Marco got out first, scanning the empty street.

He opened the gate with a code he had obtained earlier.

Luke helped me out of the car, shielding me with his body as we walked through the wet gravel.

My boots crunched softly on the stones.

We walked down the long, narrow alley between the metal buildings.

Unit 412 was near the far end.

The metal door was painted a fading blue, chipped and rusted at the edges.

A heavy brass padlock held the latch closed.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small brass key.

My fingers were numb from the cold.

Luke took the key from my hand.

“Let me do it,” he said.

He slid the key into the lock.

It fit perfectly.

With a stiff twist, the lock clicked open.

Luke pulled the padlock free and handed it to Marco.

He gripped the metal handle at the bottom of the door and hauled it upward.

The door screeched loudly as it rolled into the ceiling.

Inside, the air was thick with the smell of old cardboard, dust, and damp concrete.