Round 30

The room's atmosphere shifted subtly as the countdown hit thirty seconds remaining, the air crackling with barely-contained energy that made Halie's skin prickle uncomfortably. She watched as Silra stumbled toward the door clutching the data chip, only for Jeane to intercept her with fluid grace that belied the tension in her crimson eyes.

"Wait," Jeane said, her voice low and urgent as she gently took the chip from Silra's hand. "We need to get this information to someone who can help us understand what we've just uncovered." She turned to Halie then, who was still standing with her holy symbol at the ready, the paladin's expression a mix of growing unease and barely suppressed anger.

Halie stepped forward, her holy symbol still glowing softly but held loosely now that immediate danger seemed averted. "I can try," she said, her voice calm despite the lingering tension in the room. "But I'm not exactly an expert hacker like Silra here." She glanced at the rogue with grudging respect before turning back to Jeane. "And even if I could send the data, we'd need a secure channel that wouldn't alert whoever set up this surveillance system in the first place."

The paladin's eyes narrowed as she continued, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Besides, after what we just saw... after what they did to you..." Halie trailed off, unable to finish the sentence but her meaning clear—she wasn't about to let anyone exploit Jeane like that again if she could help it.

Jeane's crimson eyes flickered between Halie and Silra, considering their advice. The room's energy still felt wrong, charged with an anticipation that made her skin prickle. We need to get clear first—that much is certain. But this data... She held up the chip, examining it with both hunger and suspicion. If whoever set this trap has ways of tracking us or corrupting our tech, we might be playing right into their hands by trying to send it now.

She turned to Silra then, her expression showing both concern and calculation. We need to know what's on this thing before we decide how to use it. And that means finding somewhere safe first—somewhere off the grid where we can examine it properly without worrying about digital eyes watching our every move.