Free Designated Survivor by John H. Matthews Page A

Avery said. “Faster than we could make on foot through here.”
     
     

CHAPTER 13
    “You know if we have to leave in a hurry, this thing ain’t gonna do the trick,” Avery said. The electric subway car moved slowly within the tunnel
    “These boots were made for running,” Grace said.
    “That’s reassuring,” Chip said.
    The ride took 18 minutes through the dark tunnel. Avery turned the motor off as they neared the end point and they rolled to a stop and sat in the quiet to listen for any movement.
    “Sounds clear,” Grace said. “Let’s just hope we don’t have to blast another wall.”
    “Yeah, I’m guessing security in the basement of the United States Capitol is a little better than a hotel’s,” Levi said. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”
    “Not helpful, Levi,” Grace said. “For that you get to scout. Avery, you’re with him.”
    “Just because I Indian, no mean I scout,” Levi said.
    “Can it and get moving,” Grace said. “Okay everybody. Earpieces in, volume on low. Maintain radio silence as much as possible. We don’t know what channels might be getting monitored. Even with our secure channels, we can’t count on them unless necessary.”
    Levi disappeared down a dark hallway at the end of the tunnel with Avery right behind. The team sat in silence as they waited. It took four minutes and Avery returned.
    “Door’s still there,” Avery said. “Levi ran a camera underneath. Looks like a clasp and padlock on the other side.”
    “Netty, you’re up,” Grace said. “Show me what you got.”
    “Sure thing, captain,” Netty said.
    She moved into the darkness. At the end she found Levi then opened the satchel she’d carried with her.
    “Any movement?” she said.
    “Nothing,” Levi said. “We’re in the basement still so they’re probably all watching the ground level.”
    “Good.” From her bag Netty pulled out a can of automotive air conditioner refrigerant and a short crowbar. “I need you to pry the door away from the jamb as much as you can. I need at least a third of an inch.”
    Levi took the crowbar and placed it just above the doorknob then leaned back and let his weight pull the lever back. A quarter inch gap opened up allowing Netty to see through to the back of the metal clasp. She mounted a brass valve to the can with a six-inch extension tube attached to it and pointed it into the jamb and began spraying.
    “How long?” Levi said.
    “Only a minute or so, hopefully,” Netty said.
    “Will it break the clasp?”
    “No, it’ll weaken the hinge,” Netty said. “The clasp is all one piece of metal. I’d need liquid nitrogen to get through that. The pin in the hinge is usually weaker. We just need it to get fragile enough to break apart with a little bit of pressure.”
    “Where’d you learn this?” Levi said.
    “Girl Scouts,” Netty said.
    The can stopped spraying as it ran out of refrigerant and she set it off to the side.
    “Keep the gap open,” she placed a thin metal bar through the gap and put tension on the back of the clasp. “Still quiet?”
    Levi looked down at the small screen attached to the fiber optic camera running under the door.
    “Unless someone’s around that corner, we’re good,” he said.
    Netty took a rubber mallet and lightly tapped the end of her crowbar several times to make sure the end was resting against the back of the clasp on the other side of the door.
    “Here goes nothing,” she pulled back and gave one more hard hit.
    The clasp broke free and the sound of metal hitting the outside of the steel door was followed by small pieces falling to the floor. She held still and watched Levi as he stared at the monitor. Ten seconds later he nodded.
    “No movement,” he said.
    Netty put her tools into her bag and ran back down the dark hallway to get the rest of the team.
    “We’re unlocked,” Netty said.
    “Great work,” Grace said.
    With Netty leading the way they made it to the door.
    “Holden, you’re in first