Page 118 of Morally Corrupt

The downside is that it also doesn't take long for them to smell. Adrian turns his face and gives me a reproaching look.

"Hey, I didn't have any other option, okay?" He shakes his head before saying,"I'm not touching that, just so you know."

"Pussy," I mutter, and Marcel coughs uncomfortably in his fist.

"Don't worry, big guys. I brought gloves." I remove a pair of medical gloves from my pocket and slip them on. "Let's see now." I pick up a thumb, and I study the texture, rotating it around. If I wipe it well, it should be fine. I go to the closet and grab one of Martin's shirts, wiping the finger on it.

"Let's try now." Both men watch me as I approach the safe with the thumb and press it onto the pad. I wait and… nothing.

"Shit. Can you bring the plate here? This one isn't working." I proceed to try each finger after carefully wiping all moisture traces from them, but without any luck.

"I think the prints must have been destroyed in the process," Marcel notes, taking one thumb and placing it in the light. "Look, the print is only partial."

"Fuck!" I say, not expecting this. After going through the trouble of desecrating the dead, something even I hadn't done before, and this isn't working. I sigh, trying to think of alternatives.

"Then what?" Adrian asks, and an idea comes to mind.

"We blow it up."

"What?" They both turn to look at me.

"Let's evacuate the house, and we try to blow up the safe's front door."

"Where do we even get any explosives?"

"I might have some…" I say sheepishly. "I had an explosive stage as a teenager," I add ironically and roll my eyes. "There might still be some left in the basement."

Marcel shakes his head and steps forward to scrutinize the lock. "We risk damaging the inside if we're not careful. Let me have a go at the lock."

I look at him skeptically, but we don't have anything to lose, so I nod.

"Do you have any tool kits?"

I quickly go to the basement and bring him everything that might help. When I come back, Marcel looks at the different tools and tests for their size. He then takes a few screwdrivers and digs into the control panel of the vault. He removes the outside cap, and I can see some intricate wiring that's probably controlling the safe's functions.

He uses a few more tools to dig inside the panel. I don't understand what's happening, but suddenly, there's a click sound, and the door opens.

"Shit, man!" Adrian is in awe, and honestly, so am I.

Marcel opens the door, and inside are rows upon rows of files. Marcel takes a few out and hands them to me. I'm looking at the documents in my hands, not really paying attention when I hear Adrian yell for us to step back.

I don't register what happens exactly, but I'm thrown to the back of the room by an explosion coming from the direction of the vault. Adrian's hands are wrapped around me, cushioning me.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I mutter when I see the vault in flames, the whole room surrounded by smoke and burnt paper. I turn around and see Adrian against the wall, his eyes closed. I don't even think when I shake him.

"Theo… Theo, wake up. Please wake up." My hands go all over his body, trying to see if there's any hidden injury. I'm hyperventilating at this point. "Theo…"

"Agh…" He coughs a few times, and the tension leaves my body. He's all right. He opens his eyes and looks at me with worry in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, because of you. How are you?" I get up and try to help him to his feet. He winces when he tries, and his hand goes to his midriff.

"I'll be fine. Marcel?" I then remember Marcel was there too and even closer than me.

"Fine!" he says, and I see him on the other side of the bed, with barely any injuries. He must have jumped when Adrian yelled.

Now that everyone is safe and sound, I hurry outside and grab a fire extinguisher from the hallway. I remove the safety and spray it all over the clothes, putting out the small fire that had erupted.

"I should have seen this coming," Marcel says ruefully. "Of course, a high-end vault like this would have a safety installed in case of a break-in. Especially if the information is highly incriminating."

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