Alex moved with such fluid precision that the choice seemed predestined—his body deciding before his mind fully processed the consequences. He pulled Sonia toward the narrowing gap beneath the descending security barrier while simultaneously shoving the archive device Eliana had dropped into his jacket pocket.
"Go!" he commanded, lifting Sonia to slide beneath the barrier before following in one practiced motion.
James caught his eye through the diminishing space—his brother's expression communicating volumes in microseconds. This wasn't betrayal; it was coordination. James would remain with Carlos, maintaining access from the inside while Alex secured the archive.
The barrier sealed with pneumatic finality, separating them from the vault. Through the reinforced glass panel in the ba
