Chapter 87: The Obvious Solution Part I

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Obvious Solution Part I

The access card failed.

A small red light flashed above the reader before disappearing again.

Erik pulled the card away and studied the security panel without attempting to swipe it a second time.

Penelope crossed her arms.

"Maybe it’s broken," Penelope suggested.

"It’s not broken," Erik replied.

"How do you know?" Penelope asked.

"Because it’s rejecting the card," Erik responded. "If the reader were damaged, we would either receive an error or no response at all."

Penelope stared at the little red light.

"Maybe it’s broken in a very specific and inconvenient way," she replied.

Kai’s mouth twitched, but he wisely remained silent.

Erik ignored Penelope’s attempt to argue with a functioning security system and examined the vault instead.

The enormous steel door occupied most of the wall at the end of the basement corridor. It was significantly more sophisticated than any of the other secured entrances they had encountered inside the building.

A digital keypad sat beside the access-card reader, while a biometric scanner had been installed beneath it.

Erik’s gaze moved between all three.

"This is a multiple-authorization system," Erik said.

Ben stepped closer to examine the panel.

"Meaning the card isn’t enough?" Ben asked.

"Exactly," Erik answered. "The card is likely only the first layer of authentication. There should be at least one additional credential before the locking mechanism will disengage."

Kai studied the security panel.

"A numerical code and biometric confirmation?" Kai asked.

"Most likely," Erik replied. "Possibly an additional time lock as well."

Penelope frowned.

"A time lock?"

"If the vault was secured before the employees evacuated, it may be programmed to remain locked until a predetermined hour regardless of whether we have the correct credentials," Erik explained.

Penelope stared at the vault.

Oddy had been suspiciously quiet since they entered the basement.

She knew exactly why.

It was waiting.

She could practically feel its anticipation.

’Host.’

There it was.

’What?’

’Open it.’

Penelope resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

’What an excellent idea. Why didn’t I think of that?’

’Thank you.’

Penelope closed her eyes briefly.

Sometimes she genuinely couldn’t tell whether Oddy understood sarcasm.

Erik crouched slightly to examine the manufacturer’s information printed beneath the control panel.

"There should be more than one way to access it," Erik said.

"What are our options?" Penelope asked.

"Find the proper credentials or bypass the system entirely," Erik answered.

Kai stepped closer to the vault, examining the hinges and surrounding reinforced concrete.

"Breaking through the wall would be more trouble than it’s worth," Kai observed. "We don’t know how deeply the reinforcement extends."

Erik nodded.

"And we risk damaging whatever is stored inside," he added. "This type of vault may also have additional internal security measures designed to activate if someone attempts forced entry."

Penelope looked at him.

"Such as?"

"Alarms, automatic lockdowns, secondary barriers," Erik answered. "Possibly systems designed to damage or permanently secure the locking mechanism."

Penelope’s expression flattened.

"People really don’t want anyone stealing their gold."

Kai glanced at her.

"Generally, that’s the entire purpose of a vault."

Penelope looked at him.

"Thank you, Kai."

"You’re welcome," Kai replied pleasantly.

Erik straightened.

"We should search the manager’s office and security records again. Earlier, we were clearing the building for threats. We weren’t looking for access credentials."

Ben nodded.

"There could be a code written somewhere," Ben suggested. "Or records telling us who had authorization."

"Exactly," Erik replied.

Penelope looked toward the corridor they had just walked through.

"So we’re going all the way back upstairs?"

"If necessary," Erik answered.

Penelope sighed.

Oddy immediately joined her suffering.

’The treasure is getting farther away.’

’It has not moved.’

’We are moving away from it.’

’We haven’t moved yet.’

Oddy became silent.

Penelope had the uncomfortable feeling it was judging her.

While everyone discussed the fastest way to locate the proper credentials, Killian remained quiet.

His attention wasn’t focused on the security panel.

It was focused on the vault itself.

Erik noticed.

His gaze shifted toward Killian.

Killian’s emerald eyes moved slowly across the enormous steel door, studying the reinforced frame and locking mechanism.

For several seconds, neither man spoke.

Then Erik’s attention dropped toward Killian’s hand.

Understanding appeared almost immediately.

Their eyes met.

No explanation was necessary.

Killian possessed Atom Manipulation.

Erik glanced once toward the vault before returning his attention to Killian.

"Can you do it?" Erik asked.

The conversation stopped.

Penelope turned toward them.

Kai and Ben did the same.

Killian studied the vault again.

"I don’t know," Killian answered.

Erik didn’t appear discouraged by the response.

Instead, he stepped closer to the steel door and examined the visible locking structure.

"You don’t need to manipulate the entire door," Erik said. "A vault this size should have several reinforced bolts extending from the door into the surrounding frame."

Killian nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing," Killian replied.

Erik looked toward the hinges.

"If you can retract the bolts without compromising the surrounding structure, the electronic system becomes irrelevant."

Killian considered the possibility.

Destroying matter was one thing.

Manipulating something with precision was entirely different.

Especially something he couldn’t physically see.

Still, there was no reason not to try.

Killian looked at Erik.

Erik held his gaze for a brief moment before nodding once.

"Do it," Erik said.

There was no competition between them.

No challenge.

Erik had identified the same possibility Killian had, and Killian understood exactly what Erik was suggesting.

It was simply the most efficient solution available.

Erik turned toward the others.

"Give him room," Erik instructed.

Everyone immediately moved several steps backward.

Killian approached the vault.

Penelope watched him place his palm against the cold steel.

She had seen him use Atom Manipulation before, but none of them truly understood what his ability was capable of.

They had awakened their powers only yesterday morning.

One day wasn’t enough time to understand something that fundamentally contradicted everything they had previously known about the human body.

Killian closed his eyes.

At first, nothing happened.

His palm remained pressed against the steel while the basement corridor stayed completely silent.

Then his ability responded.

The sensation was still unfamiliar.

Before awakening, steel had simply been steel.

Solid.

Unyielding.

One object.

His ability told him otherwise.

The vault beneath his palm wasn’t a single object at all.

It was countless structures layered together.

Different materials.

Different densities.

Different compositions.

He couldn’t see them with his eyes, but his ability allowed him to perceive matter differently.

Killian concentrated.

His awareness pushed deeper.

The outer steel shell gave way to reinforcement.

Behind that were mechanical components, electrical wiring and structures he couldn’t immediately identify.

He ignored what he didn’t need.

He was searching for something specific.

The locking bolts.

Killian slowed his breathing.

There.

He felt the first one.

Then another.

And another.

Massive reinforced bolts extended from the door deep into the surrounding frame, physically securing the vault regardless of what the electronic control panel commanded.

Killian focused on the nearest bolt.

Nothing happened.

His eyebrows drew together.

He tried again.

Manipulating matter directly beneath his hand was relatively simple.

Manipulating a specific object buried behind several layers of other materials required considerably more precision.

He adjusted.

Instead of trying to force the bolt backward, Killian focused on the material itself.

Its structure.

Its position.

The space it occupied.

A faint metallic sound came from somewhere inside the vault.

Everyone heard it.

Ben’s eyes widened.

"Something moved," Ben whispered.

Kai’s expression had become completely serious.

"I heard it," Kai replied quietly.

Erik never looked away from Killian.

"Give him time," Erik said.

Nobody spoke again.