“The signature on the flight manifest is someone we never suspected,” he said.

At that moment, the elevator doors at the end of the hall opened with a quiet chime.

A man in a dark overcoat stepped out, holding a manila envelope.

He looked down the corridor, locked eyes with me, and began to walk quickly in my direction.

“He is heading for the runway now,” Marcus whispered through the receiver.

I lowered my phone but did not hang up.

The man in the dark overcoat stopped a few feet away from me.

I recognized him then.

It was Arthur Pendelton, the senior software architect who had worked beside Claire for ten years.

His face was pale, and his hands trembled as he held the manila envelope out to me.

“She left me behind, Elena,” Arthur said, his voice shaking.

“Who left you?” I asked.

“Vanessa,” he said.

He looked down at his leather shoes, which were stained with melting snow.

“She took the physical drives from the server room,” Arthur said.

“But you had the digital decryption keys,” I said.

He nodded slowly.