The Vault Heist

Voice of Betrayal

The van's engine vibrated like my rapid pulse as the first light of dawn and the neon signs of New Avalon painted the streets with color. My arm ached where the bullet had barely missed, the bandage Lena had quickly put on doing little to lessen the pain. She was driving, her hazel eyes constantly shifting between the road and her tablet, where she was trying to find the signal Dorian had used to betray us at the gym. Her reddish-brown hair kept falling in her face, and I had a strong desire to push it back, hold her close, and forget the mess we were in. But Dorian had our biometric tape, and we were always a step behind in a game I couldn't afford to lose. Marcus was in the back, his knuckles bruised from the fight at the gym, while Evie was next to him, nervously picking at her nails as if we hadn't just almost been killed. Her impulsive actions with Crane had cost us, and Lena's silence made it obvious she was angry about it.

"We need Sophia's voice," I said, trying to relieve the tension. "Crane's handprint only makes up half of the vault's security. Lena, can you hack into her phone?"

Lena's jaw tightened, her fingers stopping on the tablet. "Already working on it," she replied sharply. "Sophia's phone is encrypted, but I've planted a bug in her carrier's network. I should have access by tonight." Her eyes met mine in the rearview mirror, and I could see the familiar spark of jealousy, possibly caused by Evie's interaction with Crane. I wanted to reassure her that it wasn't important, that Evie was just playing her part, but the words caught in my throat.

"There's a gala tonight," Evie said, her voice sweet, as if she didn't realize the tension in the air. "Sophia is hosting it at the Zenith Tower. It's the ideal opportunity to get close and confirm the hack." She leaned forward, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder, and I saw Lena glare. This team was a disaster waiting to happen.

"Okay," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Marcus and I will follow Sophia. Evie, you blend in and use your charm. Lena, you'll direct us from the van." Lena nodded, but her lips were pressed tightly together, and I knew she disliked the plan. I couldn't blame her; Evie's charm was unpredictable, and after what happened at the gym, we couldn't afford another mistake.

By 9 p.m., we were at the Zenith Tower, a tall glass building that dominated New Avalon's skyline. The gala was a lavish display of wealth, with chandeliers, champagne, and suits that cost more than our safehouse. Evie, wearing a revealing red dress and with her blonde hair elegantly styled, was already attracting attention as she entered the crowd. Marcus and I were wearing stolen waiter uniforms, easily blending into the chaos of clinking glasses and false laughter. My earpiece buzzed with Lena's voice, which was steady but filled with tension. "Sophia is on the rooftop terrace," she said. "Her phone is sending a signal from there. My bug has worked, and the voice data is downloading."

"Copy," I whispered, moving through the crowd with Marcus behind me. The rooftop was decorated with fairy lights and filled with wealthy individuals, with Sophia Laurent in the center, acting like a queen. Her black hair was neatly styled in a bun, and her brown eyes were sharp as she laughed with a diplomat. Her voice, which was melodic and commanding, was the key to Crane's vault, and we were about to take it.

Marcus and I quietly made our way onto the terrace, staying in the shadows. Evie was already working her charm, her laughter drawing attention, but Sophia wasn't interested. I briefly saw Sophia's phone on a table, unguarded for a moment. "Lena, status?" I murmured, my heart racing as I moved closer.

"D******d is at sixty percent," Lena said. "Keep her distracted." But before I could signal Evie, Sophia's eyes met hers. Her smile faltered, and I felt a sense of dread; she recognized Evie. From where? The gym? Something further back? Evie froze, her act falling apart, and I reacted without thinking.

"Evie, get out of here!" I hissed, but it was too late. Sophia walked toward her, her elegant frame cutting through the crowd. "You," Sophia said, her voice low and dangerous. "I know your face." Evie's smile was forced, but her eyes showed panic.

Then everything fell apart. A guard near the terrace door shouted, spotting Marcus's large frame, and chaos erupted. Two guards in black suits charged, guns drawn, and the gala turned into a scene of screams. I dove toward Evie, pulling her behind a bar as bullets shattered champagne glasses. Marcus yelled, tackling one guard into a table, causing crystal to shatter. I pulled out my knife, slashing at the second guard's arm, but he was quick and punched me hard, snapping my head back. A wave of pain washed over me, my scar burning, but I wouldn't fall.

"Lena, get us out!" I yelled, dragging Evie toward the edge of the terrace. The rooftop had become a warzone, with guests running for their lives and guards closing in. Sophia had disappeared, leaving her phone on the table. I reached for it, but a bullet hit the ground nearby, forcing me back. Marcus was fighting, blood on his face, but he was holding his own.

"Fire escape, west side!" Lena's voice cracked in my earpiece, and I could hear the van's engine starting below. She had hacked the tower's systems, turning off the lights and plunging the terrace into darkness. I grabbed Evie, her dress tearing as we ran for the fire escape. Bullets hit the metal, and my heart pounded, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Marcus crashed through behind us, a guard's gun skidding across the floor.

We reached the fire escape, the metal clanging beneath our feet. Lena's van screeched to a stop below, the side door open. I pushed Evie in, diving after her as Marcus jumped, the van speeding away before he was completely inside. Lena drove recklessly, weaving through New Avalon's streets as the neon lights blurred by. I gasped for air, blood dripping from my split lip, but we were alive—barely.

"Phone data?" I asked, my voice hoarse. Lena's eyes were fixed on the road, her hands gripping the wheel tightly.

"Got it," she said, her voice cold. "We have Sophia's voice. But there's something else." She glanced at me, her hazel eyes stormy. "Her calls... she's talking to someone, late at night, and they're encrypted. It sounds like an affair."

My mind raced. Sophia had secrets beyond the vault. "Who?" I asked, leaning closer, my hand touching her arm. She flinched, and I felt the sting of her jealousy—Evie's mistake, her flirting with Crane, it was all building up.

"I don't know yet," Lena said, pulling away. "But it's significant. And we didn't just get her voice; there's a message hidden in her call logs." Her tablet pinged, and she opened a file, her face paling. "It's a warning. Someone on our team isn't who they seem."

My blood ran cold. A traitor? Evie was staring out the window, unusually quiet. Marcus's eyes were dark, his fists clenched. Lena avoided my gaze, and I wondered who I could trust. Dorian was out there, anticipating our moves, and now this. The vault was closer, but so was the betrayal.