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I shook his hand automatically. "Nice to meet you.”

"Code called me in early. Said we had a situation that needed two sets of eyes." Hart moved to one of the other computers and logged in. "I'm going to start tracing the command-and-control server while Code focuses on identifying all the surveillance targets."

"How many targets do you think there are?" I asked.

Hart glanced at Code. Some unspoken communication passed between them.

"Hard to say," Hart said carefully. "Could be just the ones we've identified. Could be more."

"Tell me straight. No sugarcoating."

Code leaned back against the table. "Based on the data collection patterns? I'd estimate at least six to eight people were captured on camera with varying degrees of exposure. Some brief, some extensive. We need to analyze all the footage to be certain."

Six to eight people.

Six to eight lives I'd potentially destroyed by leaving my laptop unguarded in a hotel room.

"I need to warn them."

"No." The word came from three voices simultaneously.

I turned to find Jase standing in the doorway with Simon and Roan behind him. When had they arrived? How much had they heard?

"Why not?" I stood up. "If someone's planning to destroy their lives, they deserve to know."

"Because we can't be sure who's been targeted." Simon moved into the room. His gray eyes were sharp, assessing. Military commander mode. "If we warn the wrong person, then we tip off the blackmailer that we're onto them."

"We don't even know if creating deepfakes of multiple people is the plan." Roan crossed his arms. "This could still be focused entirely on you."

"But it might not be." I looked at each of them. "You just said six to eight people were captured. That's six to eight potential victims."

"Who might never be targeted at all," Jase said. "Kit, I understand you're scared. But we can't warn people about a threat that might not exist. We'd cause panic for no reason."

"So I'm supposed to just watch and wait while they build cases against my friends?" My hands curled into fists. "That's bullshit and you know it."

"We don’t just wait, we investigate," Code said quietly. "We find out who's behind this and stop them before they can target anyone else."

"And if we're too late?"

No one answered.

Jase moved closer. His expression softened. "Maybe we're looking at this from the wrong angle. Instead of focusing on potential victims, what if we figure out why someone wants you to quit this movie?"

All eyes turned to me.

I blinked. "What?"

"Someone went to enormous effort to create that deepfake," Jase continued. "Military-grade technology, months of surveillance, custom malware. That's not random. There's a reason they specifically targeted you and specifically demanded you withdraw from this film."

"I have no idea why." I shook my head. "It's a period drama about a war that happened seventy-five years ago. Nothing controversial about it."

"What happens if you quit?" Simon asked.

I thought about it. Really thought about it. “The producers were having a tough time getting financial backing before Marcus and I signed on. If I back out, it’s possible it will be on hold for a while until they find someone else with comparable name recognition."

"Would they?" Roan leaned against the doorframe. "Or would they cancel the project entirely?"

I thought about it. The studio had been hesitant to greenlight Passing Through Jordan in the first place. Historical dramas were risky. They needed stars to make them viable. Marcus and I were the draw, our chemistry on screen, our names on the poster.