Chapter 10 - The Detonation
His lungs screamed for oxygen. The carbon monoxide was thick enough to taste.
Marcus grabbed the steering wheel with his free hand. He planted his boots against the dashboard for leverage.
He braced himself, closed his eyes, and violently twisted his right arm.
A wet snap echoed in the cabin. The agony was blinding. His thumb hung at a grotesque angle.
He slipped his bloody, broken hand through the steel cuff. He grabbed the steering wheel lock and smashed it against the driver's side window.
The glass shattered. He threw himself out onto the cold concrete of a residential garage.
He dragged himself outside, vomiting onto the manicured lawn.
"Bravo, Marcus."
Eleanor stood in the driveway. She wore a pristine white coat, entirely unfazed by the choking fumes.
"You set the fire," Marcus gasped, clutching his shattered hand.
"Of course I did," she smiled. "The blue pills just convinced you it was your fault. Guilt is the ultimate leash."
She pulled back her sleeve, checking her gold watch. It was the exact same dismissive gesture Marcus used when disciplining Austin.
"I'm not here to kill you," Eleanor said softly, pulling out a tablet. "I'm here to watch you lose everything."
She tapped the screen.
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Directly across the street, Marcus’s multi-million dollar mansion detonated in a massive, earth-shaking fireball.
