Chapter 13 - The Shattered Latch
The heavy metal hatch swung wide open with a violent metallic clang, leaving Clara completely exposed on the precarious edge of the elevator cab. Marcus stood triumphantly on the catwalk above her, the industrial wrench gripped tightly in his bloodied hand as he leaned down to grab her by the collar of her ruined red dress.
“End of the line, Clara,” Marcus hissed, pulling her upward with a brutal jerk that scraped her arms against the sharp edges of the broken hatch.
Clara gasped, her fingers frantically searching for anything to anchor herself to as her feet dangled over the dark, yawning drop of the elevator shaft. Below them, the faint sound of sirens began to wail in the distance, growing louder by the second as they echoed off the damp concrete streets outside the building.
“The police are here, Marcus. You can’t run anymore,” Clara strained, digging her fingernails into the wooden beam supporting the catwalk floor.
Marcus paused, his eyes darting frantically toward the distant wail of sirens before hardening with desperate resolve. He reached into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out a small detonator box with a flashing green toggle switch.
“If I’m going down, the entire wing goes up with me,” Marcus muttered, his thumb hovering menacingly over the switch.
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Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the hallway below as the heavy fire doors were blown off their hinges by a battering ram, followed by the booming voices of federal agents storming the building.
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