AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Who?”
“Let’s find out,” said Cowboy.
As the men split up, Tanner and Mo took the third floor first, checking each of the rooms to be sure they were empty and didn’t have any hidden doors or rooms. The equipment that they possessed worked much like an x-ray machine, revealing things that the naked eye could not see. On the third floor at least, all was as it seemed.
On the second floor, Cowboy and Eazee searched the rooms, admiring the luxurious bathrooms with their gold fixtures, imported tile, and grand bathtubs and showers. On their floor alone, there were eight bathrooms.
“This place is massive,” whispered Eazee. Cowboy nodded, scanning the walls as he moved slowly. Suddenly, he stopped, looking up, then back down.
“There.”
“What? What do you see?” asked Eazee.
“A staircase behind that wall. There’s no door, but it’s there.”
The men ran their hands along the wall, gently pressing as they did. Eazee heard a soft click, then stepped back, allowing Cowboy to pull his weapon. When he pulled the door open all the way, he was met with nothing except dust and a musty smell.
“We have a staircase on two,” said Eazee into comms. “We’re coming down. Don’t fucking shoot.”
The two men looked up, just to be sure it didn’t go all the way to three, but it did not. As they reached the first floor, they realized it didn’t go below the house either. Pushing the wall, it opened just as it had above, leading them into the massive dining hall.
“Well?” asked Liffey.
“Nothing. Empty rooms, no dust, no furniture, not a speck of anything. This was obviously just a hidden staircase for servants or the owners.”
“There has to be something else,” said Tanner. “We’re missing something.”
“If you think about it, it would be stupid to place a biochemical weapon below your home. Maybe it’s further out,” said Bogey.
“Maybe, but they would need to access it quickly,” said the big man.
Cowboy stepped back, leaning on the wall, and they all heard the distinct echo of a creak. He froze, staring at them, then leaned forward again. The creak was louder this time. Stomping his heel on the floor, they heard the hollow sound of emptiness below the floor.
Liffey knelt down, knocking on the floor. The white oak floors were in pristine condition, their beautiful shine puzzling, to say the least. His hand glided slowly over the wood, hoping to feel something that would lead them to what was below. When he jerked his hand back with a sliver, they’d found it.
“I need something to pry this open,” he said, looking up at the other men. Cowboy pulled the huge knife from his boot, gliding it along the edge of the raised lip. “Another.”
Tanner knelt, doing the same. As the two men lifted, they could hear it creak again, then give way, raising from the floor. A three-foot by six-foot opening revealed a beautifully constructed staircase. Too beautiful to be hidden.
“Is this a room?” asked Mo.
“One way to find out,” said Liffey.
Taking out his light, he shone it down the steps and began the ascension. The others followed, careful to not allow the door to slam. Tanner jammed his knife into the edge of the floor, preventing the door from closing fully. Now in complete darkness, other than their flashlights, the men continued to walk down and into a room.
“It’s almost like an office,” frowned Eazee. “Look. Bookcases, desk, leather chair. And it’s covered in dust. Whoever is keeping house upstairs doesn’t know anything about this.”
“See if there’s anything inside the desk,” said Tanner.
Tanner and Mo opened the drawers, finding folders with information on the mortgage, utility bills, feed for cattle once kept on the property, but nothing to do with weapons.
Cowboy ran his hands over the walls, pushing again to see if anything might lead them to a tunnel. He was right. As one of the bookshelves swayed open, a blast of damp, stale air hit them.
“Cover your mouths,” said Liffey. “We can’t be too careful.”
Wrapping bandanas or whatever they had around their mouth and nose, they slowly made their way into the tunnel. The floor was dirt, but the sides were reinforced with wood beams and rafters. Still, there was no telling how old the tunnels were, so every step could be their last.
“Did I ever tell you guys I hate tight spaces?” frowned Cowboy.
