Chapter 3 - Trapped Inside
The shockwave knocked the air completely out of my lungs.
I rolled onto my side, ears ringing violently as bright orange flames licked the night sky.
The black sports car was nothing but a twisted, burning cage of metal.
Vanessa had been thrown several yards away, lying eerily still on the crushed gravel.
I scrambled to my feet and rushed over to her, checking for a pulse.
She was severely burned and unconscious, but her heart was still beating.
Victor had not intended to help her escape; he had intended to silence her.
"Marcus, get a medical team to the front driveway right now!" I yelled into the radio.
The front doors of the mansion burst open, and Marcus rushed out with two armed guards.
They dragged Vanessa's limp body away from the burning wreckage.
"Where is Daniel?" I demanded, grabbing Marcus by his tactical vest.
"He went down to the central security hub to check the surveillance cameras," Marcus replied nervously.
My blood ran cold because the security hub was located in the basement.
It was an isolated room with only one way in and one way out.
"Victor is already inside the house, you idiot!" I shouted, pushing past him.
I sprinted back into the mansion, my wet shoes slipping on the polished marble floors.
The terrified guests were huddled in the grand dining room, surrounded by nervous security guards.
I bypassed them completely, heading straight for the concealed staircase leading to the basement.
The lights in the hallway flickered ominously before dying completely.
Total darkness consumed the mansion as the main power grid was deliberately severed.
Red emergency lights hummed to life a few seconds later, casting a bloody glow over the walls.
I drew my ceramic knife again, moving silently down the concrete stairs.
The door to the security hub was wide open, and the heavy locking mechanism had been melted by acid.
I stepped into the room, my eyes sweeping the glowing monitors that ran on backup generators.
The security technicians were bound and gagged in the corner, looking absolutely terrified.
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But the leather chair in front of the main terminal was completely empty.
Daniel Sterling was gone.
