382: Breaches and Betrayals

The air inside the research institute was thick with tension, a reflection of the serious allegations floating around. Emma and Bauer entered cautiously, their presence momentarily silencing the heated arguments. Emma surveyed the room, her expression betraying none of her thoughts but her eyes sharp, missing nothing. The gathered employees shifted uncomfortably, the guilt—or perhaps fear—evident in their hesitant glances. "Explain," Emma's voice cut through the tension, calm yet commanding enough to refocus everyone's attention. An engineer, obviously nervous, stepped forward, clearing his throat before speaking. "We found him," he pointed at a colleague, "trying to access confidential files. And not just access—there were photos taken, photos that we believe were intended for Alex’s team." The accused, a middle-aged man with a look of defiance, shot back, "My actions were misunderstood. I photographed the documents to work on them at home, not to hand them over to Alex or anyone