After she’s betrayed doing a one time mission for the government, a broke data smuggler must decode the data packet encrypted in her brain to use as a bargaining chip for her life.

I would say she took the one off job as she is broke, and the want is to get what's in her head out so can bargain it for her life and maybe a bit of cash.

The smuggler being the focus is fine that's who I would like to focus the story on

As CraigDGriffiths said. ?What is the want? ?Why has she undertaken such a dangerous and unusual assignment? ? What's in it ?for her?

And in the current version, the story seems to turn on actions of the smuggler, not the transporter. ?Working out the solution to the dramatic problem is the protagonist's job.. ?Which would seem to make the smuggler the protagonist, not the transporter.

As CraigDGriffiths said. ?What is the want? ?Why has she undertaken such a dangerous and unusual assignment? ? What's in it ?for her?

And in the current version, the story seems to turn on actions of the smuggler, not the transporter. ?Working out the solution to the dramatic problem is the protagonist's job.. ?Which would seem to make the smuggler the protagonist, not the transporter.