Chapter 2 - The Truth Hidden
The sweet, cloying scent of the descending gas immediately triggered my military survival instincts.
I held my breath instantly, knowing that even a shallow inhalation could render me unconscious in seconds.
I had less than a minute of usable oxygen left in my lungs before my muscles would begin to fail.
Gregory was still laughing on the floor, seemingly unaffected by the terrifying reality of the trap he had just sprung.
He had likely taken an antidote beforehand, preparing for this exact, psychotic scenario.
I didn't waste precious seconds trying to interrogate a madman.
I pivoted sharply, scanning the dimly lit room for the structural weak point of the ventilation system.
My eyes locked onto the digital control panel mounted next to the heavy, sealed bathroom door.
I lunged across the room, raising the aluminum bat high above my head.
With a primal grunt, I smashed the heavy barrel of the bat directly into the digital touchscreen.
Glass shattered, and sparks showered onto the carpet as the system short-circuited violently.
The aggressive hissing sound from the ceiling vents sputtered, choked, and finally died out completely.
I exhaled stale air and took a very cautious, shallow breath, grateful to find the air filtering system kicking in to clear the remaining haze.
Gregory stopped laughing, his eyes narrowing in genuine annoyance as he pushed himself up into a sitting position.
"You always were remarkably resourceful, Captain," he said, using my former Marine Corps rank.
Hearing that title slip from his lying lips sent a fresh wave of blinding fury crashing through my system.
I crossed the room in two long strides, grabbing him by his ruined shirt and slamming him brutally against the reinforced wall.
"Who do you work for?" I demanded, pressing the bat against his windpipe just hard enough to restrict his airflow.
He just smiled, a bloody, disturbing grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"I work for the future," he choked out, seemingly enjoying the physical pain.
Realizing physical intimidation was useless against a fanatic, I struck him on the temple with the heavy handle of the bat.
His eyes rolled back, and he slumped forward, completely unconscious this time.
I quickly stripped the silk ties from his expensive suitcase and bound his hands and feet tightly together.
I needed answers, and I knew exactly where to start looking.
I ripped open the hidden lining of his luxurious leather suitcase, tearing through expensive fabric.
Beneath the false bottom, I found a heavy, black tactical dossier sealed with a biometric lock.
I dragged Gregory’s limp hand over, pressing his thumb against the scanner until the light flashed green.
The folder popped open, revealing dozens of high-resolution photographs spanning the last five years of my life.
There were pictures of my covert deployments, my honorable discharge, and my attempts at a civilian life.
But it was the document underneath the photos that made my heart completely stop in my chest.
It was a highly classified contract for my capture, authorizing extreme force.
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At the bottom of the page, the signature finalizing the bounty belonged to my former commanding officer.
Before I could even process the ultimate betrayal, the heavy steel deadbolts on the suite door began to loudly click open from the outside.
