Chapter 25 - The Iron Door**
Ethan carried Maya down the familiar carpeted stairs into the pitch-black basement of the mansion.
Jenkins led the way with her service weapon drawn, her tactical flashlight beam cutting through the thick dust in the air.
In the center of the wine cellar, the concrete floor had been jackhammered away, revealing the heavy iron vault door.
Sitting beside the door were two high-powered industrial drills that had been left behind in a rush.
"They couldn't breach the titanium plating," Jenkins noted, examining the heavy iron lock mechanism.
Ethan stepped forward, pulling the antique brass key from his jacket pocket with a steady hand.
He inserted the key into the central keyhole, turning it three full rotations until a loud hydraulic hiss echoed through the cellar.
The heavy iron door swung open slowly, revealing a small, lit chamber lined with stainless-steel filing cabinets.
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Sitting on a small pedestal at the center of the room was a dark leather briefcase stamped with an official U.S. State Department seal.
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