Chapter 1037
Preston, sensing the end, panicked. He scrambled toward the door and clawed at the steel. “Let me out! I’m not part of this! I just wanted the money!”
“Shut up, you worm,” Alistair said, emerging from the shadows near the door. He had slipped in just before it closed. He grabbed Preston by the back of the neck and slammed his face into the steel. Preston slumped into the water, unconscious.
“Alistair!” Skye called out. “The maintenance hatch! The one for the drainage overflow!”
“What?”
“The tank sits directly over the emergency flush valve!” Skye pointed to the shattered remains of the glass cylinder. “If we can blow the seal, it drops into the storm tunnels!”
Bastian heard her. He looked at the tank. He looked at Skye.
а𝗱𝗱𝗂𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝖾 𝘀𝘵𝗈ri𝖾𝘀 оn 𝗴а𝗹𝗇𝗼𝘃𝖾𝗹ѕ.c𝘰𝘮
“No escape,” Bastian snarled.
He charged at her, splashing through the water. He didn’t use his gun. He wanted to kill her with his hands.
Skye tried to raise her rifle, but a spasm of pain in her shoulder made her drop it. She was defenseless.
Bastian crashed into her, driving her back into the water. His hands found her throat and squeezed.
“You ruined everything!” Bastian screamed, spittle flying. “You little witch!”
Skye clawed at his face, kicking, thrashing. Water filled her nose. Darkness crept into the edges of her vision.
Then Bastian was ripped away.
Liam had him in a chokehold.
“Get off her!” Liam roared, dragging his father back.
Bastian drove his elbow into Liam’s ribs. Liam grunted, his face going pale as the blow jarred his injured shoulder, his left arm spasming and weakening. He nearly lost his grip. They wrestled in the water, rolling over and over—father and son locked in a death struggle.
“Go!” Liam shouted to Skye. “Open the hatch!”
Skye scrambled to her feet, gasping. She waded to the center of the shattered tank. The floor hatch was heavy iron, sealed with rust and pressure.
“Alistair! Help me!”
Alistair splashed over. Together they grabbed the wheel.
“One, two, three!”
They heaved. The wheel screeched but didn’t turn.
“Shoot the hinges!” Alistair drew his Beretta and fired three rounds into the corroded metal.
They kicked the grate. It gave way with a metallic clang, revealing a dark, narrow drop.
“Julian!” Skye yelled.
Julian wheeled his chair through the water. “I can’t fit the chair!”
“Leave it!” Alistair grabbed Julian and hoisted him clear. “Ethan catches you at the bottom!” He lowered Julian into the opening. A distant splash echoed from below.
“Skye, go!” Alistair ordered.
“Not without Liam!”
She turned. Liam and Bastian were on their feet, and Bastian had the knife pressed against Liam’s throat.
“Move and I cut him!” Bastian panted.
The air was getting thin. Skye felt dizzy.
“Let him go, Bastian,” Skye said, her voice trembling. “The room is dying. We can all leave.”
“I don’t want to leave,” Bastian smiled. “I want to take my legacy with me.”
He pressed the knife harder. A thin line of blood appeared on Liam’s neck.
Liam looked at Skye. His eyes were sad. Resigned.
“Skye,” Liam whispered. “Run.”
“No,” Skye said.