The thief pulled off the half-mask, letting the wind cool sweat-streaked skin.
From the shadows behind them, another voice spoke, low, edged with amusement.
"You lasted longer in there than I thought."
The thief didn't turn. "You sent the wrong distraction. He's faster than you said."
"You still walked out with what you needed." A pause.
"Didn't you?"
The thief's answer was a thin smile.
Vault C – Unnoticed Detail
Inside the pedestal's clamps, the containment tube rested motionless… but the smallest line of condensation had formed along its seal.
A bead of moisture rolled down the blackened metal, disappearing into the recess below.
The vault's sensors logged it as a minor temperature fluctuation. No one saw it pulse, once, under the dim maintenance lights.
Final Shot – City Skyline
Somewhere far from the compound, in a private penthouse with curtains drawn against the world, the woman in red poured herself a glass of wine.
