Part 6
The hallway remained clear,
but the air felt heavier now,
thick with the tension of an impending storm.
I kept Lily behind me,
my hand resting near the tools in my belt,
my eyes scanning every corner.
We moved away from the main staircase,
heading toward the back service elevator,
which the staff used for laundry.
It was an older system,
less likely to be monitored by the main security hub,
and it led directly to the kitchen pantry.
As we neared the end of the corridor,
the low drone of a walkie-talkie echoed from around the corner.
"All units,
check the eastern perimeter,"
a voice crackled through the static,
"We have a camera malfunction in sector four."
My sabotage in the basement had finally been noticed,
and the guards were moving to investigate.
We had to move faster,
but speed without caution is a quick way to get caught.
I pulled Lily into a small recessed doorway,
pressing our bodies against the dark wood,
as a guard hurried past our position.
He was holding a heavy flashlight,
its beam dancing wildly across the walls,
just inches from where we stood.
I watched his back as he moved away,
calculating the distance,
knowing that if he turned around,
our escape route would be cut off.
I stepped out from the recess,
moving with sudden,
silent efficiency,
and closed the distance between us.
Before he could register the sound of my approach,
I threw my arm around his neck,
applying a precise sleeper hold,
just as I had been taught in the academy.
He struggled for a brief second,
his hands clawing at my coat,
but my grip was iron,
fueled by the adrenaline of a father protecting his child.
His eyes rolled back,
his muscles went limp,
and I lowered his unconscious body quietly to the floor.
I dragged him into the nearby linen closet,
shutting the door and turning the lock,
ensuring he wouldn't be found for hours.
I took his walkie-talkie from his belt,
clipping it to my own jacket,
so I could monitor their movements in real-time.
"Good job,"
Lily whispered,
her eyes wide with awe,
having never seen this side of her quiet father before.
"Years of practice,
sweetheart,"
I murmured,
giving her a small,
reassuring smile,
"Now let's get out of here."
We reached the service elevator,
the heavy metal door opening with a dull groan,
as I pressed the button for the lower level.
The elevator began its slow descent,
the cables rattling inside the shaft,
a sound that seemed dangerously loud in the quiet house.
I listened to the radio on my belt,
the static cutting through the silence,
as the security team began to realize something was wrong.
"Guard three,
what's your status?"
the dispatcher asked,
the voice growing more urgent,
"Guard three,
respond."
Guard three was currently asleep in the linen closet,
and his silence was about to blow our cover completely.
The elevator gave a soft chime,
announcing our arrival at the basement level,
and the doors slid open.
I stepped out first,
May you like
the flashlight ready,
my mind already mapping the next move.
