Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lexi
There were just two forlorn pole lamps lighting the shadowy parking lot. The lot was mostly empty now, just a handful of cars scattered too far apart to be coincidence. Late shift, I assumed. Essential staff, but enough people inside to make this risky.
Night had settled fully around the lab. The building itself looked different at night—the minimal exterior lighting implied that their exterior cameras were low-light sensitive. Visually, everything looked muted and unassuming. The kind of place that relied on anonymity as much as security.
I connected to their Wi-Fi and security system through my laptop. I inhaled and nodded at Gray. “It’s time.”
We’d been here five minutes and there was no sign that anyone had detected or recognized our presence.
Gwen swiped open her phone, called Angel, and then looped in Barbie and me. I put my phone on speaker so Gray and Basia could hear. Barbie put in her earbuds, and Gwen tested the communications between all of us.
Barbie slipped the band holding the GoPro camera onto her forehead.
She then pulled a knit cap over her head, leaving the camera exposed.
She reached up and turned it on. It would serve as my eyes so I could see what Barbie saw and guide her in real time.
If someone saw her, she could easily flip down the cuff of the cap and hide the camera until it was safe to uncover it again.
“Let’s run one more test on the camera,” I said.
Barbie nodded and looked out the window. I opened the software and immediately saw parking lot. “It’s working perfectly.”
“Good,” she said, smoothing down her lab coat. “I’m ready.”
I handed her the ID Basia had stolen and she took it. “Let’s set the timers, on my count,” I said.
Timing would be critical.
We pulled out our phones and set our timers. That done, Barbie slipped her phone into the pocket of her brand-new lab coat and put her hand on the car door.
“Let’s do this,” she said.
“Remember the plan,” I said calmly. “Stay within the allotted time, but if things go south, get out.”
Barbie nodded. “I understand.” When she opened the door to get out, the November night air rushed in sharp, biting.
“Brrrr,” Basia said, shivering.
Barbie closed the door and walked toward the entrance with the comfortable confidence of an employee.
“Comms check,” I murmured as she moved away from the car.
“Loud and clear,” Barbie said.
“I’m good,” responded Angel.
“Let’s go, then.” I stayed laser focused on my laptop and the view from Barbie’s camera.
The riskiest step would be getting her in.
That was the biggest unknown. The woman from McDonald’s might have noticed her badge was gone.
She might have called it in as missing, and security might have deactivated it hours ago.
There was no way to know until Barbie tried.
I didn’t see any evidence in the system logs of a recent change of access, but I might have missed where it was stored.
It was a risk we couldn’t avoid. The backup plan was to see if I could remotely open the fence and doors. It was certainly within my capability, but I couldn’t test it until Barbie was in place. So, I couldn’t say for sure it would work.
There were more unknowns than I liked, which meant I’d have to make quick decisions on the fly. Luckily, that was one of my better strengths, especially when dealing with a computer system.
“I’m in,” Angel said softly in my earbud. “I’m riding the system.”
“Good,” I replied.
Basia must have heard something in my voice, because she reached over the seat and squeezed my shoulder. “You’ve got this, Lexi. Bring Barbie, Ginger, and Tootsie back to safety.”
“I will,” I said.
Barbie crossed the lot at a steady pace, head up, posture loose but purposeful. Anyone watching—anyone human, anyway—would hopefully see nothing more than a lab employee heading inside.
Angel’s voice filtered through my earbuds. “Barbie, you’re good. Cameras are looping. You’re not on any feed. Neither are you guys in the parking lot.”
That was encouraging. Barbie approached the outer gate, and I saw what she saw. The fence seemed taller and more imposing close up. Barbed wire crowned the top and an electronic reader waited at chest height.
“Take the ID card and tap it against the identity pad on the door,” I instructed her calmly.
This was the first gamble. If the stolen card had been deactivated, this door wouldn’t open and it might even trigger an alarm.
We were ready for that possibility, but we couldn’t be 100 percent sure it wasn’t separated from the security system.
Each minute that Barbie stood outside exposed meant she was in danger of being discovered.
My heart pounded as she calmly pulled the access card free from her pocket and waved it at the reader.
Nothing.
For a split second, panic flared. Then the reader blinked green and the lock clicked open. I let myself breathe. “Gate access granted,” I whispered. “You’re in, Barbie.”
“All systems clean,” Angel reported. “No alerts. Yet.”
Barbie slipped through the gate and eased it shut behind her, every movement deliberate. Watching through the camera, I saw the building, most of the windows dark except for a few.
Barbie strode quickly to the building entrance, where there was another reader on the door. Barbie didn’t hesitate; she tapped the card. The lock disengaged with a soft mechanical sound and opened.
She quickly stepped inside and pulled the door closed. We both listened. There were no footsteps. No voices. No alarms blaring.
“I’m inside the lobby,” Barbie whispered.
Angel exhaled on the other end of the line. “Copy that. All systems remain clear. Go forward.”
“Good luck,” Gwen breathed.
Barbie turned and walked into the dark lobby. Somewhere inside this building, Ginger and Tootsie were waiting.
There was no turning back. We’d just crossed the line between watching and doing. The mission was fully underway.