Chapter 8: The Chemistry of Survival
Chapter 8: The Chemistry of Survival
Rosa slipped out of her quarters and into the mansion's labyrinthine servant corridors, clutching her daughter to her chest. She remembered the layout perfectly, having memorized every blind spot to avoid Vanessa over the years. She also remembered the exact chemical inventory of the household cleaning supplies.
Up ahead, two mercenaries clad in black tactical gear and glowing green night-vision goggles stalked down the hallway, their suppressed assault rifles raised and sweeping the corners.
Rosa quickly set Lily down inside a metal dumbwaiter. "Stay," she mouthed, pressing the button to send the child up to the relatively safer second floor.
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She crept into the adjacent utility closet, grabbing a bottle of industrial-grade bleach and a heavy plastic jug of ammonia. It was the most basic, dangerous mistake an amateur housekeeper could make, but right now, it was her only weapon. She rapidly mixed the volatile chemicals inside a thick glass vase, placed it on a wheeled serving cart, and shoved the cart hard down the hallway directly at the operatives.
Hearing the wheels squeak, the mercenaries spun around, instantly firing suppressed bursts at the rolling silhouette. The bullets shattered the vase. A highly toxic, blinding cloud of chloramine gas erupted in the enclosed, unventilated space. The men dropped their weapons, clawing frantically at their throats and eyes as they collapsed to the floor, choking and convulsing on the corrosive fumes while Rosa slipped past them in the dark.
