Maya didn’t have seven days. She remembered the woman at baggage claim mentioning third-party unlocking services. A quick search showed a kiosk in Terminal 5: “Unlock Any Phone – $30.”

She drove home watching the Chicago skyline rise through the window, her phone—free at last—glowing with directions.

He connected the phone to his laptop, ran a piece of software, and— ping —a message appeared: “SIM unlock successful.”

The woman nodded knowingly. “Ah. Carrier lock. You’ve got two choices: ask nicely or pay someone to crack it.”

“You okay?” asked a woman wrestling a giant suitcase nearby.