The crowd fell into a brief, stunned silence. Some lowered their phones, shifting awkwardly as if realizing how absurd the scene had become.
Lucia spun back toward me, her lips trembling with suppressed fury. "I'm asking you—are you going to use the card to open the door or not?"
I paused, then slowly reached into my bag, my movements deliberate. Pulling the access card out, I held it out toward her. "If you're in such a hurry, you go open it."
Lucia stared at me as though I had slapped her. Her mouth opened slightly, disbelief flickering across her face. "How... how can you be like this? I thought you loved Harvey! He gave you everything, he loved you! And... this is how you repay him? With complete indifference? You're unbelievable."
I looked at her calmly, my voice devoid of emotion. "So? Are you going in or not? What's the hold-up? You have the card. Or are you scared too?"
Lucia let out a cold snort, grabbed the access card and snapped, "What's there to be afraid of? I'll go! I'm not a heartless monster like you!"
Her bravado faltered as she turned toward the blazing factory. Her shoulders stiffened and she swallowed hard as the sheer heat rolled over her, nearly forcing her back.