Present Day - Monday Afternoon
Marcus stares at his computer screen in disbelief, watching five years of research disappear line by line.
The quantum medical diagnostic algorithms he developed at Columbia, the breakthrough that could detect cancer months before traditional methods.
Someone is systematically deleting everything.
"Dr. Webb?" His graduate assistant, Jamie, appears in the doorway of his lab. "The university IT department wants to see you immediately."
"About what?"
"Something about unauthorized access to the medical research database."
Marcus's blood runs cold.
"When did this happen?"
"They're saying the breach started this morning around 8 AM. Someone with administrative credentials has been downloading proprietary research files."
The timing isn't coincidental.
8
