Chapter 7 - The Inferno
The floor beneath them buckled upward with a sickening crack.
The massive glass dining table shattered into thousands of deadly shards, sending the three keys sliding across the slanted floor.
Gabriel reacted with lethal speed, diving across the room and scooping all three keys into his palm before they fell into the expanding chasm.
“Move to the balcony!” Gabriel roared over the sound of groaning steel.
Thick black smoke immediately filled the luxurious penthouse, choking the air from their lungs.
Daniel kicked open the heavy glass doors leading to the outdoor terrace just as the living room ceiling began to collapse.
Mara scrambled after them, her lungs burning as she fought for oxygen.
“The fire escape is on the north side,” Gabriel yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the rusted metal stairs.
They climbed over the railing and began a terrifying descent down the side of the burning building.
Flames licked at the brick walls beside them, the heat blistering against their skin.
Mara slipped on a wet step, nearly falling over the edge, but Gabriel’s iron grip kept her anchored.
They reached the alleyway three floors down, dropping into the dark, rain-soaked shadows.
Two mercenaries were waiting by the dumpsters, their automatic weapons raised.
Gabriel did not hesitate for a fraction of a second.
He drew a secondary weapon from his ankle holster and fired twice with terrifying, mechanical precision.
Both men dropped to the pavement before they could even pull their triggers.
Daniel rushed forward, patting down the dead men and tossing Gabriel an extra magazine.
“We need transportation right now,” Daniel barked, scanning the smoke-filled alley.
Gabriel smashed the driver's side window of a parked black sedan, unlocking the door from the inside.
He hotwired the ignition in less than ten seconds, the engine roaring to life.
Mara threw herself into the back seat, gasping for air as tears of pure terror streamed down her soot-stained face.
Gabriel slammed the car into gear and sped out of the alley, disappearing into the chaotic Boston traffic.
They drove for twenty minutes in absolute silence, the wail of distant fire engines fading behind them.
“The master vault is located beneath the First National Bank,” Gabriel finally said, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“With these three keys, we walk in, transfer the funds, and Vincent loses everything.”
Mara tried to steady her breathing, the reality of survival finally washing over her.
Then, her phone buzzed loudly from inside her charred purse.
She pulled it out and looked at the cracked screen.
It was an unknown number, sending a live video link.
Mara clicked the link, her heart freezing completely in her chest.
The video showed a dark, concrete room lit by a single swinging bulb.
Sitting in the center of the room, tied to a wooden chair with a bruised face, was her younger sister, Lily.
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A text message followed immediately after the video.
Bring me the ledger and the keys in one hour, or I start mailing her to you in pieces.
