Chapter 5 - The Poisoned Air
The three boys rushed to the heavy oak door and pulled on the handle.
It was completely locked from the outside.
Bradley frantically swiped his keycard over the electronic reader, but the light flashed red.
His mother had deactivated the card remotely.
A sudden, chilling voice echoed from the intercom speaker on the desk.
Mrs. Whitmore laughed softly, telling them they were incredibly foolish to think they could outsmart her.
She explained that she had placed a tracker on Bradley's phone weeks ago.
She knew exactly where they were and what they were trying to steal.
She told them the police were already on their way to arrest them for corporate burglary.
She planned to frame Jordan and Eli for the break-in, ensuring they would both go to prison.
Jordan clutched the files tightly against his chest, refusing to let her win.
Suddenly, a faint hissing sound began to echo from the ceiling vents.
A thick, white gas started pouring into the locked office.
Eli immediately recognized the chemical smell of industrial tear gas.
Mrs. Whitmore was trying to completely incapacitate them before the authorities arrived.
Bradley started coughing violently as the gas burned his eyes and throat.
Jordan grabbed a heavy bronze statue from the desk and ran toward the floor-to-ceiling window.
He swung the statue with all his remaining strength, shattering the thick glass into a million pieces.
The cold night air rushed into the room, clearing the toxic gas instantly.
They were on the second floor, directly above a large decorative awning.
Jordan climbed out the broken window and jumped down onto the canvas fabric.
Eli followed him, landing safely and sliding down to the sidewalk.
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Bradley prepared to jump, but he accidentally dropped the files onto the office floor.
He reached back to grab them, but a pair of strong hands suddenly grabbed him from behind.
