Chapter 6: The Descent
Chapter 6: The Descent
The breaching attempts stopped.
Through the exterior cameras, I watched Richard Holloway’s mercenaries scramble back to their SUVs. Sirens were wailing in the distance. The flashing red and blue lights of the NYPD were approaching fast.
“They’re leaving,” Senator Hastings breathed, collapsing into a chair in sheer relief. “The police are here.”
“The police can’t get in either,” I reminded him. “Not until I lift the lockdown. And I’m not lifting it yet. We still have a tour to finish.”
I walked to the center of the gallery floor, directly over a massive mosaic of the Roman god Janus. I entered a passcode into my tablet.
With a deep mechanical grind, the center of the floor separated. A hidden hydraulic elevator, encased in thick ballistic glass, slowly rose from the subterranean levels of the museum.
The guests backed away in shock. Most of them had attended events here for decades. None of them knew this existed.
“Vance,” I said. “Bring Grant.”
Vance hauled Grant to his feet and shoved him toward the glass elevator.
“Where are we going?” Grant stammered, resisting.
“To the heart of the foundation,” I said, stepping inside the glass box. Vance threw Grant in beside me and stepped in, pressing the descent button.
The doors sealed. The elevator began to sink into the floor. I looked up at the horrified faces of the elite guests watching us disappear into the ground.
“Keep them secure,” I ordered the remaining guards through the comms.
We descended into the dark. The temperature dropped. Grant pressed his back against the glass, his eyes darting frantically.
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“What is down here, Mara?” he demanded, trying to sound brave but failing miserably.
“The one thing your father couldn't afford to lose,” I replied as the elevator clunked to a halt. The doors slid open to reveal a massive, state-of-the-art vault.
