Alex opened the file. Instead of the familiar EA Sports logo, a command prompt window sprinted through lines of red code. His wallpaper turned pitch black. Suddenly, his webcam’s small green light clicked on, staring at him like an unblinking eye.
For a college student living on instant noodles, the seventy-dollar price tag of the official game felt like a mountain he couldn't climb. He just wanted to lead Leeds United to a Champions League title. The download button, a garish shade of lime green, seemed to pulse with promise. He clicked. Alex opened the file
His heart hammered against his ribs. He tried to shut down the computer, but the power button was unresponsive. On his phone, a notification chimed—a suspicious login attempt for his email from a location halfway across the globe. Suddenly, his webcam’s small green light clicked on,