The avatar was a stock photo of a woman in a headset. Leo typed his requirements. 2,000 words. APA format. Counter-arguments included. The price was eighty dollars—four shifts at the diner. He hit "Pay Now" with a shaking hand.

Leo opened a fresh document. He didn’t have a Ph.D. writer’s vocabulary. He didn’t have the energy for perfect APA formatting. But he had a voice. He started typing about the danger of outsourcing thought to machines, his fingers flying, fueled by the eighty dollars he’d just burned.

The search results were a digital bazaar of desperation. Promising "Ph.D. writers" and "100% Plagiarism Free," the sites looked polished but felt cold. He clicked the first link. A chat box popped up instantly. "Hi, I’m Sarah! Need a hand with your assignment?"