Chapter 29 - Descent into the Vault
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The entrance to the subterranean bunker was hidden behind a massive iron door inside the cathedral's lower crypt, concealed behind an ancient marble sarcophagus.
Madison moved through the shadows of the crypt like a ghost. Her suppressed pistol was raised, her eyes scanning every corner. Two mercenaries in gray winter camo were standing guard by the iron door, speaking softly in French.
Pfft. Pfft.
Two silent rounds echoed through the stone chamber. Both guards collapsed to the cold floor without making a sound.
Arthur moved up quickly, dragging the bodies into the shadow of an altar while Madison examined the electronic keypad beside the iron door.
The keypad had four distinct key slots arranged in a circle around a central biometric scanner.
"This is it," Arthur whispered, taking the triangular brass key from his pocket and sliding it into the top slot. "Key two is set."
Ethan stepped forward, carrying his carbon-fiber drone. He reached into the central housing of the drone, pulled out a small, custom-built micro-circuit board, and slotted it into the bottom left keyway. A soft blue light flashed across the console.
"Key three accepted," the digital lock voice chimed softly in English.
"Now for the first key," Madison said, pulling a heavy silver memory module from her tactical pouch—the drive she had recovered from Richard Sterling's safe during the Chicago raid six months ago. She inserted it into the right slot.
A deep mechanical thud echoed through the crypt floor. The heavy iron door began to unlock, its massive locking pins retracting one by one.
"Three keys down," Madison said, her eyes narrowing. "Where is the fourth key?"
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"The fourth key isn't a drive, Maddie," a voice called out from the darkness behind them.
Madison spun around, her weapon raised instantly.
