He stood up, grabbing his phone to use as a flashlight again.

He walked over to the main electrical panel near the back door and pulled the metal cover open.

“What are you doing?” I asked, following him.

“Checking the emergency generator links,” he said. “Every commercial building in this district has a diesel backup for the sump pumps.”

He shone the light on the heavy copper switches behind the gray metal door.

“It is locked,” I said. “The building manager has the key.”

Derek reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, silver multi-tool.

He slid the thin pliers into the padlock keyway and began to twist.

“You learned how to bypass locks in business school?” I asked.

“I learned it during my summer internship at the warehouse in Oakland,” he said, not looking back. “The manager was always losing the keys to the forklift.”

The padlock clicked open with a sharp metallic snap.

He pulled the lock free and swung the heavy switch downward.

Deep in the basement of the building, a large engine coughed, sputtered, and roared to life.