Commander Thorne walked right up to the VIP lounge entrance. He pulled out a small card and then reached for the glowing pad on the wall – the biometric scanner. This was their chance, but also their most dangerous moment.
Anya knew they had to be quick. She saw Lena already getting her small, special device ready. It looked like a thin pen with a tiny light at the end. Lena needed to get it very close to Thorne's hand or eye when he used the scanner.
The security guard at the VIP lounge entrance was big and watchful. He stood tall, his eyes sweeping over everyone. Even with the chameleon cloth, Anya felt like he was looking right at them. The cloth was starting to flicker more now, like a weak light bulb, making their shapes less blurry.
"He's looking," Jaxon whispered, his voice tight.
Thorne was about to touch the scanner. Anya had to make a move. She quickly nudged Jaxon with her elbow. "Bump him," she mouthed, barely making a sound.
Jaxon understood. He pretended to stumble a little, bumping gently into Thorne just as the Commander's fingers brushed the scanner pad.
"Watch it, you oaf!" Thorne snapped, annoyed, but he didn't look back. His hand was already firmly on the pad.
In that tiny moment, as Thorne was distracted and his hand was steady on the scanner, Lena acted. Her hand, moving faster than Anya thought possible, snaked out from under the chameleon cloth. The tiny light on her device flashed once, a quick, almost invisible spark, as it touched Thorne's hand for less than a second.
Then, just as quickly, Lena pulled her hand back. The cloth shimmered and blurred around her arm again.
Anya held her breath. Had it worked?
Thorne's face, now back to its usual smug look, was scanned by the glowing pad. A soft click sound. The velvet rope parted for him. He walked into the VIP lounge without another glance back.
"Got it," Lena whispered, her voice a mix of relief and stress. She quickly tucked her device away. The chameleon cloth around them was flickering badly now, showing more of their clothes, their outlines. They had to leave.
"Time to go," Anya said. "Now."
They turned, moving away from the VIP lounge, trying to look like normal guests leaving the party. The music sounded louder now, more frantic. Anya could feel the cloth failing with every step, feeling like her skin was exposed. They had the scan, but getting out of the Prosperity Tower was the next big problem. The guards were everywhere, and the chameleon cloth wouldn't hide them for much longer.