Chapter 282: Chapter 282
Chapter 282
Ethan pressed his shoulder flat against the cold concrete of the lower hallway, keeping every muscle in his body still. His side was burning, a sharp pain shooting through his ribs with every breath he took, reminding him just how battered and exhausted he really was. Traveling across countries on sheer adrenaline had drained whatever strength he had left. He knew his limits. He was in no condition to throw punches or wrestle a broad-shouldered, armed guard to the ground. Trying to fight head-on would only get him killed, and he hadn't come all this way to fail at the finish line. He needed to use his head.
Looking down the narrow service corridor, Ethan spotted an open electrical breaker panel mounted low on the stone wall about twenty feet behind him. Thick rubber cables ran out of the metal box, feeding power to the temporary work lights hung along the ceiling. Keeping his eyes fixed on the guard standing outside the oak door, Ethan slid back into the shadows, staying close to the floor. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the heavy steel wrench he had grabbed from the loading dock workbench earlier.
He didn't hit the guard with it right away. Instead, he reached into his front jeans pocket, pulled out a loose brass bolt he had picked up near the supply truck, and tossed it down the adjacent corridor. The heavy piece of metal struck a pile of empty tin cans sitting near a utility sink, creating a sharp, echoing clatter that bounced off the basement walls.
The guard snapped his head toward the noise immediately. He unclipped the leather strap holding his stun baton, unhooked his flashlight, and took three cautious steps away from the heavy oak door. "Who's there?" the guard called out in a low French accent, shining his flashlight beam down the dark, empty passage.
As soon as the guard’s back turned fully away from the cellar door, Ethan moved. He didn't rush with a loud run; he glided forward on quiet shoes, holding the steel wrench tight in his right fist. The guard took another step toward the utility sink, completely unaware of the presence behind him. Ethan closed the gap in three fast steps, lifted the heavy wrench, and brought the iron handle down hard against the side of the guard's neck and shoulder junction.
The guard let out a muffled groan, his knees instantly buckling beneath him. Before the man could crash loudly onto the stone floor or reach for his two-way radio, Ethan caught him by the back of his tactical vest, breaking his fall and lowering him quietly onto the ground. The guard lay completely unconscious, his flashlight rolling silently across the concrete.
Breathing heavily, Ethan dropped to one knee beside the fallen man. His hands shook slightly from the sudden rush of adrenaline and physical strain, but he forced himself to focus. He reached down, unclipped the plastic security keycard from the guard's belt loop, and snatched the small black radio from his shoulder strap, switching the volume knob to silent so no sudden static would blow his cover.
He stood up slowly, pushing through the dull ache in his legs, and walked straight over to the reinforced oak door. His heart pounded wildly in his ears as he held the black keycard up to the digital scanner mounted on the wall.
The reader beeped twice, its red light instantly turning green, followed by the loud, mechanical clunk of heavy iron deadbolts retracting inside the frame.
Ethan grabbed the metal door handle, turned it with a firm push, and stepped right into the room.