Chapter 8 - The Rope's Final Knot
The outer door of the panic room sparked as the attackers used a blowtorch to cut through the heavy electronic lock.
The steel door swung open with a heavy bang.
The lead mercenary stepped into the narrow entry hall, holding a shotgun. "End of the line, little girl—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Emma pulled a taut section of the thick hemp rope she had strung at ankle height across the narrow doorway.
The mercenary tripped heavily, crashing face-first onto the hard concrete floor.
Emma didn't hesitate. She swung the heavy fire extinguisher with all her weight, striking the man square across the helmet, knocking him instantly unconscious.
The second attacker stepped over his fallen partner, raising his weapon, but Emma sprayed the chemical extinguisher directly into his face, blinding him with white powder. He screamed, stumbling backward into the dark corridor.
Suddenly, a gunshot echoed down the hallway.
The third attacker gasped, dropping his weapon and falling to his knees.
Standing behind him in the dim light was Gabriel, his face covered in soot, blood dripping from a small cut on his temple, holding a smoking pistol.
He dropped the gun, rushing into the doorway and grabbing Emma by the shoulders. "Emma! Are you hit?! Are you alright?!"
Emma dropped the fire extinguisher, her hands shaking uncontrollably as she looked up at him. "I... I tripped him with the rope."
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Gabriel looked at the unconscious mercenary on the floor, then at Emma. A breathy, disbelief-filled laugh escaped his lips. He pulled her flush against his chest, holding her so tightly she could feel the thunderous beat of his heart.
"You crazy, brilliant woman," Gabriel whispered into her hair, kissing her temple repeatedly. "You saved them."
