Chapter 5 - The Glass Box
The distinct smell of raw chemical accelerant filled the sealed courtroom immediately.
Cameron Voss stood safely behind a reinforced glass partition near the judge's chambers.
"Enjoy the fire, soldier," he laughed, turning his back and walking toward a hidden elevator.
I fired three rounds into the glass, but the bullets flattened harmlessly against the bulletproof surface.
The hissing gas was growing thicker, settling near the floor like a heavy, deadly fog.
We had less than sixty seconds before the absolute lack of oxygen suffocated us, or a spark ignited the room.
Miller rushed to the heavy oak doors, throwing his massive shoulder against the wood.
The electronic locks did not budge, and the steel frame held firm.
Carter pulled a block of C4 explosive from his tactical pouch.
"If we blow the door, the spark will ignite the gas and incinerate all of us," Hayes warned loudly.
I scanned the massive room, my eyes frantically searching for any structural weakness.
I noticed the large, ornate chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling directly above the jury box.
It was suspended by a thick steel cable anchored into the ancient plaster ceiling.
"Carter, give me the C4!" I ordered, grabbing a heavy wooden chair.
I smashed the chair into a pile of splinters and built a makeshift ladder on top of the jury railing.
I climbed up, holding my breath against the toxic fumes, and jammed the explosive directly into the ceiling anchor.
"Everyone, get behind the judge's bench!" I screamed, setting the timer for five seconds.
I dove over the heavy wooden desk just as the explosive detonated with a deafening crack.
The explosion shattered the anchor, and the massive chandelier plummeted toward the floor.
It crashed violently into the reinforced glass partition, shattering the bulletproof barrier under thousands of pounds of force.
The impact created a massive hole, allowing clean air to rush into the room.
We scrambled through the broken glass, coughing wildly and gasping for breath.
I looked down the dark hallway where Cameron had escaped.
Standing in our path were six men wearing heavy tactical armor and advanced night-vision goggles.
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I recognized the unit insignias patched onto their shoulders.
They were former members of our own special operations division, and they were pointing their weapons right at us.
