Chapter 5 - The Pier 42 AuditThe rain started again by midnight, turning the asphalt of Pier 42 into a slick, black mirror reflecting the amber sodium glow of the crane lights.
Mina pushed a squeaky metal cart loaded with three dozen styrofoam cups of coffee and greasy ham-and-cheese sandwiches toward the primary security checkpoint. Her palms were slick with sweat inside her yellow rubber gloves.
Act normal, she told herself. You’re just a delivery girl from Luigi’s Deli.
“Halt. ID,” barked a guard with a thick mustache and a security jacket that looked two sizes too small.
Mina offered a bright, retail-worker smile that masked the trembling in her jaw.
“Night shift delivery from Luigi’s. Boss said you guys were freezing out here.”
The guard grunted, shining his flashlight over the stacked cardboard boxes. “We didn’t order any sandwiches.”
“Management did. Compliments of the district supervisor,” Mina lied smoothly, leaning against the cart. “Unless you want me to take them back and tell him you refused the delivery?”
The guard muttered a curse, signed the clipboard, and waved her through. “Third warehouse on the left. Don't wander.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Mina wheeled the cart into the cavernous shadows of Warehouse C. Massive steel shipping containers towered overhead like monoliths of rusted iron. According to Carmela’s notes, Container #8842—registered under a dummy shell corporation—was supposed to hold something far more volatile than electronics.
She stopped the cart beside a stack of wooden pallets, pulled a small mini-flashlight from her pocket, and clicked it on.
The beam swept across the locking mechanism of Container #8842.
It wasn't padlocked. It was sealed with a heavy electronic smart-seal that blinked a steady, ominous green.
Mina reached into her apron pocket, pulled out the small magnetic cloning device Carmela’s men had given her, and pressed it against the sensor.
Bip.
The LED flashed yellow. Then red.
Warning: Unauthorized Access Detected.
May you like
A heavy boot scraped against the concrete behind her.
“Hey! What the hell are you doing?”
