Emily's heart was racing as she walked to the journalist's office. She had the USB drive in her bag, and she knew that she was taking a huge risk by carrying it. If anyone found out, she could be in serious trouble.
As she entered the office, Emily was greeted by the journalist, a tall, imposing man with a serious expression. "Thank you for coming," he said, his voice low. "I've been waiting for you."
Emily handed him the USB drive, and he plugged it into his computer. As the files loaded, his expression grew more and more serious.
"This is big," he said, his eyes scanning the documents and recordings. "This could bring down some of the most powerful people in the country."
Emily nodded, feeling a sense of pride and fear. She had done it. She had taken a stand against corruption and injustice.
The journalist looked up at her, his eyes serious. "You're taking a huge risk by coming forward," he said. "Do you know that?"
Emily nodded, her heart racing. "I know," she said. "But someone has to do something. And I'm willing to take the risk."
The journalist nodded, a small smile on his face. "Thank you," he said. "We'll make sure that this story gets out there. And we'll do our best to protect you."
As Emily left the office, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She had done it. She had taken the first step towards exposing the corruption ring.
But as she walked out of the building, she was confronted by a familiar face. Julian. He was standing outside, his eyes fixed on her with a mixture of anger and concern.
"Emily, what's going on?" he asked, his voice low. "I've been looking all over for you."
Emily's heart skipped a beat. She knew that she had to be careful. She couldn't let Julian suspect what she had done.
Let's keep going! Next chapter?