It started out as a joke. Nate spotted the small metal safe under a folding table at a yard sale, a crooked price tag taped on the front: ten dollars, written in red marker. The seller shrugged and said it came from a storage unit, probably empty, take it or leave it. Ten bucks for a mystery felt like a bargain. Nate laughed, lifted it with both hands, and was surprised by how heavy it felt. He had no idea what he was about to find.

Back in his garage, he set the safe on his workbench and studied the dial. He tried the obvious combinations first, birthdays, 0-0-0, a few random guesses. Nothing. Pressing his ear against the cold metal, he spun the dial slowly, hoping to hear the soft click of tumblers falling into place. All he heard was his own breathing and the faint hum of the refrigerator in the corner. He grabbed an old stethoscope from his toolbox and tried again, his heartbeat getting louder with every silent turn. Something about this felt bigger than a simple curiosity.