Chapter 7 - The Burning Empire
Marcus stepped over the broken door frame with his gun drawn.
He looked at the unconscious doctor and the tied-up Victoria with absolute disgust.
He aimed his weapon directly at Hannah, laughing at her desperate attempt to play the hero.
Hannah shielded Leo, slowly backing away toward the large master bathroom.
Marcus revealed that he had already completely drained the Sterling corporate accounts.
He no longer needed Victoria, the doctor, or the mansion.
He told them he was going to burn the entire estate to the ground with them inside.
He pulled a small remote detonator from his pocket and pressed a red button.
A massive explosion echoed from the first floor, shaking the entire foundation of the house.
Thick, black smoke immediately began pouring up the grand staircase.
Marcus smirked and quickly stepped back into the hallway, pulling the heavy door shut.
He engaged the exterior deadbolt, trapping them inside the burning room.
Hannah frantically kicked the door, but the reinforced wood did not budget an inch.
The flames were spreading incredibly fast, eating through the expensive wallpaper.
The temperature in the room skyrocketed, making it incredibly difficult to breathe.
Victoria coughed violently from the floor, begging Hannah to untie her.
Hannah ignored the evil woman and dragged Leo into the master bathroom.
She knew Arthur had installed a fireproof, airtight panic room behind the massive mirror.
She smashed the mirror with a heavy bottle of perfume, revealing a solid steel door.
She desperately punched Arthur's old security code into the glowing keypad.
The heavy steel door hissed and slowly slid open.
Hannah pulled Leo inside, and despite her hatred, she dragged the bound Victoria in as well.
The thick door sealed shut behind them, cutting off the deadly smoke and intense heat.
They were safe from the roaring fire consuming the mansion.
But the digital screen inside the panic room suddenly flashed a terrifying warning.
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The ventilation system had been deliberately disabled from the outside.
They only had enough breathable oxygen left for exactly thirty minutes.
