Chapter 4: Every Door Locked
The roof went silent.
Not peaceful.
Silent in the way a room becomes silent when everyone realizes the danger is much closer than they thought.
Emily held Lily against her chest.
Across the roof, the armed men stood between them and the stairs.
Behind them, the heavy rooftop doors had slammed shut.
Vanessa slowly raised her gun.
“Put the weapons down.””
The tallest man laughed.
“You know better than that.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“Who sent you?””
“You already know.””
“Daniel.””
The man smiled.
“Mr. Cross asked us to bring the girl.””
Mara stepped in front of Lily.
“No.””
The man looked at her.
“You're supposed to be dead.””
Mara's expression hardened.
“I've heard that before.””
Emily looked around the roof.
There were six men.
Two near the staircase.
Two near the roof entrance.
One standing beside a ventilation unit.
Another closer to the edge.
All armed.
Vanessa had one handgun.
Emily had nothing.
Mara had nothing.
And Lily was terrified.
They were trapped.
Then Emily noticed something.
A red maintenance box beside the rooftop door.
A fire control panel.
She looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa followed her eyes.
For half a second, neither spoke.
Emily understood.
She moved backward slowly.
One step.
Then another.
The armed men watched Vanessa and Mara.
Nobody noticed her.
She reached the panel.
Her fingers found the cover.
Locked.
She looked around.
Nothing.
Then she remembered the key ring Vanessa had taken underground.
“Vanessa.””
Vanessa didn't look at her.
“What?””
“The keys.””
Vanessa's eyes flickered toward Emily.
Then toward the gunmen.
“I don't have time.””
“You do if they don't see me.””
The tallest man raised his rifle.
“Enough.””
He pointed at Lily.
“Bring her here.””
Mara shook her head.
“Never.””
The man's face hardened.
“Don't make this difficult.””
“Go to hell.””
He took one step forward.
Vanessa fired.
The shot struck the rifle barrel, knocking it aside.
Everyone shouted.
Emily ripped open the maintenance box.
Inside were several switches.
A red lever.
A black breaker.
A manual alarm.
She pulled the red lever.
Nothing happened.
“Come on…”
The men began firing.
Bullets tore through the air.
Emily ducked.
Mara dragged Lily behind an air-conditioning unit.
Vanessa fired again.
The rooftop exploded into chaos.
Emily grabbed the black breaker and slammed it downward.
Every light on the mansion went out.
Darkness swallowed the entire property.
For one second, nobody moved.
Then the fire alarm screamed.
Emergency lights flashed red across the roof.
The armed men shouted to one another.
“Find them!””
“Where are they?””
“Watch the stairs!””
Emily crawled toward Mara.
“Run!””
Mara pulled Lily up.
They raced toward the edge of the roof.
Emily's stomach dropped.
There was nowhere to go.
Then Mara stopped at a short brick wall.
“There.””
A narrow metal ladder descended from the roof to a lower terrace.
Emily stared.
“You're kidding.””
“Move!””
Mara lowered Lily first.
The child climbed down.
Emily followed.
Vanessa came next.
Shots cracked above them.
Metal screamed as bullets struck the ladder.
Emily climbed faster.
She heard Vanessa behind her.
“Go!””
They reached the lower terrace.
Mara grabbed Lily.
“Inside.””
She kicked open a window.
The four women climbed into a dark bedroom.
Emily shut the window.
They held their breath.
Footsteps ran across the roof above.
Someone shouted.
“They went over the south side!””
Another voice answered:
“Seal the lower floors!””
Emily looked at Mara.
“How many exits?””
“Three.””
“Which one is safe?””
“None.””
Vanessa moved to the door.
“We need the basement.””
Mara stared at her.
“No.””
“It is the only place Daniel can't monitor.””
“You destroyed the cameras?””
“No.””
“Then he can.””
Emily stepped between them.
“Can someone please explain?””
Vanessa looked at Mara.
Mara looked away.
Finally Vanessa whispered:
“The basement contains the original security room.””
Emily frowned.
“And?””
“And Daniel doesn't know I still have access.””
Mara shook her head.
“He knows.””
Vanessa's face tightened.
“How?””
“Because he designed it.””
Emily remembered.
Every passage.
Every hidden room.
Every door.
Daniel had built the mansion.
Her stomach twisted.
“So he knows the basement too.””
“Yes,” Mara said.
“Then why go there?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Because there is one thing he doesn't know.””
“What?””
Vanessa's answer was almost inaudible.
“Where the old vault is.””
Emily stared.
“What vault?””
Mara grabbed her arm.
“We need to move.””
They left the bedroom and entered a hallway.
The mansion no longer looked like a party venue.
Smoke drifted beneath the ceiling.
Sprinklers hissed.
Red emergency lights turned the walls the color of blood.
Somewhere downstairs, guests were screaming.
Emily could hear sirens outside.
But the doors were locked.
“Why aren't the police getting in?”” she asked.
Vanessa answered:
“Daniel shut down the gate controls.””
“Can they break through?””
“Eventually.””
“How long?””
Vanessa looked at the smoke.
“Not long enough.””
They reached the main staircase.
A dozen guests were trapped on the landing.
A woman was pounding against the front doors.
“Let us out!””
“Please!””
A man tried pulling the handles.
They wouldn't move.
Emily stepped forward.
“Everybody stay calm!””
Nobody listened.
Panic spread.
A waiter collapsed near the wall.
His shirt was covered in blood.
Emily rushed toward him.
“Are you hurt?””
He grabbed her wrist.
“Don't…”
“Don't what?””
He looked toward the upper floor.
“Trust…”
His eyes rolled back.
Emily froze.
“Who?””
The man didn't answer.
Mara pulled Emily away.
“He's gone.””
“No.””
“He's unconscious.””
Emily looked back.
“Who was he?””
Vanessa's face changed.
“I don't know.””
Emily frowned.
“You know everyone in this house.””
“I don't know him.””
That frightened her more.
Suddenly the chandelier above them flickered.
The mansion speakers came alive.
Daniel's voice filled the staircase.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm.””
The guests looked around.
“An unfortunate technical issue has occurred.””
A nervous laugh came from somewhere.
Daniel continued.
“Emergency personnel are on the way.””
Emily looked at Vanessa.
“You said he shut down the police.””
“I did.””
Daniel continued speaking.
“Unfortunately, due to the fire, some areas of the house will remain sealed.””
A loud click echoed.
Every door on the staircase locked.
People screamed.
Daniel's voice remained calm.
“Please stay where you are.””
Mara whispered:
“He's controlling everything.””
Then Daniel said something that made Emily's blood freeze.
“Emily Carter.””
She looked toward the ceiling.
“Would you please bring Lily to the library?””
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Daniel continued.
“If you do, everyone else goes free.””
The guests turned toward Emily.
Someone whispered:
“That's the girl?””
Another person pointed.
“She's got a child.””
Emily hugged Lily tighter.
Daniel's voice came again.
“You have five minutes.””
Vanessa stepped toward a speaker.
“You son of a bitch!””
Daniel laughed.
“Still emotional, Vanessa.””
“Let them go.””
“I will.””
“Then release the doors.””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because you still have something that belongs to me.””
Vanessa looked at Mara.
Daniel continued.
“The truth.””
Then the speakers went silent.
The guests began shouting.
“Who is that girl?””
“What is going on?””
“Why can't we leave?””
Emily felt dozens of eyes on her.
She stepped backward.
Mara pulled Lily close.
Vanessa whispered:
“We can't stay here.””
They moved down a side corridor.
The library doors were directly ahead.
Emily stopped.
“That's where he wants us.””
“Yes.””
“So why go there?””
Vanessa pointed toward a hidden panel beside the bookshelf.
“The vault entrance is beneath it.””
Emily stared.
“You're telling me his bait leads us to your secret escape route?””
“Exactly.””
Mara shook her head.
“And if he knows?””
“Then we're dead anyway.””
They entered the library.
It was enormous.
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.
A fireplace.
Leather chairs.
Portraits of dead relatives.
Emily felt watched.
Every portrait seemed to have eyes.
Vanessa walked to the fireplace.
“Help me.””
Emily moved beside her.
Together they pushed a heavy brass sculpture.
A section of the floor clicked.
The bookshelf beside them shifted.
A narrow opening appeared.
Lily stared.
“A secret door.””
Vanessa nodded.
Mara took her daughter inside.
Emily followed.
Vanessa closed it behind them.
Darkness.
A narrow staircase dropped beneath the library.
Emily's flashlight shook in her hand.
“What's in the vault?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
“What are we hiding from Daniel?””
“Evidence.””
“What kind?””
“Evidence that could destroy him.””
Emily waited.
Vanessa finally said:
“Names.””
“Whose names?””
“People who helped him.””
“How many?””
“Forty-two.””
Emily stopped walking.
“Forty-two people?””
“Forty-two.””
“Politicians?””
“Yes.””
“Police?””
“Yes.””
“Judges?””
“Yes.””
Emily stared at her.
“Doctors?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Business owners.””
“Lawyers.””
“Journalists.””
“Anyone who benefited from what he did.””
Mara spoke from ahead.
“And some who were forced.””
Emily looked at her.
“Your mother?””
Mara shook her head.
“My mother was one of the ones who refused.””
Silence.
“That is why he killed her.””
Emily looked at Lily.
“Does she know?””
Mara looked down.
“She knows enough.””
Lily whispered:
“Mommy told me he made people disappear.””
Emily swallowed.
The staircase ended.
Vanessa opened another door.
Inside was a small steel chamber.
There were shelves.
Hard drives.
File boxes.
Photographs.
Newspaper clippings.
Hundreds of documents.
Emily stood speechless.
“This…”
“This is everything,” Vanessa said.
“You've had it all this time?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you release it?””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Because release it, and everyone connected to it dies.””
“People are already dying.””
“I know.””
Emily looked toward the shelves.
“Then what are we waiting for?””
Mara stepped forward.
“For proof.””
Emily frowned.
“We have proof.””
“No,” Mara said.
“We have pieces.””
Vanessa opened a metal case.
Inside was a small black drive.
“This is the original.””
Emily stared.
“Original what?””
“The recording.””
Mara's face went pale.
“Vanessa…”
“This contains Daniel admitting everything.””
Mara stepped closer.
“You said it was destroyed.””
“I lied.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew one day we'd need it.””
Emily reached for the drive.
Before her fingers touched it, the lights went out.
Not the emergency lights.
Everything.
Darkness.
Then a soft click.
The vault door began closing.
Vanessa rushed toward it.
“No!””
The door slid shut.
They were trapped.
Then a speaker hidden somewhere in the wall crackled.
Daniel's voice came through.
“You found it.””
Emily closed her eyes.
Mara whispered:
“How?””
Daniel laughed.
“Because you finally made the mistake I was waiting for.””
Vanessa pounded on the door.
“You can't get in.””
“Oh, Vanessa.””
His voice became almost gentle.
“I don't need to.””
A small red light appeared above the speaker.
Then a digital timer illuminated on the wall.
04:59.
04:58.
04:57.
Emily stared at it.
“What is that?””
Daniel answered.
“My insurance policy.””
Vanessa turned toward him.
“What have you done?””
“Four minutes and fifty seconds.””
“To what?””
“If you don't open the vault…”
The timer continued.
04:41.
“…the mansion burns.””
Emily looked at Vanessa.
“But the mansion is already on fire.””
Daniel's voice softened.
“Yes.””
A pause.
“But you haven't seen the basement yet.””
Vanessa went completely still.
Emily felt the floor beneath her vibrate.
Then came a deep mechanical sound.
Something had started beneath the vault.
Daniel spoke one final sentence before the speaker went silent.
“Let's see which secret matters more to you…”
The floor began to tremble.
“…the evidence…”
A red warning light turned on.
“…or the people upstairs.””
May you like
The timer reached 04:20.
And then the first drop of gasoline fell from the ceiling.
