Chapter 6 - The Inferno
The blast threw me backward onto the hardwood floor.
Thick black smoke immediately began filling the library.
The Falcos had not retreated at all.
They had fallen back to regroup and planted breaching charges on the eastern wall.
Enzo scrambled to his feet, bleeding from a deep gash on his forehead.
He grabbed his shotgun and racked a shell into the chamber.
He yelled that we had to get to the panic room before the fire reached the second floor.
I grabbed the flash drive from the desk and shoved it into my pocket.
We ran out into the hallway, coughing as the smoke grew denser.
Flames were rapidly crawling up the grand staircase.
We reached the hidden panel in my office just as a new squad of mercenaries breached the floor.
Gunfire chewed through the walls around us.
Enzo laid down heavy suppressive fire, tearing two of the attackers apart with buckshot.
I punched in the code, and the steel door hissed open.
I grabbed Allie and Lily and pulled them out into the chaos.
I told Allie to hold onto my belt and not let go for any reason.
We sprinted toward the secret servant stairwell at the back of the house.
The narrow wooden stairs were completely engulfed in flames.
Our primary escape route was entirely cut off.
We were trapped on the second floor with a dozen heavily armed killers closing in.
Enzo looked at me with wild, desperate eyes.
He said there was only one way out of the burning mansion.
We had to jump from the master balcony into the freezing waters of Lake Michigan below.
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I looked at the terrifying drop and then down at the terrified three-year-old girl in my arms.
There was absolutely no way the child would survive the impact of that fall.
