Chapter 50: At the Threshold
Chapter 50: At the Threshold
The last shot from Melynda shattered the remaining garden lamp. The surroundings became pitch black for a few seconds before the fire from the previous explosion lit the area again with a grim orange glow. Xavier pulled Agatha into the mansion. They quickly locked the large door with a heavy iron bolt. The sound of the metal sliding into place echoed through the hallway. Agatha slumped against the wall. She clutched her waist which continued to leak blood. Her white satin dress had now completely changed color to a dark red.
"Can you still stand?" Xavier asked in a very low voice.
"I still have two legs, Xavier. Even though one of them feels like it wants to fall off," Agatha replied while wincing.
She took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sharp pain that traveled up her spine. Melynda stood near the window. She peered toward the garden through a gap in the torn curtains. Outside, Vargo's troops stopped moving forward. The bodies of their men piled up in front of the entrance served as a clear warning. Anyone who took another step toward that door would immediately lose their life. Melynda lowered her weapon but remained alert.
"They are afraid," Melynda said without turning around.
"They should be afraid," Xavier replied while checking the remaining bullets in his pistol.
"Vargo will not let them stay quiet for too long. He will use grenades or ram a truck into this door," Melynda said.
Melynda walked toward a large wooden cabinet in the corner of the office that connected to the lobby. She moved several old photo frames that were placed there. Xavier watched his mother with a furrowed brow. He had lived in this mansion since he was a child, but he had never seen his mother touch that part of the wall.
"Follow me. We cannot stay in this lobby any longer," Melynda said.
"Where to, Mother? All exits are surrounded," Xavier asked.
"Not an exit. We are going inside," Melynda answered.
Melynda pressed a hidden lever behind the wood panel. The sound of an old machine grinding came from behind the wall. The bookshelf next to the cabinet slowly slid sideways, revealing a small steel door that was hidden neatly.
"Since when has there been a room here?" Xavier asked with a tone of disbelief.
"Since your father decided that this world was too dangerous for us," Melynda replied shortly.
Melynda entered a numeric code on the digital panel that looked quite worn. The steel door opened with the sound of a hiss of air. Xavier helped Agatha stand. They entered a narrow corridor that led underground. The room at the end of the corridor was quite spacious, equipped with several sophisticated monitors, food supplies, and a weapons cabinet that was full.
Agatha immediately sat in a swivel chair that was there. She leaned her head back while catching her breath.
"This room is very cold. Why did you never tell Xavier about this place?" Agatha asked.
Melynda fell silent for a moment. She stared at the wall of the room with a blank look. Her hand brushed the surface of a dusty iron table.
"Because this is the last place I saw my husband," Melynda said. Her voice sounded shaky but remained controlled.
Xavier turned toward his mother. "What do you mean, Mother?"
"That night, when Luigi raided our mansion, your father brought me to this room. He locked me inside. He set a time limit on this door for twelve hours. He said he would come back to get me after everything was clear," Melynda told them.
"And he never came back," Agatha whispered softly.
"I could only sit here, watching the monitors that captured images of him being surrounded in the garden. I screamed until my voice was gone, hitting this steel door until my hands were bloody. But the door could not be opened from the inside before the time ran out. He left me here so that I would stay alive, while he faced death alone," Melynda continued.
Xavier approached and touched his mother's shoulder. "You have done your best to survive, Mother."
"I hate this room, Xavier. But tonight, this room is the only reason the two of you will not die at the hands of Vargo," Melynda said while wiping her eyes quickly.
Agatha watched the monitors in front of the desk. The screens displayed every corner of the garden and the front area of the mansion in real time. She could see Vargo shouting at his remaining men. Vargo looked very angry. He kicked one of his men until the man fell to the ground.
"He really looks like a mad dog throwing a tantrum," Agatha said.
Agatha began to tinker with the control panel under the monitor. She saw many buttons that had special labels. Her hands, which were still smeared with blood, touched the touch screen that displayed the external defense scheme of the mansion.
"Xavier, do you see this? Your father did not just build a room to hide in," Agatha said.
Xavier also leaned toward the monitor. "What is it?"
"The garden irrigation system. Your father installed gas pipes under the soil of the rose garden. This is not ordinary water. It says high level corrosive gas for emergencies here," Agatha explained.
"Can you activate it?" Melynda asked.
"I need an access code. Xavier, do you know your father's date of birth or maybe their wedding date?" Agatha asked while turning to Xavier.
"Try the date of his death," Melynda said suddenly.
Agatha entered the series of numbers for the date of Xavier's father's death. The monitor screen immediately turned green. A warning appeared on the screen: Garden Cleaning Protocol Ready to be Activated.
"You want to burn them all?" Xavier asked.
"Not burn them. This gas will paralyze their lungs in seconds. And look at this button on the right. This is the high voltage release system on the garden fence," Agatha replied with a thin smirk.
Xavier looked at his wife with pride. "Do it, Agatha. Give them a gift for ruining my sleep."
Agatha pressed the confirmation button. On the monitor screen, they could see small pipes hidden between the rose plants starting to release thin but thick white smoke. Vargo's troops who were preparing to hit the mansion door began to cough. Some of them immediately fell to their knees while clutching their necks.
"Look at Vargo. He is trying to run toward the gate," Melynda said while pointing at one of the screens.
"But he does not know that the fence is electrified," Agatha added.
Vargo reached the large iron gate. He held the iron bars with the intention of climbing them. Instantly, a flash of electricity struck his large body. Vargo was thrown back with a smoking body. He did not die, but he looked very much in pain with burns all over his hands.
"That is for my roses that you stepped on," Agatha muttered satisfied.
The atmosphere in the garden became chaotic. The troops that were once many were now lying on the grass. The white smoke filled the entire garden area until not a single person could see the way out. Vargo tried to crawl away, but the gas continued to chase him along with the blowing of the night wind.
"They all got fatal injuries. Their lungs will never be the same after this," Xavier said.
Agatha leaned her back against the chair. She felt her body starting to feel very light because she was weak.
"Xavier, I have driven them away. Now can you treat me? I think I really need stitches again now," Agatha said.
Xavier immediately picked Agatha up. He looked at his mother who was still standing staring at the monitor.
"Mother, we have to go out now. Frans must have managed to break through the front blockade because Vargo's troops there must have been affected by this gas too," Xavier said.
"Go first. I will make sure this system is locked again so that it does not endanger the servants who might still be hiding in the kitchen," Melynda answered.
Xavier nodded. He carried Agatha out of that secret room. As they passed through the lobby, Xavier could see the view of the garden which was now silent. There was no longer the sound of gunshots.
"You are great, Darling," Xavier whispered in his wife's ear.
"Do not just say I am great. I want an extra cheese omelet tomorrow morning," Agatha replied in a very weak voice.
"You will get whatever you want, Darling," Xavier promised while accelerating his steps toward the front door which was now opened by Frans.
Frans ran closer with a face full of dust and scratches. He was shocked to see Agatha's miserable condition in Xavier's arms.
"Xav, we managed to catch Vargo. He is still alive but his condition is very bad," Frans reported.
"Take him to the other basement. Do not let him die yet. I have many questions for him after my wife is fully conscious," Xavier ordered in a very cold tone.
Xavier put Agatha into the car that was waiting. He continued to hold Agatha's cold hand. The night full of blood and destruction finally began to subside, leaving behind the remnants of a grudge that was still burning under the Paris sky.
"Xavier, do not let go of my hand," Agatha said before she closed her eyes because of exhaustion.
"I will never let it go, Agatha. Never," Xavier replied while kissing his wife's forehead which was full of sweat and dust.
The car drove through the night. Behind them, the Valois mansion stood firm even though its walls were full of bullet holes. A symbol that even though they were attacked heavily, the family still would not be easily destroyed.