Chapter 8 - The Hostage
I dove toward the closing gap of the steel doors, but I was a second too late.
The massive vault sealed shut with a deafening thud, trapping me in the underground tomb.
I slammed my fists against the metal, screaming in pure frustration.
I looked around the room and noticed the exposed wiring of the electronic lock mechanism near the ceiling.
I dragged a heavy metal table over, stood on top of it, and ripped the plastic casing off the wires.
I used my pocket knife to cross the primary circuits, triggering a catastrophic short in the system.
The fire alarm instantly began to blare, and the emergency release automatically popped the vault door open.
I sprinted down the hallway, bursting into the main lobby just as the sprinkler system activated.
Water rained down on the screaming customers as two armed men in suits stepped out of the elevators.
I didn't stop running.
I lowered my shoulder and slammed into the first guard, knocking him through the glass entrance doors.
I scrambled out onto the chaotic street, searching frantically for the unmarked sedan I had left Annie in.
The car was sitting empty by the curb, with the passenger door left wide open.
I ran into the adjacent alleyway, my heart pounding so hard it hurt my chest.
Marcus was standing near the dumpsters, looking bruised and battered from our fight in the garage.
He was holding a gun directly to Annie's head, while Jordan and Justin cried helplessly behind him.
He demanded that I drop the files into a puddle on the ground, or he would blow her brains out.
I stopped in my tracks, slowly raising my hands in the air.
I pulled the thick stack of documents from my jacket, ready to sacrifice my entire empire to save them.
May you like
I threw the files onto the wet pavement and begged Marcus to let her go.
Marcus laughed coldly, kicked the files toward himself, and cocked the hammer of his gun anyway.
