The third floor of the university library was empty at 8 PM, just the buzz of the lights over empty study tables. I found Sam in the far corner, bent over a laptop, her face pale in the screen’s glow.
“Maya.” She looked up as I came closer, her eyes flicking around nervously. “Thank God you came. I wasn’t sure you’d trust me after everything.”
“What did you find that was too dangerous to tell me on the phone?”
Sam pulled out a flash drive, her hands shaking a little. “I’ve been watching the university’s admin system since we last talked. After your interview, there’s been… a lot of activity.”
She plugged in the drive and opened a folder labeled "COLLINS,INVESTIGATION." My stomach dropped at seeing my name as a file header.
"Maya, they've been building a case against you for weeks. No
