The progress bar had been at ninety percent when I pulled the flash drive.

“There are no copies, Victoria,” I said, bluffing.

“If you damage those papers, you won’t have the exact ratios for the synthesis.”

Victoria stopped, her hand resting on the black door handle.

She turned her head to look at me.

“Is that so?” she asked.

She looked at Marcus.

“Search her bag.”

“No,” I said, pulling my canvas tote bag closer to my hip.

Marcus reached out and yanked the strap off my shoulder.

The canvas ripped slightly.

He dumped the contents of my bag onto the hood of my car.

My keys, my wallet, a pack of mints, and my phone spilled across the metal.

He swiped the items aside until he found my black USB drive.

He picked it up and held it in the light.

“Is this it?” Victoria asked.

Marcus nodded once.

“It looks like a backup drive,” he said.

“Good,” Victoria said.

“Take her phone too.”

Marcus grabbed my smartphone from the hood.

I reached for it, but he pushed me back with a heavy hand against my shoulder.