y, I sold myself

ata and laundered money, and the authorities were closing in. I was the

ose family was the first, and bigges

ream about living in together. Now it was just cold glass and

e black desk, not looki

id, her voice flat, without a trace

d

er I say it. In return, I will secure your family. I will erase their

a whisper. My freedom for their future

up, and her eyes we

r service

office. She led me down a sterile white hallway to a door with no handle on the

t i

the floor and ceiling, and the only light came from the blinking green and amber

ut behind me. The sound echoed in the tight spac

amed in protest. Before I could react, her other hand, balled into a fist, slammed into

rced my head up, making me look at h

," she hissed, and kne

against a server rack. The m

pped me across the face. My head snapped to the side, and the taste of bloo

d up at her, dizzy and confused. Blood dripped from my lip onto the pristine white floor.

me. She never spoke. The silence was worse than the beating. I spent the time huddled on the floor, the constant hum o

in and threw a tablet at my

one," s

ected. It was about my family. Their new, fabricated digital identities had been systematically dismantled. Their offshore accounts, the on

ounding in my chest. Tears wel

aring at my throat. "You promise

ent, I saw a flicker of something in her eyes, something that

cold as the chill

ctive cyber-crimes, my family wouldn't hav

ep closer, lo

al footprint intact? To let the people

e dried blood on my chin. My sacrifice meant no

ear whisper, a sound more terrifying than he

, her face inc

ou will repay f

ck collar from her pocket. It looked like something for an ani

ared in her hand. S

every muscle locking in agony. I screamed, a raw, ragged soun