Chronicles Of A Fallen Angel-Chapter 52: Into The Vault

Elena spread the counter-wards across the planning table like a surgeon laying out instruments.

"These will get you past the detection spells," she said, pointing to small crystals that pulsed with faint light. "Place them at these points – " she indicated locations on the schematic " – and they'll create a dead zone. The wards won't see you."

"For how long?" I asked.

"Fifteen minutes. After that, the crystals burn out and the detection spells reactivate."

"Fifteen minutes to get in, crack the vault, and get out." Sarah shook her head. "That's tight."

"It's what we have." Marco pulled up the guard rotation schedules Tommy had compiled. "Mercier doubled security after last night. He knows someone's coming for him."

"Does he know it's us?" Viktor asked.

"Not yet. But he's suspicious of everyone." Tommy brought up surveillance feeds. "I can loop the cameras for ten minutes, maybe twelve. After that, they'll notice the glitch."

"So we have a ten-minute window inside a fifteen-minute ward window." I studied the layout. "What's the guard count?"

"Eight vampires on rotation, plus twelve human thralls on the grounds." Tommy highlighted their positions. "But here's the problem – after last night, two of those vampires are staying inside the vault room itself."

"Inside the room?" Sarah frowned. "That's not standard."

"Mercier's paranoid. He thinks someone's coming for whatever's in that vault." Marco looked at me. "Which means you'll have to go through them."

"Two vampires, enclosed space, limited time." Viktor grunted. "You'll need to be fast and quiet."

"I can be fast." I looked at the equipment laid out. "What am I working with?"

Sarah gestured to the weapons cache. "Silver blades, wooden stakes, UV grenades – courtesy of Elena's workshop. But if you use the grenades, the whole building will know you're there."

"Then I don't use them unless I have to."

"We go tonight," Marco said. "Midnight insertion, everyone's on comms, Viktor and I are on extraction standby two blocks away. Questions?"

"Yeah," Sarah said. "Why isn't this a two-person job? Cain shouldn't go in alone."

"Because if something goes wrong, I need someone who can fight their way out. That's you." Marco met her eyes. "You're backup. If Cain gets in trouble, you breach and extract him."

"I don't like it."

"Noted. But that's the play." Marco turned to me. "You good with this?"

I looked at the vault layout. The guards. The wards. The impossible timeline.

"I'm good."

---

Midnight came cold and clear.

I stood in the shadows across from Mercier's townhouse, dressed in black tactical gear, the counter-ward crystals secured in a vest pocket. My earpiece crackled to life.

"Comms check," Tommy's voice.

"Check," I replied quietly.

"Sarah?"

"Check."

"Viktor and Marco?"

"Check."

"Good. Cain, cameras are looping in thirty seconds. That's your window to approach."

I watched the guards patrol the perimeter. Two thralls, both armed, both looking nervous after last night's incident.

"Looping in three... two... one... now."

I moved.

Fast. Silent. Crossing the street in seconds.

The wall was eight feet of old brick. I scaled it easily, my enhanced strength making short work of the climb. Dropped into the garden on the other side.

Landed in a crouch.

Listened.

Nothing.

"First crystal location is ten feet north," Elena's voice. "Near the rose bushes."

I moved through the garden, found the spot, pressed the crystal into the soil. It pulsed once, then settled into a steady glow invisible to normal sight.

"One down," I whispered.

"Four more. Next one is at the east wall."

I worked quickly, placing each crystal with precision. The detection wards flickered and died, creating a dead zone around the building's perimeter.

"All crystals placed. You've got your fifteen minutes." Elena's tone was tense. "Timer starts now."

I approached the building's service entrance. Tommy had unlocked it remotely, but I still tested the door carefully before opening it.

Inside was dark. Silent.

I pulled night-vision goggles down over my eyes. The world turned green.

The service corridor led to a stairwell. I needed to get to the fourth floor without triggering any alarms or encountering guards.

"Guard patrol on second floor," Tommy warned. "Two thralls, armed with automatic weapons."

I took the stairs two at a time. Quiet. Controlled.

Reached the second-floor landing and paused.

Voices. Coming closer.

I pressed against the wall, hand on the silver blade at my hip.

Two thralls rounded the corner.

They didn't see me until I moved.

The first one went down with my hand over his mouth and the blade across his throat. Quick. Quiet. He slumped.

The second one got his gun up.

I knocked it aside.

Drove my knee into his stomach.

He doubled over and I caught him in a chokehold. Squeezed.

He struggled.

Went limp.

I lowered him quietly to the floor.

"Clear," I whispered.

"Third floor has vampire guards," Tommy said. "Two of them, patrolling the hallway outside the vault room."

"I know."

I continued up. The third floor was more opulent than the lower levels – expensive carpet, art on the walls, the trappings of vampire wealth.

And two guards at the end of the hall.

Both vampires. Young ones, maybe fifty years old. Fast and strong, but not experienced.

I could take them. But not quietly.

"Tommy, can you create a distraction?"

"What kind?"

"Noise. Somewhere on the first floor."

"Give me ten seconds."

I waited in the stairwell. Watched the guards.

A loud crash echoed from below. Glass breaking. Alarms blaring.

The guards looked at each other.

"Go check it," one said.

"Both of us?"

"It might be them. The ones from last night."

They moved toward the stairs. Fast. Urgent.

I pressed back into the shadows as they passed.

Waited until they were gone.

Then I moved to the vault room door.

It was reinforced steel. Warded. And locked with both mechanical and magical security.

"Elena, I'm at the vault door."

"Placing the bypass now."

I pulled out a small device she'd prepared – a ward breaker that would temporarily disrupt the magical locks. Pressed it against the door's surface.

It hummed. Vibrated.

The wards flickered and died.

"Mechanical lock is your problem," Elena said.

I pulled out the lock picks. Started working.

The mechanism was complex. High-end. Designed to resist tampering.

Thirty seconds. The first tumbler fell.

Sixty seconds. The second.

"Cain, those guards are coming back," Tommy warned. "You've got maybe two minutes."

Ninety seconds. Third tumbler.

My hands moved faster. The lock was almost there.

Two minutes. Fourth tumbler.

"They're on the third floor."

Fifth tumbler. The last one.

Click.

The door swung open.

I slipped inside and closed it behind me just as footsteps echoed down the hallway.

"They're right outside," Tommy said. "Stay quiet."

The vault room was smaller than I expected. No windows. One door – the one I'd just come through. And in the center, a large safe built into the floor.

And two vampires standing guard.

They'd heard the door open. Were already turning toward me.

Older than the hallway guards. Faster. Stronger.

This was going to be loud.