Chapter 3 - The Descent
The terrifying sound of screeching metal echoed loudly in the cramped elevator shaft.
Victor wrapped his strong arms around Dora, shielding her body with his own as the car slammed into the emergency brakes.
The impact threw them hard to the floor, leaving Dora gasping for breath.
"Are you unbroken?" Victor asked, his deep voice remarkably calm in the darkness.
Dora nodded against his chest before realizing he couldn't see her in the pitch black.
"I am fine," she choked out, wiping toxic dust from her eyes.
Victor stood up and powerfully forced the elevator ceiling hatch open with a loud groan of metal.
He easily pulled himself up, then reached down a massive hand to hoist Dora onto the roof of the car.
They were trapped exactly between the fifth and sixth floors of the luxury hotel.
Victor used his gun to smash the external latch on the sixth-floor service doors.
He pried the doors open, revealing a dimly lit, completely deserted maintenance corridor.
They climbed out just as the elevator car finally gave way, plummeting the rest of the way down the shaft with a deafening crash.
Dora's legs shook so badly she had to lean heavily against the concrete wall.
"Stay exactly behind me," Victor ordered, raising his weapon with practiced precision.
They moved silently down the hallway, the only sound being the distant wailing of police sirens outside.
Suddenly, the heavy door at the end of the corridor was kicked open.
Three men dressed in black tactical gear rushed in, raising automatic weapons toward them.
Victor didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second.
He pushed Dora safely into a small laundry alcove and opened fire.
The deafening roar of the gunshots left Dora's ears ringing painfully.
When she finally dared to peek around the corner, all three intruders were lying motionless on the floor.
Victor casually stepped over the bodies, picking up an encrypted radio from one of the dead men.
The radio crackled with heavy static before a familiar, terrifying voice echoed from the speaker.
"Did you kill the boss and the waitress yet?" the voice demanded over the radio.
Dora's blood turned to absolute ice in her veins.
It was Arthur, Jessica's silver-haired date from the ballroom.
"Not yet, Arthur, but I am coming for you," Victor growled into the radio.
May you like
Arthur laughed darkly on the other end of the line.
"You are too late, Victor, because we already paid a visit to your lovely waitress's apartment in South Boston."
