Chapter 8 - The Confrontation
The water was now waist-deep, freezing Leo to the bone as the powerful flashlight beam blinded him completely.
He wrapped his arm tightly around Grandpa Henry, preparing for the absolute worst outcome possible.
However, the person holding the flashlight did not raise a weapon or shout aggressive commands at them.
"Hurry up, the water is rising too fast!" a familiar, commanding female voice shouted over the rushing current.
It was Leo's mother, standing on a raised maintenance walkway with a thick climbing rope in her hands.
Leo froze in place, utterly confused and deeply suspicious after hearing her previous conversation with Uncle Richard.
"Do not trust her, Leo," Grandpa Henry warned weakly, his breathing becoming shallow and incredibly labored.
"I am so sorry I lied to you, Leo, but I had to play along with Richard to learn his final plan!" his mother cried out desperately.
She threw the heavy rope down into the churning water, the end splashing just a few feet away from Leo's grasping hands.
The water was rising relentlessly, now reaching Leo's chest and threatening to sweep them both away into the darkness.
He had exactly two seconds to make a choice between trusting the mother who seemingly betrayed him, or drowning in the dark.
Leo grabbed the wet rope with both hands, wrapping it securely around his grandfather's waist first.
His mother pulled with surprising strength, hoisting the exhausted old man up onto the safety of the metal walkway.
Leo scrambled up the rope right behind him, collapsing onto the grated floor and coughing up freezing, dirty water.
"We need to move to the main street right now, the police are waiting," his mother urged, pulling them both to their feet.
They rushed down the narrow maintenance tunnel, finally seeing the faint glow of streetlights spilling through a storm grate above.
Just as they reached the metal ladder leading to the surface, a heavy iron gate slammed shut violently, blocking their path.
Uncle Richard stepped out from the shadows of the tunnel, holding a soaking wet, bleeding Thomas at gunpoint.
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"Did you honestly think I would not anticipate this little family reunion?" Richard laughed, his eyes wide with absolute madness.
"Give me the ledger right now, or the loyal butler gets a bullet straight through his head," Richard demanded menacingly.
