Chapter 6 - The Vault
Dominic dropped the burner phone, his mind racing through a dozen impossible scenarios.
He was officially excommunicated, making him a dead man walking in the very city he used to rule.
Clara grabbed his arm firmly, forcing him to look directly into her determined eyes.
She said the only way to clear his name was to retrieve her father's ledger immediately.
Dominic asked urgently where Arthur had hidden the explosive physical evidence.
Clara revealed it was locked inside a highly secure private deposit box at the Manhattan Global Bank.
Dominic carefully patched up Clara’s leg with medical supplies he found in a dusty old first-aid kit.
He hotwired a battered sedan parked in the factory alley, and they drove quickly toward the financial district.
The sun was just beginning to rise, casting long, dramatic shadows over the awakening city.
Dominic used his old administrative security clearances to bypass the bank's external guards before the morning shift change.
They slipped quietly into the subterranean vault area, their weapons drawn and completely ready for an ambush.
Clara used her father's master key card to unlock the massive, heavy steel gate.
They walked cautiously down the silent rows of metal boxes until they reached number 404.
Clara inserted the unique brass key and turned it with a heavy, satisfying click.
Dominic pulled the long metal drawer out and placed it gently on the viewing table.
He opened the lid eagerly, expecting to see a thick leather-bound financial ledger.
The metal box was completely empty except for a small, blinking digital timer.
The bright red numbers on the display ticked down to exactly three seconds.
May you like
Vincent had perfectly anticipated their desperate move.
Dominic grabbed Clara by the waist and threw her bodily out of the vault room just as the numbers hit zero.
