Chapter 4 - The Empty Room
I stayed perfectly flat against the floor as a second bullet completely destroyed the bedroom lamp.
The sniper was positioned somewhere in the dense treeline across the street.
I needed to get to the room where I had seen Audrey's pale hand against the glass.
I low-crawled across the shattered glass, ignoring the sharp pain slicing into my palms.
I reached the hallway door and slipped out just as a third bullet tore through the wall.
The second-floor corridor was silent and dimly lit by emergency backup lights.
I moved like a ghost toward the last door on the left.
The heavy wooden door was locked from the outside with a thick steel padlock.
I pulled a heavy tactical knife from my boot.
I jammed the thick blade into the locking mechanism and twisted violently.
The cheap metal snapped with a loud crack.
I kicked the door open and rushed into the room.
"Audrey!" I called out into the shadows.
The room was completely empty.
There was a single wooden chair placed in the absolute center of the room.
Heavy leather restraints dangled loosely from the arms of the chair.
I stepped closer and shined my flashlight on the floor.
A puddle of fresh, dark blood stained the pristine white carpet.
Lying in the center of the blood was Audrey's diamond wedding ring.
My hands began to shake uncontrollably.
I picked up the ring, wiping the warm blood off with my thumb.
"I am going to kill every single one of them," I whispered to the empty room.
I noticed deep scratch marks leading from the chair toward the back wall.
I followed the terrible marks until I reached a large walk-in closet.
I pushed the sliding doors aside.
The floor of the closet wasn't made of wood.
It was a heavy steel grate covering a dark, vertical shaft.
I knelt down to inspect the heavy metal grate.
Suddenly, a loud mechanical hum vibrated beneath my feet.
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The floor underneath me completely gave way.
I plunged instantly into total darkness.
