Chapter 9 - The Gallery of Secrets

The sleek black SUV tore violently through the rain-slicked city streets, easily running three consecutive red lights as Daniel pushed the massive engine to its absolute limit.
Leo sat silently in the passenger seat, tightly gripping the heavy seatbelt as the sprawling, brightly lit metropolis blurred past his window.
They skidded aggressively to a halt in the dark, completely abandoned alleyway located directly behind Victoria’s heavily guarded, ultra-modern art gallery.
Daniel violently kicked the heavy metal fire door open, not caring in the slightest about the deafening alarm bells that instantly began to ring throughout the building.
“Stay behind me and do exactly what I tell you,” Daniel ordered fiercely, pumping a heavy shell into the chamber of his shotgun with a terrifying click.
They navigated the sterile, brightly lit hallways of the gallery, completely ignoring the priceless paintings hanging elegantly on the stark white walls.
The GPS tracker aggressively led them down a hidden stairwell, terminating violently at a massive steel door located deep in the underground storage basement.
Daniel didn't even bother to check the heavy handle; he simply leveled his shotgun and violently blew the heavy electronic lock completely off its hinges.
He kicked the ruined door open, stepping aggressively into the dimly lit room with his weapon raised and ready to fire.
Emily was sitting tied tightly to a wooden chair in the exact center of the room, crying silently with a dirty cloth gag shoved harshly into her mouth.
Before Daniel could even take a step toward his terrified daughter, a massive shadow detached itself violently from the dark corner of the room.
Vance swung a heavy steel pipe with absolutely terrifying speed, striking Daniel squarely across the ribs and sending the billionaire crashing painfully to the concrete floor.
The shotgun skidded violently across the room, coming to rest entirely out of reach as the scarred security chief prepared for a crushing killing blow.
Leo violently threw himself forward, aggressively biting down incredibly hard on Vance’s wrist and causing the massive man to scream in sudden agony.
Daniel used the brief, chaotic distraction to sweep Vance’s legs out from under him, furiously tackling the massive traitor to the hard ground.
The two grown men fought brutally in the dark, trading sickeningly heavy blows while Leo frantically untied the rough ropes binding Emily to the chair.
Just as Daniel managed to knock the scarred security chief completely unconscious with a brutal right hook, a slow, mocking clap echoed through the basement.
The harsh overhead fluorescent lights violently snapped on, blinding everyone in the room for a terrifying, disorienting second.
Victoria stepped out from behind a massive crate of imported sculptures, wearing a flawless designer dress and an absolutely terrifying, unhinged smile.
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She wasn't holding a ransom note or a legal contract for the company takeover.
She was holding a heavily modified, matte-black pistol, and she had the deadly laser sight aimed perfectly at the exact center of Daniel's forehead.