The light caught the edge of Yasmin’s car parked near the entrance, then moved toward the crates.

“Let’s make this easy,” Vale said, his footsteps getting louder.

“Just hand over the files.”

“We can still resolve this quietly.”

“If you cooperate, Mark is willing to overlook this little detour.”

“But if you don’t…”

He let the sentence hang in the air, the threat clear.

I reached into my pocket and felt my phone, my fingers cold and clumsy.

I pulled it out, keeping the screen pressed against my chest to hide the light.

I needed to text Ana.

I needed to tell her Vale was here.

I managed to open the message app, my thumb shaking.

I typed: *Warehouse on 4th. Vale is here. Urgent.*

I hit send.

The little loading bar appeared at the top of the screen.

It spun.

And spun.

*No Signal.*

I stared at the screen in disbelief.

The thick metal walls of the warehouse were blocking the cellular service.

I looked up from the screen.

The flashlight beam was only twenty feet away now, illuminating the swirling dust in the damp air.