Chapter 3 - The Broken Wing
The metal duct violently rattled and sparked as the bullets tore through the thin aluminum just inches from my face.
"Crawl back, Noah, hurry!" I screamed, pushing his small legs aggressively forward in the tight space.
We scrambled backward frantically as the relentless barrage of gunfire continued to shred the ventilation shaft.
I heard the heavy thud of boots climbing onto a piece of furniture below, trying to get a better angle to shoot us.
I needed to create a massive diversion, or we were going to be ripped apart in this metal coffin.
I grabbed the heavy fire extinguisher I had dragged with me and positioned it directly over the damaged grate.
I pulled the safety pin and slammed the heavy nozzle down hard against the remaining metal slats.
The highly pressurized cylinder exploded downward, blasting a massive, blinding cloud of thick white chemical foam directly into the faces of the shooters below.
The men screamed in surprise and pain, coughing violently as the foam completely blinded them.
"Keep moving, Noah!" I urged, turning around and crawling fiercely in the opposite direction.
We reached a junction in the ductwork that split into two separate paths.
One led toward the kitchen, and the other branched off toward the heavily fortified west wing of the mansion.
"We need to get to the west wing, the armory is there," I decided quickly.
We navigated the winding, dusty shaft, the chaotic sounds of battle echoing from every single room below us.
We finally reached a large vent that overlooked Ethan's massive, luxurious private office.
The room was completely empty, the heavy oak doors securely locked from the inside.
I kicked the grate open and carefully lowered Noah down onto Ethan's large leather desk.
I dropped down right beside him, immediately rushing to the heavy oak doors to ensure they were locked tight.
I could hear heavy footsteps marching aggressively down the hallway outside.
"Check the boss's office, he might be hiding in there," a gruff voice commanded.
I grabbed a heavy bronze statue from the desk and positioned myself behind the door, ready to swing.
The heavy handle jiggled violently, and then the sound of a heavy battering ram crashing against the thick wood echoed loudly.
The heavy oak door splintered and completely shattered inward, sending dangerous wood fragments flying across the room.
A massive, heavily armed mercenary stepped into the office, raising his automatic rifle.
Before I could even attempt to swing the statue, a silenced gunshot echoed from the shadows behind the mercenary.
The massive man collapsed heavily to the floor, revealing Ethan standing calmly behind him, holding a smoking pistol.
Ethan looked battered and bloody, but his eyes burned with a fierce, terrifying intensity.
"You really should have stayed in the safe room, Sarah," Ethan said, stepping over the dead body.
"Margaret pumped poison gas into the vault and disabled the door, Ethan; she wanted us dead," I explained quickly.
Ethan's face hardened, the dangerous look in his eyes intensifying exponentially.
"Margaret isn't just working for the Morettis, Sarah," Ethan revealed darkly.
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He walked over to a hidden wall safe and punched in a rapid security code.
"She is actually my older sister, and she believes this empire rightfully belongs entirely to her."
