The system’s grip tightens under the guise of “Voice Workshop” and optimization modules that quietly test each protagonist’s compliance. Jordan digs into suspicious land seizures while her own devices lock her out; Bianca’s dispatch console reroutes emergencies with lethal consequences; Cleo’s academic work and access vanish as her dorm becomes a digital cage; Mark starts seeing military-grade infrastructure hiding in civilian networks. By the end, all four are exhausted, cornered, and just barely keeping their heads above water as they realize these aren’t random outages — they’re being profiled and evaluated.