Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78534 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
"Go!" he orders. "Get behind something so we don't have to worry about covering you at the same time. We'll fucking handle this."
The first couple of gunshots tear chunks out of the ceiling. Even knowing that they were going to shoot, I jump when it happens, then obey Riot, trusting him to watch my back as I run as fast as I can into the reception area for the office wing. I hide behind the corner so I can peek without exposing too much of myself.
Shouldn't Skyhigh and the others have caught up by now? I'm starting to get a really bad feeling about this.
A bullet shreds the wall right above my head, making me draw back with a scream.
"Jessica!" roars Tex.
"I'm fine! I'm fine!" I yell back. If they get hurt because I distract them, I'll never forgive myself. It feels like my fault that we're stuck here to begin with.
Someone screams, but it doesn't sound like anyone I know.
I look around the reception area. It’s probably only the second or third time I’ve been here ever. Most of my time was spent with Anne, either in her rooms or in the recreational areas. I never questioned why, but if he had Mom locked away in his research area, maybe he wanted to make sure we never crossed paths.
I wonder if she ever saw me on the cameras over the years. If she watched me grow up from a distance.
There’s not much to hide behind, other than the receptionist's desk and a couple of deep leather chairs for clients to wait in, after they've come up the fancy spiral stair from the front of the office wing. I doubt they’re bulletproof. But maybe I can make myself useful. Victor's office is right down the hall. If he has anything that gives access to the lab, it'd be in there. He had me bring him things a couple of times, and at least then, my code worked on his office door.
Worth a shot. The worst that happens is the alarm keeps going off.
So while there's a full war out in front of the lab, I inch down the hall towards Victor's office. I try peeking in through the big windows first, but they're so darkly tinted I can't tell. They're electronic, so he can change the tint when he wants to, but they're set to max darkness now. That's normal when he's not in there, but it means I can't tell if the office is empty. Then again, with all the shooting and yelling going on, I can't imagine Victor just sitting in there without doing anything.
I try using my finger on the door lock, followed by my code.
The door clicks, unlocking.
Yes! Feeling way too pleased with myself, I nudge it open. The lights are off, and with the tint all the way up, the room is almost pitch black. Where's the light switch? I close the door behind me first, and it clicks as the lock engages again.
Fumbling along the door frame, I find a switch and flip it. I'm rewarded with bright light flooding the large room. Victor's massive oak desk dominates one side of the room, the back of his tall leather office chair facing me. The floor's polished wood and partially covered by a thick, tightly woven Persian rug. There are stands with sculptures on them, along with three very comfortable-looking chairs. On the wall opposite the desk, there's a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, packed with old-looking books. I have never seen Victor read anything, so I have no idea if he has or not, but this room is built to impress, so I bet they’re mainly decoration. A couple of doors in the wall across from me are closed. I've never been beyond this room so I have no idea what’s in there. On the wall behind the desk hangs a saber and a tomahawk crossed over a shield, like he’s some kind of warrior or great hunter. I roll my eyes.
But this is the center of his operations when he's at the estate. So maybe there's something in his desk we can use.
And that's when the chair spins, revealing Victor, dressed in his usual designer suit. "Jessica. You've come home." He's got a gun in one hand and a cigar in the other. "This is just perfect. You came straight to me."
No, no, no. Was he waiting for us this whole time? I need to get out of here. I grab the door handle and shake it, but while it rattles, it doesn't budge.
"It's locked, Jessica. Steel door, bulletproof glass. I was watching you on my screen. You didn’t really think I would’ve let you have access to my private office, did you? Even if your bikers somehow survive out there, they'll never get through." He eases back in his chair, putting the gun on his desk and taking a drag from the cigar. "We have a little catching up to do, don't we?"