Chapter 8 - The Poisoned King
Norah slammed the doctor's head against the concrete floor, knocking her out cold.
She rushed back to Declan, whose breathing had slowed to a terrifying, rattling wheeze.
His skin was completely gray, and the dark veins had spread all the way up his neck.
She frantically searched the doctor's pockets, pulling out a set of sleek car keys and a small access card.
Norah clicked the key fob, and a pristine white sports car chirped from the far corner of the garage.
She used every ounce of strength she possessed to drag Declan's massive frame into the passenger seat.
She jumped behind the wheel, smashed the garage door release button, and sped out into the stormy night.
"Where did she hide it?" Norah screamed at Declan, desperately hoping he was still conscious enough to answer.
Declan's eyes fluttered open, struggling to focus on the passing streetlights.
"The Velvet Room," he whispered weakly, coughing up a dark, foul-smelling liquid.
It was the most exclusive, heavily guarded nightclub in the city, owned entirely by the syndicate.
Norah pressed the gas pedal to the floor, weaving recklessly through the slick, rain-soaked streets.
She arrived at the back alley of the towering nightclub, parking the car behind a row of dumpsters.
"I have to go inside and get it," Norah told him, wiping the sweat from his freezing forehead.
Declan reached out and grabbed her hand, pressing a small piece of paper into her palm.
"That is the combination to the manager's safe," he breathed, his voice barely audible.
Norah squeezed his hand, grabbed the access card she took from the doctor, and jumped out of the car.
She ran to the reinforced steel door used by the kitchen staff and swiped the stolen card.
The light blinked green, allowing her to slip into the chaotic, loud environment of the club's kitchen.
She grabbed a discarded waitress tray to blend in, moving quickly past the busy chefs and bouncers.
She remembered her old days waiting tables, keeping her head down and her pace purposeful.
Norah slipped through the VIP corridor, successfully reaching the heavy oak door of the manager's private office.
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She pushed the door open, stepping into the luxurious, dimly lit room.
She walked directly to the painting on the wall, pulled it aside, and began dialing the safe's combination.
