Chapter 3 - The Locked Office
Julian stared at the heavy wooden door, realizing he had just locked himself inside a cage with a target on his back.
He quickly scanned the luxurious manager's office for any possible weapons or hidden escape routes.
The large panoramic window overlooking the city skyline was composed of thick, reinforced, bulletproof glass.
There were no secondary doors, no ventilation shafts large enough to crawl through, and absolutely no way out.
"How long do we have until they realize the poison failed?" Julian asked, keeping his voice barely above a whisper.
Clara checked her cheap digital wristwatch, her hands shaking so badly she could barely read the time.
"The toxin was supposed to cause a massive, fatal heart attack exactly four minutes after consumption," she explained nervously.
Julian checked his own expensive chronometer and realized five minutes had already passed since the glass shattered.
The assassins waiting in the hallway would undoubtedly breach the room at any moment to finish the job manually.
Julian grabbed a heavy bronze statue from the manager's desk, gripping it tightly like a makeshift club.
He instructed Clara to hide completely underneath the massive mahogany desk and to stay perfectly silent no matter what happened.
The sound of a heavy, metallic click echoed ominously from the door as someone inserted a master key into the lock.
Julian pressed his back flat against the wall right next to the door, raising the bronze statue high above his head.
The heavy wooden door slowly swung open, revealing the polished black shoes of the first intruder.
A tall figure stepped confidently into the dim office, holding a sleek, suppressed pistol equipped with a laser sight.
Julian did not hesitate for a fraction of a second, swinging the heavy bronze weapon with every ounce of his strength.
He struck the intruder's wrist violently, sending the dangerous firearm clattering uselessly across the carpeted floor.
Julian immediately tackled the man to the ground, pinning his arms and preparing to deliver a devastating punch to his face.
The faint light from the hallway illuminated the intruder's terrified features, making Julian freeze entirely in absolute shock.
The man lying pinned beneath him was not an unknown mercenary, but his trusted best man, Marcus.
Marcus coughed blood and smiled a wicked, bloody smile that sent chills rapidly down Julian's spine.
"You always were too sentimental for your own good, Julian," Marcus laughed maliciously.
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He reached into his tuxedo jacket with his free hand and pulled out a small, blinking electronic detonator.
"Vanessa sends her absolute warmest regards," Marcus whispered as he aggressively pressed his thumb down on the red button.
