Watch all you like, said Artemis brazenly.
Oh, I will, boy. You so much as spit on one of those doors, and Ill eject you from the premises. Forcibly.
Oh, for heavens sake, Kurt, said Bertholt. Dont be so theatrical. Those are not network television cameras, you know.
Bertholt ushered them through to the vault door.
I apologize for Kurt. He failed the special-forces exam and ended up here. Sometimes I think he would love someone to rob the place, just so he could see some action.
The door was a circular slab of steel, at least five metres in diameter. In spite of its size, it swung easily at Bertholts touch.
Perfectly balanced, explained the bank official. A child could open it, until five thirty, when it shuts for the night. Naturally the vault is time locked. Nobody can open the door until eight thirty a.m. Not even the bank president.
Beyond the vault door were rows and rows of steel deposit boxes of all shapes and sizes. Each box had a single rectangular keyhole on its face, surrounded by a fibre-optic light. At the moment all the lights glowed red.
Bertholt took a key from his pocket; it was attached to his belt by a woven-steel cable.
Of course the keys shape is not the only important thing, he said, inserting the key in a master keyhole. The locks are also operated by microchip.
Butler took a similar key from his wallet. Are we ready?
Whenever you are, sir.
Butler ran his fingers over several boxes until he reached number seven hundred. He inserted his key in the keyhole. Ready.
Very well, sir. On my mark. Three, two, one. Turn.
Both men turned their keys simultaneously. The master key safeguard prevented a thief opening a box with a single key. If the two keys were not turned within one second of each other, the box would not open.
The light round both keys switched from red to green. The door on Butlers safety deposit box popped open.
Thank you, Bertholt, said Butler, reaching into the box.
Of course, sir, replied Bertholt, almost bowing. Ill be right outside. Even with the camera, there is a three-minute inspection rule. So Ill see you in one hundred and eighty seconds.
Once the bank official had gone, Artemis shot his bodyguard a quizzical look.
Alfonse? he said out of the side of his mouth. I dont remember deciding on a name for my character.
Butler set the stopwatch on his chronograph. I was improvising, Artemis. I thought the situation required it. And if I may say so, you make a very convincing obnoxious teenager.
Thank you, old friend. I try.
Butler removed an architects drawing from his deposit box, folding out the document until it was almost two metres square. He held it at arms length, apparently studying the design inked on to the paper.
Artemis glanced upwards at the ceiling-mounted camera. Raise your arms another five centimetres, and take a step to your left.
Butler did so casually, covering the movements with a cough and a shake of the parchment.
Good. Perfect. Stay right there.
When Butler had rented the box on his last visit, hed taken numerous photographs of the vault with a button camera. Artemis used these photos to render a digital reconstruction of the room. According to his calculations, Butlers present position provided him with a ten-square-metre box of cover. In that area his movements would be hidden by the drawing. At the moment, only his trainers could be seen by the security guards.
Artemis rested his back against a wall of security boxes, between two steel benches. He braced both arms against the benches, levering himself out of the oversized trainers. Carefully, the boy slid on to a bench.
Keep your head down, advised Butler.
Artemis rooted through his backpack for the video cube. Though the box did actually play a computer game, its primary function was as an X-ray panel with realtime viewing. The X-ray panels were in common usage among the criminal upper echelons, and it had been a relatively simple matter for Artemis to disguise one as a teenagers toy.
Artemis activated the X-ray, sliding it across the door of the deposit box beside Butlers. The bodyguard had rented his box two days after Crane & Sparrow. It stood to reason that the boxes would be close to one another, unless Crane & Sparrow had requested a specific number. In that case it was back to the drawing board. Artemis reckoned that this first attempt to steal The Fairy Thief had a forty per cent chance of success. These were not ideal odds, but he had no option but to go ahead. At the very least, he would learn more about the banks security.
The game cubes small screen revealed that the first box was stuffed with currency.
Negative, said Artemis. Cash only.
Butler raised an eyebrow. You know what they say, you can never have too much cash.