Chapter 8 - The Siege of the Penthouse
The devastating shockwave threw Norah aggressively into the heavy mahogany dining table.
The deafening roar of the explosion completely shattered every massive, floor-to-ceiling window in the penthouse.
Freezing, howling wind and rain poured violently into the luxurious room, instantly turning it into a chaotic nightmare.
Thick, black smoke quickly filled the air, severely choking the remaining oxygen.
"Norah!" Gabriel shouted over the ringing in her ears, grabbing her arm and hauling her roughly to her feet.
The two remaining capos were already dead, brutally shredded by the flying shrapnel from the kitchen doors.
Leo groaned loudly, struggling to push himself up from the ruined floor, blood pouring heavily from a nasty gash on his forehead.
"They blew the service elevator!" Leo yelled, firing his heavy weapon blindly into the thick smoke pouring from the kitchen.
Heavily armed mercenaries, wearing sleek black tactical gear and night-vision goggles, began pouring into the penthouse through the shattered windows.
They had aggressively repelled down from the roof of the skyscraper.
"We are completely boxed in!" Gabriel cursed violently, returning fire with his pistol using his good hand.
He practically dragged Norah toward the heavily reinforced steel door of his private office.
"Get inside and lock it!" Gabriel ordered, violently shoving her into the dark room.
"I am not leaving you out here to die!" Norah screamed, desperately grabbing the lapel of his ruined suit.
Gabriel looked at her, his hardened, ruthless eyes filled with a sudden, unexpected vulnerability.
"You saved my life twice today, Norah."
"I am absolutely not going to let you die in my house."
He slammed the heavy steel door completely shut, locking her safely inside.
Norah pounded fiercely on the metal door, sobbing uncontrollably as the terrifying sounds of a brutal firefight raged outside.
She backed away slowly, surveying the dark, heavily fortified office.
The room was completely windowless, lined with massive bookshelves and a large mahogany desk.
She remembered Gabriel mentioning a safe that contained the supposed antidote.
If Marcus was arrogant enough to attack the penthouse directly, he might have anticipated Gabriel trying to access his emergency funds or weapons.
Norah frantically searched behind the paintings and bookshelves until she found a heavy, digital wall safe hidden behind a portrait of Gabriel's mother.
The keypad was glowing a faint, sinister red.
She didn't know the code, but she noticed a small, USB-shaped device firmly plugged into the side of the electronic lock.
It was a highly sophisticated, wireless hacking override tool.
Someone had already compromised the safe before the attack even began.
Norah cautiously pulled the heavy steel handle, and the safe swung open effortlessly.
Inside were stacks of cash, fake passports, and a heavily loaded assault rifle.
But resting prominently on top of the money was a small, black radio transmitter with a blinking green light.
Norah picked it up, her hands trembling violently.
The radio crackled to life, and a smooth, chillingly familiar voice echoed in the quiet office.
"Hello, Norah," Marcus said over the radio, his voice dripping with terrifying amusement.
"I knew Gabriel would try to lock you safely in his office."
"He always was incredibly predictable when he actually cared about someone."
Norah stared at the radio in absolute horror.
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"What do you want, Marcus?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.
"I want you to look closely at the explosive charge strapped firmly to the bottom of that safe," Marcus replied casually.
