Chapter 8
The corporate tower loomed above them, a monolith of reflective glass and steel that seemed to touch the clouds. The main entrance was guarded by private security personnel in sharp charcoal uniforms, checking digital badges at the turnstiles.
Thanks to Kwanβs insider knowledge, they bypassed the front lobby entirely. Around the back, through the underground loading bay where delivery trucks unloaded office supplies after dark, was a service elevator that bypassed the primary biometric security grid.
Kwan, wearing a high-vis vest over his jacket, flashed a forged delivery manifest to the bored dock worker on duty. The worker barely glanced up from his tablet, waving them through with a lazy flick of the wrist. Leo and Mei pushed a heavy rolling cart loaded with empty cardboard boxes straight into the freight elevator, their hearts hammering against their ribs.
The elevator doors slid shut, the heavy metal box vibrating as it began its rapid ascent toward the thirty-second floor. The digital floor display ticked upward: 12... 18... 24...
"If anyone is in the executive hallway, we claim weβre dropping off the late-night supply order for the board meeting," Mei whispered, adjusting the collar of her green jumpsuit. Her face was pale under the harsh fluorescent lights of the cab, but her voice remained steady.
"Just follow my lead," Leo replied, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
The elevator came to a gentle halt with a soft chime. The doors opened to reveal a dimly lit corridor paved with plush dark carpet and lined with expensive abstract art. The executive floor was deathly quiet, the offices deserted save for a lone night-shift janitor vacuuming the far end of the hallway with a quiet, industrial unit.
They pushed the cart past the rows of mahogany doors until they reached Chenβs corner office. The heavy oak door was locked with a digital keypad.
"Kwan gave us the master override sequence, but we only have one shot before it triggers the silent alarm," Leo said, stepping up to the keypad. He punched in the eight-digit code Kwan had memorized from watching Chen enter it week after week.
The small LED screen flashed from red to a soft, approving green. With a soft click, the magnetic lock disengaged.
They slipped inside the office quickly, pulling the door shut behind them. The room smelled of expensive leather, aged bourbon, and polished wood. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the glittering panorama of the city skyline spread out beneath them like a sea of distant stars.
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Leo went straight to the large executive desk, kneeling down to locate the hidden wall safe behind the heavy wood-paneled baseboard. Mei stood by the door, listening intently for any sound from the hallway. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.
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