Chapter 11 - The Violent Strike
Maria didn't wait for Julian's signal.
She kicked the wooden tunnel door open with all her force, crashing it against the stone wall.
"Get away from her, you bastard!" Maria screamed, lunging into the basement room.
Arthur turned his revolver toward the doorway, his eyes flaring in sudden shock.
Before he could pull the trigger, Julian Ross rushed in from the dark and swung his crowbar.
The heavy steel bar struck Arthur’s wrist with a sickening crack.
Arthur howled in pain, dropping the black revolver onto the cold concrete floor.
The gun skittered across the floor, stopping right at Dr. Vance's feet.
"Grab the gun!" Arthur roared, clutching his broken wrist.
"Shoot them, Vance!"
Dr. Vance looked down at the weapon, his whole body trembling with sheer terror.
He scrambled backward on his hands and knees, pushing the gun away instead.
"No!" Dr. Vance sobbed, hyperventilating violently.
"No more shooting!"
"I'm done with this!"
Maria ran directly to Emily’s chair, pulling a small folding knife from her pocket.
She began slashing wildly through the heavy leather straps binding Emily’s wrists.
"I’m here, Emily!" Maria cried, tears streaming down her bruised cheeks.
"I’ve got you!"
Emily’s throat worked frantically, her mouth forming silent words as the paralytic slowly wore off under extreme adrenaline.
"M... Ma... ria..." Emily choked out, her voice a barely audible, raspy whisper.
"She spoke!" Maria gasped, weeping with relief as the last strap snapped.
"You can talk!"
Arthur snarled like a wounded animal and launched himself at Julian, tackling the lawyer onto the concrete.
The two men tumbled into the shadows, fighting desperately over the dropped crowbar.
"Vance, get the syringe!" Arthur bellowed, pinning Julian to the floor with his elbow.
May you like
"Kill the maid!"
Dr. Vance scrambled toward the fallen medical tray, his eyes wild with desperate fear.
