Avery gave Drake no opportunity to voice an objection.
As bidding numbers erupted from every quadrant and countless stares converged upon her position, she stood up, her features set into an expressionless mask. She unclasped her handpiece, retrieving the tarnished copper insignia from the lining.
Drake extended his arm to block her path, but his reflexes lagged behind her movement. With a sharp, flat snap, she struck the insignia directly across the sensor panel at the center of the circular table.
Beep-
A piercing electronic alert penetrated the absolute quiet of the vault.
The massive LED array suspended above the auction platform flared violently, terminating the bidding sequence instantly. Replacing the transaction metrics was the high-magnification projection of her token, its c
