Chapter 6 - The Gas Chamber
David rushed to the heavy wooden door and slammed his shoulder against it.
It didn't even budge.
He kicked the wood with all his strength, but it was reinforced with steel on the outside.
A chilling, mechanical hissing sound suddenly started from the ceiling.
David looked up and saw a small metal vent in the corner of the room.
Thick, foul-smelling white gas began pouring rapidly into the enclosed space.
Lily coughed violently, gripping her throat as her eyes watered.
David realized Victoria had lured him exactly where she wanted him.
This wasn't a hideout; it was an execution chamber designed to look like a murder-suicide.
He frantically searched the room for anything heavy enough to break the door.
There were only the photographs and the flimsy wooden desk.
The gas was filling the room fast, dropping closer to the floor by the second.
David grabbed the wooden desk and smashed it against the wall, breaking off a sharp wooden leg.
He jammed the wood into the gap between the door and the frame, using it as a lever.
The wood snapped in half, leaving him with a useless splinter.
His vision started to blur, and his lungs felt like they were on fire.
He dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around Lily to shield her face.
"Dad," Lily choked out, her voice barely a whisper.
She pointed to a rusted metal iron pipe protruding slightly from the concrete floor in the corner.
David was too weak to stand up and pull it loose.
Lily let go of him and slowly stood up, pushing through the suffocating gas.
Her newly healed legs shook wildly, but she refused to fall.
She grabbed the rusted iron pipe with both hands and pulled with every ounce of strength in her small body.
The concrete cracked, and the pipe tore loose from the floor.
She dragged the heavy metal pipe over to her father and collapsed.
David grabbed the iron bar, stood up, and swung it with his last bit of consciousness directly at the door handle.
The locking mechanism shattered into pieces.
David kicked the door open, carrying Lily out into the fresh air of the warehouse.
As he gasped for breath, blinding tactical flashlights suddenly clicked on all around them.
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A dozen police officers stood in a circle, their weapons drawn and aimed directly at David.
Standing safely behind the wall of police officers was Victoria, weeping loudly into a tissue.
