Chapter 7 - The Five-Year Deadline
We packed the original testament, the toxicological evidence, and the decrypted hard drives into my duffle bag. Arthur Cole handed me a set of certified diplomatic credentials that would grant us immediate access to the federal building after hours.
"Judge Marcus Vance, your father's second cousin, is waiting in chambers on the twenty-second floor," Arthur said, gripping my hand firmly. "He has already convened a secret emergency grand jury to receive the evidence."
As we prepared to leave the vault, the facility's master security alarm began shrieking in ear-piercing, rhythmic bursts. The surveillance monitors on the wall flickered, displaying three armored tactical vans breaching the underground parking gate with high-velocity battering rams.
"Victoria tracked the transponder in the sedan's engine block!" Zachary shouted, drawing his sidearm and racking the slide. "She mobilized her entire executive security team to seal the subterranean exits!"
Arthur grabbed an emergency override key from beneath his desk, pointing toward a narrow reinforced iron hatch behind the safe deposit lockers. "This maintenance tunnel leads directly into the municipal storm drainage system beneath Michigan Avenue!"
"You're coming with us, Arthur!" I insisted, pulling on his arm as the sounds of industrial torches cutting through the main blast door echoed down the hallway.
"I am an old man, Sienna; I will only slow you down on those wet ladders," Arthur said with a serene, fearless smile. "I will lock the blast doors from the inside and trigger the halon fire-suppression gas to delay them."
"Arthur, no, that will trap you in here!" I cried, tears spilling over my eyelashes.
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"Your father gave his life to protect this truth, child; let me finish my duty to his name," Arthur replied, firmly shoving Zachary and me into the dark mouth of the maintenance tunnel. He slammed the heavy steel hatch shut, turning the locking wheel until the heavy bolts engaged with a resounding thud.
Zachary pulled me through the narrow, concrete passage as the muffled explosions of breaching charges shook the foundations of the building behind us. We climbed down the rusted iron rungs into the rushing, icy waters of the underground storm tunnels, racing against the unforgiving clock ticking toward midnight.
