Chapter 6
The Contract Behind the Outrage
Halcyon Civic paid for outrage in the same weeks it scored Verity's bid.
Mei mapped invoices to procurement meetings. Omar preserved distribution timing. Aria tied the watermark sequence to source access. The harassment campaign was not reputation warfare beside the contract; it was part of the contract strategy.
Jonah prepared a live investigation, then disclosed what his archive contained. Lila's stolen original remained on his encrypted server from the old report.
"Delete it," Lila said.
"A preservation order covers the archive. I can seal access and surrender custody, but deletion now could destroy evidence."
"You always find a professional word for keeping what is mine."
Jonah transferred control to an independent lawyer and removed himself as custodian. The decision cost his exclusive and left Aria without immediate broadcast proof.
Petra requested immunity through Jonah's source channel. She offered render logs naming Halcyon and Gavin.
"Logs can be fabricated," Aria said.
"Then ask Dean for the camera card," Petra replied. "He sold it twice."
The call ended. Jonah's newsroom access alarm activated.
Someone had entered the sealed archive using his credentials.