The heavy cast-iron hammer struck the platen with a wet mechanical snap.
Clack-clack-clack-whir.
Lin Mei stepped up to the steel console. Her blue nitrile gloves tore the paper strip clean. The curl of paper was warm from the solenoid coil.
Behind her, Julian Vance shoved his arm into Corbus Vane’s open desk drawer. Metal screeched under his hand.
His fingers clamped around a cold, notched brass key. It hung from a heavy lead tag stamped: #FE-00.
“Got it,” Julian said, lifting the key into the desk lamp. “Master Freight Elevator Key.”
“What does it unlock?” Lin Mei asked.
“It unlocks Bay 9’s lift,” Julian said. “It gets Coach #404 down to the sub-basement ramp.”
