Chapter 7 - The Flooded Catacombs
Uncle Richard stood triumphantly at the top of the staircase, pointing his weapon directly at Thomas's chest.
"Hand over the boy and the ledger, Thomas, and I might just let you walk away from this," Richard offered with an evil grin.
Thomas did not say a single word; he simply shoved Leo hard through the open iron doorway into the cellar.
The butler then grabbed the heavy iron door and slammed it completely shut, locking himself on the outside with Richard.
"Run, Leo!" Thomas bellowed from the other side of the door, right before a loud gunshot echoed through the corridor.
Leo screamed the butler's name, slamming his fists against the cold iron, but there was no response at all.
Tears streamed down the boy's face as he realized Thomas had likely just sacrificed his life to give him a head start.
He wiped his eyes aggressively and turned around to face the massive, sprawling wine cellar.
The cellar was actually connected to the city's ancient storm drain system, which Grandpa Henry had mapped out years ago.
Leo navigated through the towering wooden racks of expensive wine, calling out for his grandfather softly.
He found Henry slumped against a cold stone wall in the very back of the cellar, looking pale and dangerously weak.
"Grandpa, we have to go right now," Leo urged, grabbing the old man's arm and hoisting him up to his feet.
"You should not have come back for me, Leo," Henry coughed, leaning heavily on his young grandson for physical support.
Together, they stumbled toward the large drainage pipe that served as the final escape route from the estate.
Just as they stepped into the damp, circular concrete pipe, the sound of rushing water suddenly echoed through the darkness.
Uncle Richard had intentionally opened the estate's main floodgates, trying to drown them both like rats in a trap.
Freezing cold water rushed into the pipe, quickly rising past their ankles and swirling dangerously around their knees.
Leo struggled to keep his balance while simultaneously supporting his grandfather's heavy, exhausted body.
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They pushed forward desperately, the water level rising higher and higher with every agonizing step they took.
Suddenly, a bright, sweeping flashlight beam pierced the darkness from the opposite end of the tunnel, blocking their only exit.
