Chapter 7 - The Race Against the Clock
The red numbers on the explosive timer counted down with terrifying speed.
Two minutes and forty-five seconds remained until the entire underground vault collapsed.
Vanessa struggled against the handcuffs, screaming at Officer Davis through the thick glass.
She realized her corrupt allies were perfectly happy to bury her along with me to tie up loose ends.
I ignored her panicked shouting and focused entirely on the bomb.
My federal training included basic explosive ordnance disposal, but this device was highly complex.
It was wired into the main electrical grid of the bank vault to prevent tampering.
I pulled a multi-tool from my belt and carefully unscrewed the metal casing of the detonator.
Vanessa sobbed uncontrollably, begging me to save her life.
I told her to shut up and tell me which wire disabled the primary receiver.
She swore she didn't know because the syndicate bomb-maker had designed it to be tamper-proof.
One minute and thirty seconds left.
I closely examined the blue and yellow wires connecting the power source to the explosive compound.
I remembered a crucial detail from a counter-terrorism seminar I had taken years ago.
Syndicate bombs often used decoy wires that instantly triggered the blast if cut.
I traced the wires back to a secondary circuit board hidden beneath the main display.
I found a thin green wire buried deep inside the casing.
Forty-five seconds left.
My hands were covered in sweat, making it difficult to grip the small pliers.
I took a deep breath, steadying my racing heart.
I snipped the green wire exactly as the timer reached ten seconds.
The blinking red lights immediately went dark.
The high-pitched whining sound of the detonator completely stopped.
I let out a massive sigh of relief and leaned back against the cold concrete wall.
Vanessa stared at the deactivated bomb in absolute shock.
Before we could celebrate our survival, the vault door began to hiss and slowly swing open.
I raised my weapon, expecting Officer Davis to finish the job himself.
Instead, a heavily armed tactical team stormed into the vault with their laser sights aimed directly at us.
The men were wearing unmarked black uniforms with no identifying insignias.
They grabbed me, disarmed me, and forced me to my knees next to Vanessa.
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A tall man in a tailored suit walked slowly into the vault.
It was the syndicate boss, and he looked incredibly disappointed in Vanessa.
