I closed my eyes, searching my memory for the code I had seen the maintenance crew use last month.

“Zero, four, nine, two,” I said. “Write that down, Koko.”

“Got it,” she said. “But what do I do once I’m inside?”

“The blue network switch on the rack has a manual override port,” I said. “Plug your tablet directly into it. If you can get past the local firewall, you can pull the raw hardware logs for the executive wing’s elevator.”

“Okay,” Koko said, her voice shaking slightly. “I’m leaving my desk now. I’ve got my tablet in my bag.”

“Be careful,” I said, stepping closer to the concrete wall to block out the noise of an incoming train. “If Victoria or Julian see you near that sector, they’ll fire you on the spot.”

“I’ll tell them I’m retrieving some organic chemistry samples for the afternoon test,” Koko said.

I heard the sound of a heavy door creaking open through the receiver.

The background noise on her end changed to the familiar, low hum of the laboratory’s ventilation system.