I needed a clean, swift cut.

If the blade dragged, it might snag the adjacent red wire.

“Adrian, don’t,” Caleb whispered.

“There is a secondary trigger.”

“I know about the secondary trigger, Caleb,” I said.

“You helped them install it, but you forgot who designed the junction box.”

I looked at the receiver in the second man’s hand.

The blue light was connected to a local radio frequency.

It was designed to override the manual timer if they needed to detonate it early.

“Marcus is already in the eastern tunnel,” I said, bluffing to gain a second.

“He has the jammer.”

The mercenary with the receiver glanced toward the dark corridor behind him.

That split second of distraction was all I needed.

I put my thumb against the back of the knife blade.

I pushed down with all my strength.

The blue wire severed with a sharp snap.

A spark leapt from the cut copper, stinging my index finger.

The red numbers on the timer instantly froze.

*01:12.*

The hum of the battery died.

The cellar fell into a heavy, suffocating silence.