Chapter 6 - The Penthouse Breach
The towering skyscraper that housed Richard's penthouse loomed ominously in the dark night.
Maya and Elias stood on the roof of an adjacent building studying the intense security patrols.
Heavily armed guards paced along the glass balcony of the top floor apartment.
Maya reached into her specialized tactical backpack and pulled out a high tension zip line.
She had spent the last five years in hiding training endlessly for this exact moment of vengeance.
She fired the silent grappling hook across the dark gap between the two massive buildings.
The titanium hook wrapped securely around a thick steel support beam on Richard's balcony.
Elias tested the tension of the wire and nodded silently to confirm it was perfectly safe.
They clipped their harnesses to the line and slid quietly across the terrifying urban abyss.
They landed softly on the balcony and hid behind a large decorative planter.
Maya used a handheld glass cutter to remove a perfect circle from the floor to ceiling window.
She reached through the hole and unlocked the heavy door from the inside without making a sound.
The luxurious penthouse was completely dark and eerily silent as they stepped into the living room.
Maya led the way toward the master study where the private vault was securely hidden.
She expertly bypassed the laser grid protecting the hallway using a small aerosol spray can.
They reached the large oil painting that concealed the hidden wall vault.
Maya pressed her palm against a hidden scanner to initiate the final security sequence.
The wall slid open silently to reveal the digital retinal key resting inside a glass case.
She carefully grabbed the crucial device and placed it securely into her pocket with a sigh of relief.
The sudden sound of slow clapping echoed loudly from the dark corner of the study.
The bright overhead lights flickered on abruptly and temporarily blinded them.
Richard was sitting comfortably in a leather armchair with a suppressed pistol resting on his lap.
Four armed guards stepped out from the shadows and pointed their weapons directly at Elias.
"You always were a remarkably resourceful little girl," Richard mocked with a cruel smile.
May you like
He stood up and casually pressed the barrel of his gun against Elias's temple.
"Now you must choose between your precious evidence and the life of your handsome chef," Richard demanded.
