Chapter 13: The Echoes in the Dark
The absolute, suffocating darkness inside the subterranean corridor was absolute, broken only by the faint, dying glow of the emergency panel's battery indicator. Claire stood frozen with her hand still resting on the heavy brass key, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. The mechanical click that had echoed from inside the sealed vault didn't sound like a latch releasing—it sounded like the cocking of a hidden safety mechanism.
From the other side of the thick steel door, Mark’s voice drifted out, muffled slightly by the reinforced alloy but dripping with cold, mocking amusement.
"Did you really think it would be that easy, Claire?" Mark’s voice sneered through the reinforced seams of the vault. "You always underestimated the depth of the safety nets I built into this operation. That override key didn't open the door—it just armed the digital countdown on the primary hard drives upstairs."
Agent Miller flicked on a tactical flashlight, its sharp white beam cutting through the gloom and illuminating the dust motes dancing in the damp air. He drew his service weapon once more, keeping his eyes fixed on the keypad.
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"He's stalling," Miller whispered sharply, stepping close to Claire. "He doesn't have a detonator i
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