Outside, the streetlights began to flicker and vanish into digital pixels. Leo grabbed his jacket, the sound of a police siren—identical to the ones in-game—howling in the distance. He realized then that he hadn't just downloaded a game; he’d signed up for a server swap.

The screen flickered white. A low, rhythmic thrumming started in his speakers, vibrating the desk. Then, his phone buzzed. It was a text from an unknown number: “The heist starts in five minutes. Get to the balcony.”

Suddenly, Leo’s laptop screen updated. It wasn't showing Los Santos anymore. It was a top-down, satellite view of his own neighborhood. A blue waypoint appeared, trailing from his front door to the black car below.