Red alerts flashed across the room.
Screens lighting up—one after another.
Meher turned slowly.
Data everywhere.
Maps appeared.
Different countries marked.
Connections linking them.
"This…" she whispered.
"…is everywhere."
Elena nodded.
"Publishing. Media. Content platforms."
Pause.
"Everything you read… can be controlled."
Meher's eyes widened.
"This isn't just about writers…"
"It's about influence," Elena said.
A screen zoomed in.
Profiles. Decisions. Rankings.
"They decide who gets seen… and who disappears."
Meher clenched her fists.
"This is bigger than I thought."
Elena looked at her seriously.
"You've only seen one layer."
Another screen flashed—
Live feeds.
People working.
Hidden offices across the world.
Meher stepped back slightly.
"How do you even fight something like this?"
Elena didn't answer immediately.
Then she said—
"You don't fight it directly."
Pause.
"You break it from inside."
Silence.
Suddenly—
A loud beep.
"INTRUDER DETECTED."
Meher's heart skipped.
Elena looked at the screen.
"They've locked your access."
Doors in the corridor began to seal.
"Move," Elena said quickly.
"Where?" Meher asked.
Elena grabbed her hand—
"To the core."
Lights dimmed.
Security activated.
Somewhere far away—
Aarav's phone buzzed.
Message:
"She's inside. And they know."
His expression changed instantly.
"This just got worse," he said.
Back inside—
Meher ran through the corridor.
Because now—
She wasn't just exploring the system.
She was inside its heart.