Chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Master Control
Downstairs in the grand foyer, the blaring sirens were deafening.
Flashing red emergency lights bathed the marble floors in a bloody hue.
Michael pounded on the solid steel shutters covering the front doors. "It's a complete lockdown! The entire grid is isolated!"
Clara stood trembling by the staircase. "Victoria... Victoria planned this. If anyone ever cornered her, she wanted to burn the evidence. All of it."
"The system has to have a manual override," Michael said, pulling out his laptop and plugging it into a nearby wall terminal. His fingers flew across the keyboard, but access was denied at every level. "It's hardwired. I need to physically access the master control server."
Clara wiped her swollen eyes. "I know where it is."
Michael looked up. "Where?"
"The library," Clara said, her voice shaking. "Behind the oil painting of Daniel's grandfather. Victoria never let the staff clean that wall. I saw her use a keypad there once."
"Show me," Michael ordered.
They ran down the east corridor. The air was growing hot. The fire suppression system was only active upstairs; down here, Victoria’s secondary protocol had ignited the gas lines in the archives room. Real smoke was beginning to drift through the hallways.
They burst into the library.
May you like
Clara pointed to the massive portrait. Michael didn't waste time looking for a keypad. He grabbed a heavy bronze bookend and smashed the painting, tearing the canvas away to reveal a glowing steel control panel.
"I'm in," Michael muttered. "Now, let's see if I can open the gates before this house burns to the ground."
