His hand was rock steady.

The red numbers flickered.

*00:07.*

*00:06.*

The wire touched the inner contact.

A small blue spark popped, smelling of ozone.

The red numbers froze.

*00:04.*

We all stood frozen in the damp silence of the cellar.

The only sound was the heavy breathing of four people and the dripping of water from a pipe in the corner.

“Did it hold?” Daniel asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“The loop is bypassed,” Marcus said, slowly exhaling. “For now.”

“How long?” I asked.

“It’s a temporary short,” Marcus said. “The battery will drain in ten minutes, maybe fifteen.”

“Then the countdown resumes?” I asked.

“Yes,” Marcus said. “And we won’t be able to stop it a second time.”

I stood up and walked over to Caleb.

He looked up at me, his eyes dark and empty in the faint light.

“Who told them about the vault, Caleb?” I asked.

He remained silent.

Outside the door, another heavy thud shook the stone archway.

The men on the other side were regrouping.

“We don’t have time for your silence,” I said, my voice dropping to a low, hard register.