Chapter 6 - The Tunnels Under the Estate
The air grew colder and smelled of earth and rot the deeper I descended into the tunnel system.
Cobwebs clung to my hair and dress, but I didn't dare slow down or make a sound.
I finally reached the iron grate that separated the tunnels from the underground foundation of the greenhouse.
Arthur and Sofía were already there, using a pair of heavy bolt cutters to silently snap the old padlock.
Sofía hugged me tightly, whispering a quick word of thanks for successfully creating the diversion.
We pushed the grate aside and stepped into the dimly lit, sterile white hallway that led to the vault.
Two armed guards stood at the far end of the corridor, oblivious to our presence.
Arthur pulled a small, compressed gas canister from his jacket and rolled it smoothly down the sleek floor.
It hissed loudly as a thick, white cloud of sleep-inducing gas quickly filled the space around the guards.
They collapsed heavily to the floor, their weapons clattering loudly against the tiles.
We rushed forward, stepping over their unconscious bodies to reach the massive steel door of the vault.
A glowing red retinal scanner sat next to an imposing, state-of-the-art keypad.
"Give me the pieda," Sofía whispered, holding out her trembling hand.
I pulled the silver handle from my pocket and placed it firmly into her palm.
May you like
She inserted the bent end of the silver handle into a tiny, almost invisible slot beneath the keypad.
With a sickening, metallic crunch, the primary locking mechanism disengaged.
