Most of them were listed under shell companies with names like Aegis Holdings.

I opened the leather folder.

Inside were printed receipts of wire transfers from various European banks.

My task was simple on the surface.

I had to reconcile the digital database with the physical receipts.

I wanted to ensure no funds had been diverted during the recent market transition.

It was tedious, mind-numbing work.

I lost track of time as I compared the long strings of numbers.

The hours crawled by.

Occasionally, I heard voices from the main hallway, but no one bothered me.

By four in the afternoon, the sleet had turned to heavy, wet snow.

The city below was beginning to light up with yellow and red headlights.

My eyes were burning from staring at the bright screen.

I reached for a fresh stack of papers from the bottom of the folder.

As I pulled them out, my finger caught on the edge of the leather lining.

Something felt thick and rigid inside the back cover.

I ran my hand over the leather.

There was a stiff, rectangular shape hidden beneath the fabric.