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There was a door nearby. She knew it wasn't an escape route, but strategically, she needed to use it. Darting through it, she entered a small, dark room with a few wooden shelves on the far side that she guessed might have been a wine cellar or other storage facility but was now empty. At least now she'd have them both approaching her from the front. In the corridor, she'd been trapped between them.
The guard who had joined his colleague was the same stamp of man as the one who’d guarded the door. Aggressive muscle, hired to solve problems by force. She didn't know how much they would know about the operation. There were probably a lot of ancillary workers who were hired to 'do their job' and who just turned a blind eye.
But the guards were clearly briefed to use force when needed because now, as they crowded into the storage room, she saw that one had a wooden baton in his hand, and the other one was wielding a truncheon.
"Madame, you are here without permission. This is not allowed. You must vacate the premises," the guard with the truncheon commanded. "You have no armband. You should not be here. Leave immediately."
“I don’t plan on doing that. I want to speak to the person in charge. The head of this foundation. Is he at this event?”
You can’t do that. He doesn’t see uninvited guests. Now leave, or we will make you leave."
"Sounds like a good time,” Cora retaliated. “There are only two of you. Would you like me to wait for you to get a third? Might give you a better chance."
"If you comply with us, there will be no need for anything further," the guard said, making the threat very clear. They were ready to use force. In fact, as the guard moved forward, raising his baton, she saw the time had come.
Two guards were using force on one woman who they thought was unarmed. That told her everything she needed to know. There were interests at stake that the guards had been well briefed to protect.
"Madame, come with us," the other guard said in menacing tones as his colleague closed in.
Cora waited until the guard came close, and then, she lashed out, spinning on her heel, delivering a roundhouse kick to his solar plexus that forced all the breath out of him in a coughing gasp.
With a cry, the truncheon raised, the other guard ran forward. She turned, judging her moment, then lunged inside the blow as he brought the truncheon down. She stuck her fingers into his throat so that he coughed and gasped. And then she kneed him in the groin so that he collapsed, writhing on the ground.
They were down but not out. But that didn’t matter, because she’d seen a key on the inside of the door. Quickly, Cora yanked it out of the lock, darted out of the room, slammed the door, and locked it.
It would only take a few minutes before they recovered enough to start making a commotion. She didn't have much time left. For a glamorous upscale event, she sure was seeing a different side now.
She ran back the way she'd come, heading to where she’d seen the man with the black mask. But by the time she'd fought her way through the ballroom and out the other side, she found the room was empty. That masked man had finished his conversation with the potential recruit. She couldn't see either of them now. Maybe they'd gone elsewhere to take things further, do the next step, whatever that was.
And she couldn't see any of the remaining three of the four in the ballroom throngs. Nor did she have time to keep looking. Where was Gabe? Maybe he'd had better luck than her. She messaged him quickly, standing in the corner of the ballroom.
"I had to beat up some guards. I need to get going soon. Where are you?"
He didn't respond, which wasn't surprising, given the noise. But she couldn't see him anywhere, so hopefully, he was somewhere in this mansion and on the prowl to find information. Perhaps with better success than her.
She headed back the way she'd come, remembering that one of her earlier ideas had been to go to the kitchens. She might find someone in there who was willing to talk.
Heading out of the back door of the ballroom, Cora looked cautiously around for the guards. She saw none, but from far down the corridor, she heard a shout.
The guards' predicament had been discovered, and now they really did need to leave. Finding Gabe was a matter of urgency.
With adrenaline now surging, Cora headed for the kitchens. She opened the door.
And there was Gabe, mask tipped back on his head, an easy smile on his face. With his elbow on the counter, he was having a friendly conversation with one of the cooks.
When he saw Cora, he turned around, giving her a quick grin and quirking an eyebrow.
"This is Klara," he said. "She's been working for this catering company for a couple of years now and has done quite a few events here."
Cora hurried forward. This might not get her all the information she needed, but perhaps it would get her something.
"We’re trying to find out about a friend of ours," she said. “She joined this foundation a few months ago, and now, she’s not taking calls or answering messages. We’re just trying to make sure she’s okay. How do you think we should go about it?” she asked innocently.
The woman shook her head. "You don't want to," she said.
"Why not?" Cora probed.
The woman turned back to her oven, arranging the snacks.
