Leo thought of the student’s thesis: “Metaphors in Post-Industrial Poetry.” He clicked Yes.

The internet was useless. Most results led to dead Russian forum links, Chinese Baidu pages that demanded a local phone number for access, or YouTube tutorials with loud electronic music and mouse cursors hovering over download buttons that led to ad-infested file hosts. One site asked him to complete a survey about his “experience with tractor insurance.”

A green progress bar crept forward. 10%... 40%... 70%... At 99%, the tool froze. Leo’s heart stopped. Then Windows made the USB disconnect sound. And immediately, the reconnect sound.