Chapter 7 - The Gala Heist
Damian used his remaining loyal contacts to secure invitations to the Mayor's charity gala.
The event was being held inside the grand lobby of the newly constructed Horizon Bank.
Clara was dressed in a stunning, emerald-green evening gown that Damian had procured.
Damian wore a fresh, perfectly tailored black tuxedo that hid his shoulder holster completely.
They left Walter safely guarded at a secure hotel outside the city limits.
"Remember the plan," Damian whispered as they walked up the red carpet.
"You clone the keycard from the bank manager, and I handle the vault guards."
Clara nodded, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.
They entered the glittering lobby, filled with classical music and flowing champagne.
The Mayor was standing near the center of the room, shaking hands and smiling brightly.
Preston Hale was standing right beside him, looking nervous and exhausted.
Clara grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter to steady her nerves.
She spotted the bank manager talking to a group of wealthy investors near the buffet.
She took a deep breath and walked purposefully toward him.
Clara intentionally stumbled, spilling her champagne directly onto the manager's expensive suit.
"Oh, I am so incredibly sorry!" Clara gasped, pulling a napkin from her clutch.
As she frantically dabbed at his jacket, she brushed her specialized phone against his pocket.
The device beeped silently, confirming it had successfully cloned the RFID signal of his master keycard.
"It's fine, miss, please don't worry about it," the manager grumbled, walking away toward the restrooms.
Clara met Damian near the marble staircase leading down to the private vaults.
"I have it," she whispered, slipping the phone into Damian's hand.
They descended the stairs, leaving the noise of the party behind them.
Two heavily armed guards stood in front of the massive steel vault door.
Damian didn't even slow his pace as he approached them.
He struck the first guard in the throat with a vicious, precise chop.
As the man collapsed, Damian swept the second guard's legs and knocked him unconscious with the butt of his gun.
He dragged them behind a decorative pillar and swiped the cloned digital signal.
The heavy vault door hissed open with a hydraulic groan.
They slipped inside, surrounded by walls of gleaming safe deposit boxes.
Damian used the black ledger to locate box number 404.
He picked the lock with practiced ease and pulled out a thick stack of manila folders.
"These are the original blackmail files the Mayor used to control the review committee," Damian said.
"This clears Walter completely."
Clara smiled, feeling a massive wave of relief wash over her.
But as they turned to leave, the heavy steel vault door suddenly slammed shut.
The electronic lock beeped loudly, glowing a menacing, solid red.
May you like
A speaker crackled to life in the corner of the vault ceiling.
"Did you really think it would be that easy, Vetti?" the Mayor's voice echoed through the cold room.
