Chapter 8 - The Steam Trap
The intense, blistering heat of the chemical fire forced us rapidly backward toward the center of the burning room.
Thick, toxic black smoke began billowing toward the high ceiling, completely choking the breathable air out of the factory.
Eleanor dragged Arthur backward toward her armored SUVs, planning to kidnap her own son to save him from the flames.
Margaret and the corrupt attorney were completely abandoned, coughing violently as the fire rapidly surrounded them.
My father, relying on decades of industrial engineering experience, immediately began searching the walls through the thick smoke.
He spotted a massive, rusted red wheel attached to a high-pressure industrial water main.
He yelled over the roaring flames that if we could turn the rusted valve, it would flood the entire floor.
I ran to his side, and together we gripped the cold, heavy iron wheel with all of our remaining strength.
The wheel was completely seized with decades of rust, refusing to turn even a single inch.
The flames were creeping closer, the intense heat singing the very edges of my ruined white dress.
Suddenly, Arthur broke completely free from his mother's aggressive grip and sprinted back through the smoke toward us.
He threw his entire body weight against the heavy iron wheel, completely ignoring Eleanor screaming his name.
With a deafening, metallic screech, the rusted valve finally gave way and spun rapidly counter-clockwise.
A massive, explosive burst of highly pressurized water completely shattered the overhead pipes.
Thousands of gallons of icy water rained down on the factory floor, instantly generating a massive, blinding cloud of thick white steam.
Visibility dropped to absolute zero as the intense fire fought against the sudden, overwhelming flood of water.
The deafening hiss of the steam completely masked the sounds of Eleanor's mercenaries shouting in confusion.
Arthur grabbed my hand tightly, completely anchoring me in the chaotic, blinding white fog.
My father yelled that we needed to follow the downward slope of the concrete floor to find the loading dock exit.
We moved completely blindly through the scalding steam, the icy water soaking our shoes and ruining our clothes.
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Just as we reached the heavy metal doors of the loading dock, a dark figure suddenly blocked our path.
The corrupt attorney raised his gun, perfectly prepared to shoot Arthur right in the chest.
