Chapter 9
Live in Six Minutes
Aria did not try to delete the queued video.
Removing one file would leave the network, payment chain, and next render intact. Omar froze distribution evidence while allowing one controlled copy to reach the hearing monitor under counsel supervision.
Mei prepared a statement refusing to authenticate private footage in public. Lila recorded the same boundary from experience. Jonah opened the live slot but placed Aria's evidence order on the control desk.
The upload token belonged to Aria. Its request came from Dean's camera-card reader inside Verity security.
"Gavin wants the attribution to survive even if the clip fails," Aria said.
Dean surrendered the reader logs. Petra matched the transaction identifier to Gavin's executive approval.
At one minute, the network began posting captions.
At thirty seconds, Omar switched the hearing monitor to the controlled copy.
At zero, Mei's face appeared accepting an envelope.
Then the video spoke in Aria's voice.
"I built the system," it said.