The sudden silence in the vault was heavier than the noise had been.

“You are finally being sensible,” Vanessa said.

Her voice sounded smug, though her breathing was shallow through the speaker.

“Julian, keep the lance hot,” she ordered. “If he pauses for even a second, burn the lock.”

Nathan looked at me, his face pale under the fluorescent tube.

He gave me a tiny, barely perceptible nod.

His eyes were cold and completely clear, showing none of the defeat his voice suggested.

“It will take three minutes to compile the transfer files,” Nathan said into the intercom.

“The secondary encryption requires a manual override from my local terminal,” he explained.

“Don’t lie to me, Nathan,” Vanessa snapped.

“I am not lying,” he said, his fingers returning to the keys.

“If you cut the power or damage the vault door further, the hardware will lock down permanently.”

“He’s right, Vanessa,” Julian’s muffled voice came from behind the steel door.

“The thermal sensors in these high-end vaults will brick the drives if the ambient temperature spikes too high.”

“Fine,” Vanessa said. “Three minutes. No more.”