Chapter 6 - The Oxygen Clock
Arthur explained that the vault was rapidly venting its limited oxygen supply.
He gave us exactly ten minutes to surrender the microchip before we suffocated to death.
I yelled into the security camera that he was a coward for hiding in the shadows.
He simply laughed and noted that business always requires difficult sacrifices.
Daniel frantically searched the walls for a manual release lever but found absolutely nothing.
Annie sat down on the cold floor and connected the microchip to her laptop.
She explained that she could theoretically use the override codes to open the vault door.
The problem was that the vault network was completely isolated from any wireless signals.
She needed a physical connection to the electronic locking mechanism on the other side of the room.
Daniel offered to boost her up to the ceiling where the main wiring harness was located.
He lifted her carefully onto his shoulders while she unscrewed the metal ceiling panel.
She spliced a long copper wire directly into the exposed circuitry of the locking mechanism.
She connected the other end of the wire into the USB port of her laptop.
The computer screen flashed bright red as the vault's defensive software attacked her interface.
She typed with blistering speed to counter the aggressive firewall programs.
I watched her work and admired her incredible focus under such terrifying pressure.
The digital clock on her screen showed that we only had three minutes of oxygen remaining.
My lungs began to burn and my vision blurred slightly at the edges.
Daniel dropped to one knee as the thin air finally took its toll on his massive frame.
Annie gasped for breath but refused to stop typing the complex decryption sequences.
She successfully bypassed the final firewall and initiated the manual override command.
The heavy steel door hissed loudly and swung open to reveal the dark tunnel.
We stumbled out into the hallway and gasped desperately for the fresh cool air.
Arthur cursed loudly over the intercom and ordered his men to breach the basement.
We could hear the heavy boots of the mercenaries rushing down the concrete stairs.
Annie quickly disconnected her laptop and shoved the microchip into my jacket pocket.
She pointed toward a narrow ventilation shaft that led directly to the surface.
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Before we could reach the shaft the hallway was flooded with blinding tactical lights.
Victoria stepped out from behind the mercenaries holding a high powered shotgun.
