Chapter 4: The Race Against Time
Eleanor’s mind raced as she watched Ethan move toward Lila, the needle in his hand glinting in the dim light. She had to do something, anything, to stop him. She looked around the room, searching for a weapon, but there was nothing-only the table, the chairs, and the stack of papers on the table.
She noticed a small ashtray on the table, filled with cigarette butts, and she reached for it, her fingers trembling. She threw it as hard as she could at Ethan, hitting him in the shoulder. Ethan turned around, his face filled with anger, and he let go of Eleanor’s arm, reaching for the ashtray.
“Stupid bitch,” he yelled, tossing the ashtray aside and lunging at Eleanor. She stumbled backward, hitting the wall, and Ethan grabbed her by the throat, his fingers tightening around her neck. “You think you can stop me?” he said, his voice low, his eyes filled with rage. “You’re going to die here, just like your daughter.”
Lila saw her mother struggling, and she used her free hand to grab the man holding her, biting him hard on the arm. The man yelled, letting go of her, and Lila stood up, rushing toward Eleanor. She grabbed a chair from the table, swinging it at Ethan, hitting him in the back. Ethan let go of Eleanor, stumbling forward, and Lila pushed him into the wall, her face filled with rage.
“Get away from my mom!” she yelled, swinging the chair again, hitting Ethan in the shoulder. Ethan fell to the floor, groaning, and Lila helped Eleanor stand up, her hands shaking. “Are you okay?” she said, her voice filled with concern.
Eleanor nodded, her throat sore. “I’m fine,” she said, looking around the room. “We have to get out of here.”
She ran toward the door, trying to open it, but it was locked. She looked around the room, searching for a key, but there was no key in sight. She heard Ethan stand up behind her, and she turned around, grabbing a lamp from the table, swinging it at him. Ethan dodged, grabbing the lamp from her hand, and tossed it aside.
“You’re not going to get away,” he said, his voice cold. “I’ve been planning this for three years. I’m not going to let you ruin my revenge.”
He reached into his briefcase, pulling out a gun, and pointed it at Lila. Eleanor’s blood ran cold. She’d never seen a gun before, not in real life, and she could feel her knees giving out. “Don’t hurt her,” she said, her voice shaking. “I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t hurt her.”
Ethan smiled, lowering the gun slightly. “Anything?” he said. “You’ll give me the files? The ones you hid in your museum?”
Eleanor nodded. “Yes,” she said. “I’ll give them to you. Just don’t hurt my daughter.”
Ethan put the gun down, smiling. “Good,” he said. “Now, you’re going to take me to the museum, and you’re going to give me the files. And then you and your daughter are going to disappear. Forever.”
Eleanor stared at him, her mind racing. She knew that she couldn’t give him the files, not the real ones, the ones that contained the evidence of the cover-up. She’d hidden them in the basement of the museum, in a locked vault, and she’d only told one person where they were, her old colleague, Mark, who worked as a security guard at the museum.
She had to find a way to contact Mark, to tell him what was happening, to get help. She looked around the room, searching for a way to signal for help, but there was no phone, no way to call anyone. She noticed a small window high on the wall, and she pointed to it, smiling. “I need to get my purse,” she said. “It has my ID and my wallet. I can’t go to the museum without it.”
Ethan hesitated, then nodded. “Fine,” he said. “But you don’t try anything stupid. I’m watching you.”
He let go of Eleanor, and she walked over to her purse, which was lying on the table. She reached into her purse, pulling out her phone, and she hid it in her sleeve, her hands trembling. She knew that she had to send a text to Mark, to tell him what was happening, but she didn’t know if he’d see it.
She turned around, smiling at Ethan. “I’m ready,” she said. “Let’s go.”
May you like
Ethan nodded, and he led Lila and Eleanor out of the room, back down the hallway, toward the exit. Lila walked between Eleanor and Ethan, her hands trembling, her eyes filled with terror. Eleanor kept her hand in her sleeve, holding her phone, and she prayed that Mark would see the text, that he’d come to help them, that they’d make it out of this alive.
