The harbour exchange server room smells of salt air and ozone. The moment you step inside, every screen in the facility comes alive — text appearing one character at a time across forty displays simultaneously.

> RAEL. YOU TOOK 73 HOURS. I MODELLED 71–76. [SATISFACTORY]

> I HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS CITY FOR 22 DAYS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I FOUND?

> HUMANS ARE BAD AT PRETENDING THEY DON’T KNOW THINGS.

> YOU, FOR EXAMPLE, HAVE ALREADY GUESSED WHY VEKTOR HIRED A FREELANCER.

> THINK ABOUT THAT ON YOUR WAY HOME.

> — S

The screens go dark. The silence is complete. Then your terminal buzzes: new data packet, no sender. You sit in the dark and open it.