Chapter 806:
âThereâs been commotion outside; someoneâs hurt. Is Mr. Shaw all right?â
âDonât worry, heâs fine,â Jareth assured her tersely. His eyes darted toward the hallway, his demeanor tense and hyper-alert. âThings are chaotic out there. Iâll take you through the secret path.â
He cast another wary glance at the door, his posture rigid, ready for anything.
Allison nodded, playing along. âOkay.â
Trailing behind him, they reached the elevator entrance.
âMr. Williamson, I think I saw the elevator going up earlier. Could someone be coming this way?â Allison asked, pretending to be puzzled.
In reality, she kept her eyes on the elevatorâs floor numbers. It was mere seconds away from reaching their level.
âYouâre right. We canât take this way,â Jareth muttered, the weight of realization dawning on him.
Without hesitation, he pushed open the emergency stairwell door nearby. âWeâll use the stairwell. Letâs go!â
Just as they slipped inside, the elevator chimed with a soft ding. The sound of heavy, purposeful boots filled the hallway, a small army of well-trained operatives.
Jareth paused, listening. His face paled, and sweat beaded on his forehead.
Had they been a step slower, they might have been found and riddled with bullets by now!
Jarethâs frown deepened as he glanced at Allison, who was standing next to him. She was hugging the wall, her body tense with fear, almost as if the mere sound of footsteps could shatter her.
âAlice, we need to leave quickly.â
He nudged Allison, urging her to pick up the pace of their escape. But the instant he spoke, her eyes iced over.
âWeâve been discovered.â
Allisonâs training on the island had honed her senses to a razorâs edge. While they were hiding, she had tuned into the faintest noises outside. The moment Jarethâs voice broke the silence, the shuffling feet outside paused â they didnât retreat.
The truth was crystal clear â those men had heard them. Without a word, she seized Jarethâs arm, and they bolted downstairs.
Just as they reached the landing, the fire door exploded open with a resounding bang!
âSomeone must be here!â shouted the men in black, unleashing a barrage of bullets into the dark elevator shaft.
Bang!
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