a hand through his hair.
"Okay," he said, thinking out loud now.
"So there's a chance something is still out there."
Emily nodded slowly.
"But I don't know where," she said.
The woman crossed her arms.
"That's your problem to solve."
Daniel looked at her sharply.
"No. That's our problem now."
Emily turned to him.
"You don't have to do this," she said.
Daniel didn't even look at her.
"Yes, I do."
A small voice cut through everything—
"Mom?"
All three of them froze.
Emily turned instantly.
"Noah—"
He stood at the door.
Half outside.
Half inside.
Looking at all of them.
Confused.
Worried.
"Why are you all outside?" he asked.
Emily moved toward him quickly.
"Hey… it's okay," she said gently.
But Noah didn't move.
His eyes shifted to the woman.
"Who is she?"
The woman looked at him.
Something unreadable passing through her expression.
Daniel stepped forward immediately.
Blocking that line of sight.
"Hey," he said softly to Noah.
"Go back inside, okay?"
Noah frowned.
"But—"
"Please," Daniel added.
Something in his voice—
Firm.
Protective.
Noah hesitated.
Then nodded slowly.
He stepped back inside.
Closing the door again.
The moment he disappeared—
Everything snapped back.
More urgent now.
More real.
Emily turned to the woman.
"This ends now," she said.
The woman raised an eyebrow.
"Not until I get what I came for."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Then you're not getting it today."
The woman studied him carefully.
"You've changed," she said.
Daniel didn't respond.
Because maybe he had.
A long silence followed.
Then—
The woman stepped back.
"Fine," she said.
Emily frowned slightly.
"Fine?" she repeated.
The woman nodded.
"You get time."
Daniel's expression didn't relax.
"How much?"
The woman smiled faintly.
"Not enough."
She turned.
Walking away slowly.
Then stopped.
Without turning back—
She said—
"If I were you… I'd find that file before someone else does."
And then—
She left.
Silence fell again.
But this time—
It wasn't just tension.
It was a countdown.
Emily leaned against the wall.
Her breathing uneven.
Daniel looked at her.
"We need to find it," he said.
Emily nodded slowly.
"I don't even know where to start."
Daniel glanced at the door.
Then back at her.
"Then we start with what you remember."
Inside—
Noah picked up his drawing again.
Looking at it quietly.
Three figures.
Close together.
He held it tighter.
As if somehow—
That could keep them that way.
Outside—
The past had returned.
The present was unraveling.
And the future—
Was now a race against time.
Because whatever that file was—
It wasn't just data.
It was danger.
And they had just been given a deadline—
Without knowing when it would end.