CODE OF THE HEART

toria's warning rang in her ears, mixed with the anxious buzz of texts from Maya. She

ring halls, a hand gripped her arm. Sophia spun,

said, his dark ey

m? But something in his steady st

eed to go back to NeuroL

iness. "I have a car

parking garage. As they neared a sleek black Tesla,

n, but Alex raised

shadows - Ethan and Victoria, i

one would get hur

d. "Don't be naïve, little

s involved? The betrayal ached de

eded, Alex looked to Sophia. "

gine buzzing to life. As they drove out

you? It's awful.

phia told her. "Wha

o hit us. Our defenses were worthless. They've got ever

urched. "Have they

g more. Some of the stolen info - it's

phia's spine. What t

lot, stopping the engine. "Okay,

on fighting with desperatio

Reeves and CortexTech for months. And I believe your firm

of corporate espionage, stolen research, and a race to control the

oria inserted phony da

it. If the data is exposed, it seems like NeuroLin

t how did they get in? We

on-dollar question. You have a mole, S

them. Ethan. But Sophia couldn't

he said, hating how li

ut first, we need to protect your legitimate data and segregate

d before nodding. She had

s phone rang with a fresh message. Her br

. Alone. It's no

button. But curiosity won out. She wro

arrived. Sophia steeled herself, putting

tack. But this is what we've trained for. Maya, separate our main features. Chen, st

ophia brought Alex to her private

et, Alex's fingers racing over the keyboard as he built a

stuck her head in. "Soph? There are some folks

watch. The test. Sh

pushed Maya. "I'

"Be careful what you show them.

tening her shoulders.

eager faces as she arrived. Soph

hank you for your pat

ng the investors and protecting NeuroLink's secrets. She could s

"Fascinating stuff, Ms. Chen. But I'm curious - how does your c

nized the guy - a well-known tech w

earch," Sophia deflected deftly. "But I can assure

y that several of your algorithms have a remarkable similarity to

ophia felt the investors' intereste

hen her phone rang. A reply fro

t raced. What

grin. "A tiny technical concern needs my attention. M

to her office. But as she turned the

ha

teadying her. "Thank good

his touch. "I have no

"Please, just hear me out

lped your sister steal our research? How y

Ethan insisted. "I was

ly. "Protect me? By

nderstand. V

gh. She rushed by him, ru

fter her. "There's something

the handle. She turned s

derous alarm cut him short. Red emergency

The computers - they're overheating. The cooling syst

rds. Their computers. Their study. Their future

tween the need to demand answers and t

ptop in hand. "I've got it!" he cried over the warning. "I'

her past and a prospective future. Both of

ould influence not only the destiny of NeuroL

onds crept past, Sophia took a d

know, the ultim