Chapter 9 - The Federal Reserve Vault
By 9:00 a.m. the following morning, the sun was shining brightly over the historic facade of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Victoria walked through the grand marble lobby wearing a sharp black suit, holding seven-year-old Leo firmly by his hand.
Leo wore a clean pair of jeans and a red polo shirt Victoria had bought at a gas station, his light brown hair brushed neatly to the side.
They were escorted down into the subterranean vault complex by two armed federal guards holding biometric security clearance badges.
Vault 7 sat deep beneath the building, protected by a massive ten-ton steel door equipped with an antique mechanical lock.
The bank manager stepped forward, holding a silver keyplate that featured a teardrop-shaped keyhole in the center.
“Mrs. Vance, this vault has remained untouched since your grandfather’s passing twenty years ago,” the bank manager explained respectfully.
Victoria reached into her pocket, pulling out her golden feather brooch, aligning the blue teardrop gem with the keyhole mechanism.
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She inserted the brooch, turning it thirty degrees to the right until a heavy, hydraulic hiss echoed through the concrete chamber.
The ten-ton steel door slowly swung open, revealing rows of brass safety deposit boxes and a single glass display case in the center.
