Page 96 of Ruined By Capture

"The Mosler company maintains a secure database of all their safes," I explain as I work. "Each unit has a unique identifier and emergency override sequence."

"There," I whisper as I breach the final firewall. "I'm in their service database."

Leo watches with wide eyes as I scroll through encrypted data, searching for the specific model and serial number visible on the edge of the safe's frame.

"What are you doing exactly?" Damiano asks from behind me.

"Manufacturers build backdoors into these systems," I explain, not breaking my rhythm. "This will take a few minutes. The encryption is heavy, but there's always a backdoor."

While I work, Alessio leans closer to the phone, his voice adopting a professional tone as he addresses my brother.

"Leonardo, we've sent a man dressed like a delivery guy on a bike who will wait outside to collect what we need from thesafe," Alessio says. "Once Melania cracks it, you can hand over the contents."

Leo's expression hardens immediately. "Correction—ifwe find anything," he says sharply. "I'm not promising there's evidence in there. For all I know it could be empty or filled with legitimate business records."

I glance up briefly from my work, catching the tension between them. Leo's protective instincts are showing—he's helping me but still keeping his guard up with the Ferettis.

"Of course," Alessio concedes smoothly, though I feel his body stiffen beside me.

I return my focus to the hack, tuning out their conversation as I navigate deeper into the system. The Mosler's security is impressive, layer upon layer of authentication protocols. I twist my mother's ring faster, a habit when I'm fully absorbed in a difficult task.

"I've located the override protocols," I announce after several minutes of intense concentration. "Each safe has a unique emergency access code in case the primary authentication fails."

On screen, Leo watches with undisguised amazement. "Father always said you were wasting time with computers," he murmurs.

"Father was wrong about a lot of things," I reply without looking up.

Ten minutes more pass in tense silence as I work through the final security layers. Sweat beads on my forehead despite the cool air in Damiano's office. This is delicate work—one wrong move could trigger a security alert or lock the system completely.

"Almost there," I whisper, more to myself than anyone else. "Just need to bypass the final authentication protocol..."

A string of code appears on my screen—the emergency override sequence for the specific model and serial number of my father's safe.

"I've got it," I announce, trying not to yell with excitement and anxiety. I read out a twelve-digit alphanumeric code to Leo. "Enter this exactly as I say it."

I watch the screen intently as Melania rattles off the twelve-digit code to her brother. My thumb traces my bottom lip unconsciously as I assess the situation, calculating every possible outcome.

"Leo, listen carefully," Melania says, in an urgent whisper. "Once you enter this code, you'll have exactly sixty seconds before the system alerts security."

Leonardo's face on the screen shows a flash of concern. "Sixty seconds? That's barely?—"

"It's a security feature," she cuts him off. "The override triggers a silent countdown. If the safe isn't properly closed again within that timeframe it sends an automatic alert to Father's security team."

I step closer to the screen, my body instinctively positioning itself behind Melania's chair. "Sixty seconds is plenty," I say, calm but authoritative. "Get in, grab whatever documents you find, get out."

Leonardo nods, jaw tight with determination. He props the phone against something on the desk, giving us a partial view of the safe as he moves toward it.

"Starting now," he mutters, his fingers punching in the code Melania provided.

The tension in the room is palpable as we watch Leonardo input the final digit. There's a soft electronic beep, then the unmistakable sound of heavy bolts retracting. The safe door swings open.

"Cazzo," Leonardo whispers, his eyes widening as he peers inside.

"What is it?" Melania asks, leaning forward. "Leo, what do you see?"

"There's a portfolio in here. Thick with documents." He flips it open briefly. "Looks like... payment records? Names, dates, amounts..."

"That's it," Melania says urgently. "That's what we need. Take it all, Leo. Forty seconds left."

---