Chapter 8 - The Cellar Trap
I rushed down the cold concrete steps into cellar.
A single dim bulb hung from the low ceiling.
My sister Clara was tied securely to a chair.
Her face was bruised, her clothes torn at seams.
A thick piece duct tape covered her mouth tight.
"Clara!" I cried out, running to her side.
I quickly pulled the duct tape from her lips.
Clara gasped for air, her eyes wide with terror.
"Rachel! You shouldn't have come here tonight!"
"It's a trap! Harrison knew you would come!"
I used my tactical knife to cut her ropes.
The thick hemp ropes fell to the floor fast.
Clara collapsed into my arms, weeping tears of relief.
I held my sister tightly against my Kevlar vest.
"I have Lily and Leo, Clara," I whispered.
"They are safe at St. Jude Hospital right now."
Clara's face went completely pale with sudden, fresh terror.
"Rachel, no! Chief Harrison sent Detective Miller there!"
"They are going to abduct the kids from trauma!"
My blood turned to pure ice inside my veins.
Harrison had used Warehouse Nine as a clever distraction.
He wanted me away from the hospital tonight completely.
While I was searching docks, Miller was grabbing children.
"We have to get back to hospital right now!"
Clara stood up weakly, clutching my leather coat sleeve.
"Did you find my black satellite drive, Rachel?"
"I have the drive and your diary right here."
I patted my jacket pocket, showing her the drive.
Clara let out a small sigh of immense relief.
"That drive contains the master encryption keys to network."
"If we upload it to federal servers, Harrison falls."
Suddenly, the heavy steel cellar door slammed shut above.
A loud electronic locking chime rang through the concrete.
Chief Harrison's voice boomed through the cellar speaker:
"You calculated well, Officer Brooks, but not fast enough."
"Detective Miller just secured the girl and the baby."
"And my men are pouring gasoline down your stairs."
A strong, pungent smell of gasoline filled cellar air.
Liquid fuel began trickling down the concrete stairs steps.
"You two sisters can burn together in that hole!"
Harrison laughed villainously over the loud intercom system speaker.
Sparks flew as a lit match fell onto fuel.
Orange flames erupted wildly along the top stair steps.
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Thick black smoke began pouring into the small room.
📖 Chapter 9 brings the desperate escape from the burning cellar. Keep reading right now. 👇
