For a secret passage hidden in such a limited space, it seemed to go on forever.

"Are you sure we're not stuck in some sort of labyrinth? It feels like we've made no progress since we came in." Gajeel stated.

"Well, it's hard to tell when everything looks the same. These lights are disorienting, but it seems like we've been taking a straight path this whole time. I haven't noticed any curves or turns."

"Whatever's in these plans better be worth all this trouble. No wonder the security outside was so light... It takes a whole century just to find the database."

Levy stared down at her cellphone, analyzing the blueprints of the layout.

"The path definitely didn't seem this long."

Her eyes stopped as she noticed a certain symbol at the top of her screen.

"Gajeel..."

"What?"

"We had full bars when we got here, didn't we?"

"Yeah, why?"

"My phone isn't picking up any signal at all. It's almost as if the tower can't reach us where we are now."

The cogs in her mind turned as she considered the situation.

"This path is definitely straight, but that doesn't mean the elevation is."

"What are you on about?"

"Think about it. We've been walking for a while now. If the decline is slight enough, we might not have noticed. This whole time, we've slowly been going more and more underground. That's why my phone isn't picking up any signal."

She examined their surroundings, staring at the tiled floor— the brightly lit walls— but there was no tell to confirm her theory.

Everything looked the same, yet Levy had the sense she was right.

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would the computer database be in a place with no signal?"

"Companies can install devices underground in order to extend the signal. That's how the police are able to send messages to one another in areas without service."

"Are you sure about this, Shrimp? If that's really the case, then whatever Eclipse is hiding in their files must be revolutionary. Why else would they go through all this effort?"

"I'm not completely sure of anything, but what else explains the current situation? And if I'm right, my phone should be able to pick up the signal once we get closer to the main database."

Levy tapped at her screen as it began to power off, observing the bars of service like she was expecting them to change right in front of her eyes.

"How do you know that they didn't make the signal private for further protection?" Gajeel asked.

The girl couldn't help but smirk.

"They probably did. I'd assume there's some sort of password or firewall shielding it, but where they're smart, I'm better."

Her eyes glanced up at her partner, meeting his gaze with determination.

"Don't underestimate me, Gajeel."

"Yeah, that point is really starting to get across, Shrimp. Except for the fact that you talk more than you act."

"Well! I could say the same for you, couldn't I?"

"I've done way more than you."

"Your past missions don't count!"

The two walked in silence for a moment, listening to the sound of their footsteps against the tile floor.

Suddenly, Levy halted in her tracks.

Gajeel stopped, listening closely.

"Do you hear that?" She questioned.

"Yeah... I hear it, too."

It almost sounded like a huge gust of wind blowing up ahead.

"It's air conditioning. We must be close." Levy declared.

"Yeah, but I don't see a door. Is there another hidden passage?"

"The path looks like it continues on, but that doesn't make any sense."

Gajeel moved his feet, taking another step forward.

"Maybe we've gotten so used to seeing the same surroundings that it all just looks the same."

He tripped as his foot hit a hard surface, and his upper body propelled forward and flattened against what appeared to be a wall.

The girl tried her hardest not to laugh at her partner as he backed off in annoyance, the side of his face somewhat red from the impact.

"It's an optical illusion." He announced, frustration seeping into his tone.

Sure enough, at a closer inspection, it was easy to see that the upcoming path was a mere illusion of painted lines on the hard surface.

"We've been walking for so long that we didn't notice. This must be the door."

"How do we open it?"

"Well, not by body slamming into it, that's for sure!"

Levy chuckled slightly at her words, much to Gajeel's disapproval.

"Stop laughing, Shrimp! That could've easily been you, you know!"

"I know, but it wasn't! Just wait till I tell Lu about this!"

"Lu?!"

"Lucy!"

"Don't you dare tell that bunny girl anything about this!"

"Bunny girl? You just have nicknames for everyone, don't you? What's with the animal theme, Gajeel?"

She continued to laugh, very amused by the situation.

"Why don't you just do your job and open this door so we can get back to the mission, Shrimp?!"

Levy calmed herself down, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Aye, aye, captain. You sure rule with an iron fist, don't you?"

The girl began to run her fingers over the flat surface, searching for any irregularities, just as she had done before.

"Hm... that's odd. There doesn't seem to be any sort of mechanism on the door."

"Of course not. What kind of idiots would pull the same trick twice?"

"Well, since the answer is so obvious to you, why don't you let us in? Use your experience."

"Well, I've never had any experience with secret passageways. How the hell would I know?"

"This is just a door, Gajeel! We already entered the secret passageway."

"Yeah... a secret door. With an optical illusion painted all over it."

"Oh, please. You're just upset because you got a little boo-boo, aren't you? Would you like me to kiss it better so we can move on?"

"Agh! Absolutely not. Don't touch me."

Gajeel turned his gaze away from her, glancing up at the ceiling for some sort of vent or something.

The surface seemed to be just as blank as the wall in front of them— without a crack or crease in sight.

"Nope. Nothing..."

"There has to be something! Think. What other way would you get past a door with no handle?"

"I'd break it down, but that clearly didn't work the first time I slammed right into it, as you just loved to point out."

Levy checked her cellphone.

"I'm still not getting any signal, but if the room really is on the other side of this door, then I might be able to hack into the private network and work around the security."

"And if you can't?"

"Then we'll slam you into the door again so I can catch it on video this time!"

"Try it and I'll smash that little phone of yours, Shrimp."

"Oh Gajeel... the only thing you'll be smashing is your face. Again. Just let me do my thing."

"Right. Just get it done so we can grab the files and get the hell out of here already."

"On it!" Levy exclaimed, furiously typing away at the screen of the device.

The other stared her down, watching her work as he contemplated to himself in silence.

When she'd narrowed him down to "cash and brute force," she really hadn't been that far off.

He'd never been all that great with handling the technological aspects of a job, which meant he'd avoided most computer-based missions as a solo agent.

In fact, his skills pretty much remained in downing a few security cameras.

However, if the boss had asked him to shoot a man from thirty feet away, he'd say it was no problem.

Combat was easy for Gajeel— a comfort in a way, almost— but his lack of prowess in other areas had always left him limited.

Sure, he'd been a great agent, but a part of him knew if it weren't for Levy, he wouldn't be here.

(Actually, he'd be fired.)

This was a mission he'd never have been able to tackle on his own.

He couldn't help but resent her natural skill— the way she handled herself like someone who'd been in the business for a long time— although he'd never admit it.

"Got it!" She exclaimed, smile brightening as she looked up from her phone.

In front of them, the door seemed to come to life.

Cracks opened up, letting light seep in all around  like a solar eclipse.

Then the door began its descent into the floor, disappearing once and for all as it leveled with the tile.

"Well, that seems a bit extra, but I guess it
is supposed to be top-notch security." Levy stated.

Before them stood the entrance to the room they'd been searching for: the location of Eclipse's computer database.