Chapter 7 - The Hostage
The air inside the vault was already growing noticeably stale and warm.
Laura sat on the floor, trying to conserve her breathing.
Mike was frantically using his pocket knife to unscrew the metal panel covering the electronic lock.
"If I can cross the correct wires, I might be able to short-circuit the magnetic seal," Mike explained.
"If you cross the wrong wires, you trigger the permanent lockdown," Laura warned.
"We are already in permanent lockdown," Mike argued grimly.
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed through the bank lobby outside.
Laura stood up and pressed her face against the thick glass window.
She could hardly believe what she was seeing.
Elena was marching into the bank lobby, holding a heavy shotgun pointed at Vincent's chest.
She had left the safehouse to come save them.
"Open the vault, Vincent!" Elena screamed, her hands shaking violently.
Vincent slowly raised his hands, a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"You don't have the guts to pull that trigger, Elena," Vincent mocked.
"You are a coward, just like your father was."
Elena tightened her grip on the weapon, tears streaming down her face.
Before she could pull the trigger, the man with the snake tattoo stepped out from the shadows.
He struck Elena in the back of the knees with a heavy baton.
She collapsed to the floor with a scream, dropping the shotgun out of reach.
Vincent picked up the weapon and aimed it directly at Elena's head.
"This is perfect," Vincent laughed, picking up the vault intercom microphone.
"Detective Harlan, you have exactly ten seconds to open that door from the inside."
"If you don't surrender the ledger, I will execute her right in front of you."
Laura looked at Mike in sheer panic.
"He doesn't know we are trapped," Laura realized.
"He thinks we locked ourselves in to protect the evidence."
Mike frantically began pulling wires from the electronic panel.
"Five seconds!" Vincent yelled through the speaker.
Mike touched a red wire to a exposed copper terminal.
A shower of bright blue sparks erupted from the wall panel.
The heavy locking mechanisms groaned loudly, and the magnetic seal disengaged.
Mike kicked the heavy steel door open with all of his strength.
He burst out of the vault with his revolver raised.
"Drop it, Vincent!" Mike roared.
The tattooed man fired his pistol instantly, striking Mike in the right shoulder.
Mike fell backward onto the marble floor, dropping his weapon.
Vincent aimed his shotgun directly at Laura as she stepped out of the vault.
"Hand over the book, Laura, or you all die right now," Vincent demanded.
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Laura held the black ledger tightly against her chest.
She realized they were entirely out of options.
