passageway

Chapter 13 - The Retinal Seal

Julian gave a nearly imperceptible nod toward the water. He knew they were there.

Clara looked down at the phone. The screen displayed a single command: FINAL UPLOAD: RETINAL CONFIRMATION REQUIRED TO RELEASE ENCRYPTED EVIDENCE TO FEDERAL SERVERS.

The phone needed Julian's eye. Or Clara's.

Julian had registered his daughters as secondary biometric custodians when the vault was established. Clara remembered the strange light that had scanned her eyes in Julian’s study months ago, when he told her it was just a vision test for school.

"I need to get within six feet," Clara whispered, her body trembling. "The front camera needs my eyes."

Lily looked at the heavy crane controls mounted on a pedestal ten paces from their crate. Beside the console was the emergency floodlight switch for the shipping lane. "I'll make them look away," Lily said, her voice dropping the fear that had held her all day.

May you like

Before Clara could stop her, Lily bolted from the shadow of the crates toward the floodlight controls. She pulled down the master breaker with both hands. A blinding, multi-million-lumen industrial flash erupted, washing Berth Nine in pure, white luminescence, disorienting everyone on the pier.

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