Shadows of Truth

Seojin stared at the USB drive in her hand, its weight feeling heavier than it should. The notebook lay open on the table, its scrawled pages filled with damning information that could topple the entire syndicate. Yet, she felt no relief—only a gnawing sense of foreboding.

"We can't keep this here," she said, breaking the tense silence. "If they find us, they'll destroy everything—and us."

Jiwon nodded, pacing the room. "I have a contact. Someone who specializes in digital forensics. They can copy the files and ensure they're safe."

Seojin frowned. "And can this contact be trusted?"

Jiwon hesitated for a fraction of a second before replying, "Yes. But we need to move fast. The syndicate won't stop hunting us."

Seojin didn't like relying on someone outside her circle, but she knew Jiwon was right. The evidence was too important to lose.

---

The meeting place was a nondescript coffee shop in a quiet part of the city. Jiwon led the way, his demeanor calm but alert. Seojin followed closely, her hand resting near her concealed weapon.

Inside, a young woman with sharp eyes and a confident air sat at a corner table. Her laptop was open, and her fingers danced across the keyboard as she worked.

"Seojin, meet Eunmi," Jiwon said. "She's the best hacker I know."

Eunmi looked up, her gaze assessing. "So, you're the one dragging Jiwon into this mess. I hope you know what you're doing."

"I could say the same to you," Seojin replied, her tone cool. "Can you help us or not?"

Eunmi smirked. "Depends. What am I dealing with?"

Jiwon handed her the USB drive. "Everything on the Lee syndicate. We need backups, encryption, and an offsite storage solution. Can you do it?"

Eunmi's eyes widened as she plugged the drive into her laptop. "Wow. This is… bigger than I expected. Give me a few hours. But if the syndicate finds out I'm involved, you owe me big."

"Deal," Jiwon said without hesitation.

---

As Eunmi worked, Seojin and Jiwon sat at a nearby table, their nerves on edge. Seojin's gaze darted to the door every few seconds, her instincts screaming that they weren't safe.

"You trust her?" Seojin asked quietly.

Jiwon nodded. "She's not just a hacker. She has her own reasons for hating the syndicate."

Seojin raised an eyebrow. "Personal vendetta?"

"Something like that," Jiwon replied, his tone evasive.

Before Seojin could press further, Eunmi called out, "All done!"

They hurried back to her table as Eunmi handed them two identical USB drives. "These are encrypted copies. I've also uploaded everything to a secure cloud server with multiple layers of protection. Even if they destroy these, the data won't be lost."

"And the originals?" Seojin asked.

"Still on your drive," Eunmi said. "But be careful. Anyone with access to this data has a target on their back."

---

The trio left the coffee shop, each heading in different directions to avoid being followed. Seojin and Jiwon made their way to her car, their pace brisk.

But as they approached the vehicle, a black sedan screeched to a halt in front of them. Four men stepped out, their expressions cold and menacing.

"Hand over the drive," one of them demanded, his voice low and threatening.

Seojin drew her gun in an instant, her stance steady. "Not happening."

Jiwon stepped beside her, his jaw clenched. "We're not giving you anything."

The tension was palpable, the air crackling with unspoken threats. One of the men lunged forward, but Seojin was faster. Her shot hit his leg, sending him crumpling to the ground.

Chaos erupted. The remaining men attacked, their movements swift and coordinated. Seojin fought with precision, her training evident in every move. Jiwon held his own, using his quick thinking and agility to evade their strikes.

It was a brutal fight, but Seojin and Jiwon managed to overpower their attackers. The men fled, one of them limping from his injury, but Seojin knew it wasn't over.

"They'll send more," Jiwon said, breathing heavily. "We need to disappear."

Seojin nodded, already planning their next move. "We need to go off the grid. And we need allies—people who can fight back."

---

**End of Chapter 8**

---

**Sneak Peek for Chapter 9:**

Seojin and Jiwon reach out to a retired detective who has a vendetta against the Lee syndicate. But can they trust him? And what happens when the syndicate ups the ante, putting innocent lives at stake?