Chapter 16 - The Burning Wing
The light shifted, revealing a man wearing a tactical police vest with a gold detective badge on his belt.
"Detective Vance," the man said, lowering his flashlight slightly.
Clara gasped as she recognized the voice and the face.
It was her estranged older brother, whom she hadn't seen in over seven years.
"What are you doing here?!" Clara screamed, lowered the fire extinguisher slightly.
"I've been working the undercover case on the Morrison family disappearances for two years," he said rapidly.
"We knew Julian was luring women who matched his missing sister's profile."
"I tried to stop you from taking this nanny job, Clara!"
Suddenly, an explosion rocked the ceiling above them, sending concrete dust and sparks showering down.
Orange flames began licking through the wooden support beams of the floor above.
"The building is collapsing!" Detective Vance yelled, pulling a heavy crowbar from his tactical belt.
He jammed the crowbar into the seam of the steel vault door, straining with all his strength.
Julianne joined him, leveraging her weight against the iron bar until the lock mechanism shattered with a loud crack.
Clara burst into the room and unbuckled both young boys from the metal chairs.
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"I've got them!" Clara shouted, lifting Toby while Julianne carried little Leo.
As they turned back toward the stairs, a figure wrapped in flames stepped out of the burning stairwell, blocking their only exit.
