That night was different, so quiet. It was like everything in the world stopped moving. Layla sat cross-legged in the corner of the room, the only sound that accompanied her was an old fan that made a 'tick-tick' sound every two seconds. She held the small silver USB — it looked like a cheap thing, but for some reason she felt different.
She herself didn't expect it. Dad's dusty clothes box was supposed to only store rags and old clothes. But just now, in the pocket of the most worn jacket, this thing was tucked in — small, but enough to keep his heart from stopping fast.
"Irfan is sleeping... don't involve him," Layla said slowly, as if trying to convince herself while swallowing a heavy breath.
She slowly got up, reached for her dad's laptop that hadn't been touched in years. The side screen was cracked, even the hinges seemed to be waiting for the right moment to come off. But when she pressed on — the 'beep' sound... painful. Like the voice of a ghost from the past.
Plugged in the USB. For a moment... Nothing. Then — a folder appeared.
AZRA PROJECT - PRIVATE
Her finger stopped on the touchpad. Over and over. As if another hand was blocking it. But finally she clicked. The folder opened.
PDF files, text documents, and a voice recording called: If anything happens.
She opened the recording first. Her breathing became heavier.
> "Layla…"
Father's voice. Weak. Intermittent.
"If you hear this, that means… I'm gone. I'm sorry, father. I had to keep all this a secret for so long."
Layla was silent. Tears slowly trickled down, falling onto the laptop's trackpad.
> "Azra Project… it's not just a system. It's a weapon. It recreates information — changes what people believe. Changes reality. Kamal… he used my name. But it was all his doing. I was just a puppet. And now he's trying to get rid of the evidence."
The recording stopped for a moment. The sound of heavy breathing. As if father was racing against time.
> "If Aidan is looking for you… don't keep believing. He's not what he used to be."
Click. End.
Layla was stunned. Aidan? A name she never thought she would hear from her father. The young man was always in the news, supposedly a 'tech hero' who wanted to change the world. But… if her father didn't believe him, what did it all mean?
She opened one file after another. Money transcripts — large sums, transferred to overseas accounts. Fake company names. But Layla noticed — there was one name that kept repeating: "NeoCore Dynamics". Next to it, Kamal's name. And… Aidan's name too.
Her hands were shaking.
Layla got up, opened an old drawer. She took out a small notebook. Wrote down all the names, all the numbers, every important piece of information. She couldn't expect the laptop to last long. She couldn't expect anyone to believe her later.
Another file her father had left behind — Azra's system plan. The codes were complicated, but Layla wasn't an empty child. She had studied on her own, watching videos for years. And now, all that training will be put to the test.
She has to make a decision.
Run? Turn it all over to the police? But what if the police have been bribed?
Or… fight it out herself?
Layla looked at Irfan's sleeping face. Still small, still not understanding anything. But one day, she will understand. She will know that her sister did not run. Not submit.
Layla held the USB again.
"If I don't do it, who will?"
And for the first time
since their father died, Layla knew what she had to do.