Chapter 19 - The Vault of Three Keys
Everyone ran.
The countdown continued.
18:41... 18:40...
The tunnel opened into the underground level beneath Warehouse 19.
Gunfire echoed ahead.
Concrete dust filled the air.
When Marta reached the entrance, she stopped.
The warehouse floor had split apart.
A massive circular shaft stretched below.
Ancient metal rings rotated around its edge.
None of them looked like modern engineering.
Henrik stared in disbelief.
"This wasn't built in the last century."
Victor answered,
"No."
"It wasn't."
At the center of the shaft stood Doctor Vale.
The crystal floated above a pedestal, surrounded by pale blue light.
Adrian was fighting Meridian guards across the platform.
Anton knelt beside a damaged control console, trying to restart something.
Robert looked upward.
Three triangular locks surrounded the crystal.
Each lock glowed a different color.
Blue.
Red.
Gold.
Marta slowly held up her key.
The blue lock responded immediately.
Mira's red key began glowing inside her pocket.
Everyone turned.
She had followed them.
Silently.
Only one lock remained dark.
Gold.
Doctor Vale smiled.
"The family reunion is complete."
He looked toward the darkness behind Marta.
"You may come out now."
Footsteps echoed.
The golden-eyed girl emerged once more.
She walked directly toward Vale.
Not as a prisoner.
Not as an enemy.
As someone who had done this many times before.
She placed the third key into his hand.
Robert whispered,
"She's working with him."
The girl looked back at Marta.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"I don't have a choice."
Before anyone could stop her...
She inserted the golden key into the final lock.
All three locks turned at once.
The crystal rose higher.
The entire underground complex shook violently.
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Far below the shaft...
Something enormous opened its eyes.
