Chapter 7 - THE ESCAPE Julian had spent three years believing he was powerless.
That man was gone.
He knew the mansion better than anyone.
He knew every corridor.
Every hidden passage.
Every secret room.
He took Lilly and Nora through the servants' tunnel.
Clara followed.
Reed covered them from behind.
Bullets struck the walls.
Glass exploded.
The children screamed.
"Keep moving!" Julian shouted.
They reached the old underground railway.
Julian remembered the map his father had shown him once.
A maintenance train still sat beneath the estate.
They climbed aboard.
Reed started the engine.
The ancient machine groaned.
Then moved.
Behind them, Hale's men entered the tunnel.
Julian looked back.
One of the men raised a rifle.
Clara slammed the emergency door.
The train disappeared into darkness.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Lilly whispered:
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Are we going to save Mommy?"
Julian kissed her forehead.
"We're going to bring her home."
Nora watched them silently.
For the first time in years, she looked hopeful.
But the tunnel suddenly shook.
An explosion erupted behind them.
The train lurched.
Reed shouted:
"Brace!"
The lights died.
Julian grabbed both girls.
The train screamed against the rails.
Then stopped.
Silence.
Julian slowly opened his eyes.
Ahead of them stood a wall.
But painted on it was a symbol.
A black eclipse.
Nora whispered:
"Project Eclipse."
May you like
Julian realized they had not escaped.
They had entered the heart of it.
Related Stories
