Chapter 4 - The Fire Spreads
Thick smoke began to fill the living room as Vanessa kicked a burning log out of the fireplace and onto the dry carpet.
The flames caught instantly, spreading rapidly across the expensive fibers toward the velvet curtains.
Clara coughed violently, clutching baby Emma tightly to her chest while shielding the infant’s face.
Olivia was crying silently, clinging to Clara’s shirt as the heat in the room grew unbearable.
Adrian knew he had only minutes to act before the smoke inhalation became completely lethal.
He raised his hands in surrender, telling Vanessa he would authorize the transfer if she let his family go.
Vanessa sneered, tossing a waterproof digital tablet at his feet and demanding his biometric signature.
Adrian picked up the tablet, his mind racing for a way to stall the transaction.
He purposely entered the wrong passcode twice, knowing a third failure would permanently wipe the drives.
Vanessa caught onto his trick and pressed the hot barrel of the gun against his temple.
She whispered that he had exactly ten seconds to do it right, or she would shoot him and take her chances with the servers.
Adrian looked over at Clara, silently begging for her forgiveness for everything that had happened tonight.
Clara met his gaze, her eyes surprisingly fierce and determined amidst the suffocating smoke.
She quietly handed the baby to Olivia and whispered something into the teenager’s ear.
Without warning, Clara grabbed the heavy brass fire poker that had been knocked to the floor earlier.
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She swung it with all her might, striking Vanessa’s wrist and sending the gun flying into the roaring flames.
But as the gun landed in the fire, a loud popping sound echoed, and a stray bullet ricocheted straight toward Clara.
