Page 359 of Scars of Fate

“He didn’t bypass the containment cycle.”

Lucas moved closer.

“Then what did he do?”

“He damaged the pressure-control manifold. The inner chamber will lose its airtight seal in thirty minutes.”

“And the portable unit?” Adam asked.

“Once the pressure equalizes, anything released inside that chamber can enter the rest of the bank.”

Minser smiled from the second video window.

“You have thirty minutes.”

Our aircraft remained nearly three hours away.

“We can’t reach Geneva in time,” I said.

“You don’t need to.”

Minser’s gaze shifted toward the secure terminal inside our jet.

Toward the one-use duplicate key still connected to Fate.

“Complete the biometric confirmation. Give me control of Meridian, and I’ll order my man to stop.”

Lucas stepped in front of the screen.

“And if we refuse?”

Minser nodded toward the damaged pressure system.

“Then everyone inside Banque Laurent dies first.”

The camera shifted.

Through the transparent inner partition, Elise held Camille against her chest.

Neither woman could hear us.

Neither knew the seal protecting them had begun to fail.

The clock continued counting down.

00:29:41.

00:29:40.

00:29:39.

Lucas looked toward the Fate terminal.

FATE CUSTODIANS IDENTIFIED.

LUCAS SPENCER.

WYNN SPENCER.