President's Daughter's Bodyguard-Chapter 85: Breaking The Beast’s Cage

Chapter 85: Breaking the Beast’s Cage

Theo’s pulse hammered so violently that every heartbeat felt like a countdown. Danielle was moving.

Ethan was relocating her and every second wasted was a second she suffered with a bomb strapped to her starved body.

He shoved open the SUV door and stormed toward the forest path leading to the mountain range.

The ground was uneven, covered with dried leaves and sharp rocks, but he barely noticed anything. The rage inside him turned his steps to thunder.

Aiden kept up beside him. Adam walked behind them with calm, controlled steps as if he were not headed into the center of madness.

Theo wanted to scream at him for being that calm. Danielle was in agony, and some part of Adam looked like he enjoyed how the plan was taking its place.

But Theo didn’t have the luxury to waste breath on hate now.

"How far is the shaft entrance?" Theo asked through clenched teeth.

"Eight minutes running," Aiden answered. "Less if you let that anger fuel you."

Theo grunted and increased speed.

The forest opened into a clearing. Up ahead, the mountain rose sharply, jagged like a giant’s teeth against the sky. Buried inside it was hell....Ethan’s hell.

Adam moved to the front and pointed. "There."

A rusted hatch lay half buried under moss and vines. A small metal grate covered it. It looked forgotten, invisible to anyone except someone who had seen blueprints like Adam.

Theo dropped to his knees and tore at the vines. The metal underneath was cold.

Aiden helped pry it open. The hatch squealed painfully, like the metal protested waking up after decades of silence.

A thick dark tunnel led down into pitch black nothing. Theo did not hesitate. He swung his legs inside.

A hand caught his arm.

Frank rushed from between the trees, panting hard, dirt smeared across his uniform. His chest rose and fell as he stared at Theo like he had seen a ghost.

"You idiot," Frank breathed out. "You could have died on the way here. Why did you not wait for me."

Theo’s back was covered in sweat as relief washed through him for half a heartbeat but fear crushed it too quickly. "We do not have time to argue. She is moving."

Frank nodded, though fear flickered in his eyes. "Fine. Then this is the plan. I take the ventilator tunnel with you. Aiden, you take the lower security wing with your squad."

’How is he alive?’ Frank thought silently but didn’t question much.

Aiden nodded with a soldier’s focus. "Copy that."

Frank finally noticed Adam. His jaw tightened. "Who is this man?"

Theo inhaled. "Someone who knows Ethan better than anyone."

Adam bowed his head slightly. "Your distrust is expected. You may save your questions until after the girl is safe."

Frank’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more. He grabbed two headlamps from his vest, handed one to Theo.

Theo strapped it on and stared down the tunnel again.

"Danielle is running out of time."

Frank placed a hand on his shoulder. "We get her."

Theo nodded once.

They slid into the darkness.

The tunnel was narrow enough that Theo had to crawl forward on his elbows. The air was damp and cold. The metal scraped against his clothes and skin. The smell of rust and old death clung to every inch.

His breath echoed too loudly in the confined space.

Frank followed behind him. "Keep breathing slowly. We need your head calm for this."

Theo forced his lungs to obey even though rage clawed inside like a caged beast.

For Danielle...Always for her.

After several painful minutes, the tunnel widened slightly and light flickered ahead. Voices carried through the metal panels.

He held up a fist to signal Frank to stop.

Aiden’s voice crackled through the small comm in Theo’s ear. "I see movement outside the bunker doors. Security patrol. We wait for your signal."

Theo swallowed the tension in his throat. He peered through a rusted gap in the metal.

Three guards were laughing.

Theo’s blood boiled. They were laughing while Danielle suffered.

He turned back to Frank. "We drop down and take them silently."

Frank nodded. They both kicked upward at the panel. On the third kick, it popped loose. They lowered themselves down like shadows.

Theo landed behind the first guard and snapped his neck before the man even breathed a warning.

Frank grabbed another by the mouth and drove a knife silently across his throat. The final guard barely had time to turn before

Theo crushed his windpipe with his forearm and let his body fall.

Theo wiped the blood from his hands. "Where now."

Frank pointed ahead. "See that locked blast door."

Theo’s head slowly lifted. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

There it was...

The final barrier between them and Danielle.

The door was massive and electronic. Keypads and retinal scanners blinked red along the surface. That door was made to never open.

Until today...

Aiden’s voice whispered through the earpiece. "Security cameras disabled for exactly twenty seconds. The second that door opens, alarms will scream. You will not have time to hesitate."

Theo smiled, but it held no joy..."Hesitation died when Ethan touched her."

Frank stepped up to the panel. "I can override."

Adam’s voice joined through a shared channel. "Be cautious. Ethan built traps even within the locks."

Frank typed quickly, sweat forming on his brow.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

The keypad flashed green for a split second.

Then red again.

Frank cursed. "Override blocked. Ethan knows we are here."

Theo slammed his fist against the door. "Open."

Frank tried again, faster, his breath was speeding, and voice turned shaky. "Come on, come on, come on."

Theo’s heart pounded faster.

Then another sound appeared.

Beep...

Green...

The door hissed open slightly.

A siren shrieked through the bunker, so loud Theo’s skull felt like it cracked.

Strobe lights flashed red.

Aiden yelled through the comm. "Go. We have your back!"

Theo pushed the door fully and sprinted inside.

The world exploded into chaos.

Gunfire erupted behind them as Aiden’s squad clashed with Ethan’s soldiers. The sound echoed like thunder. Frank and Theo sprinted down the hall lit by emergency lights. The floor vibrated beneath their feet.

Theo shouted. "Left. She is to the left."

Frank followed close behind. "How do you know."

Theo touched his chest.

"I feel her."

Every bone in his body dragged him toward her like gravity itself bent for their bond.

They reached another door. Theo kicked it open so hard it slammed off its hinges.

And he stopped breathing.

The room was filled with smoke. Sparks shot from a damaged surveillance camera. The straps that once held Danielle were ripped apart.

The chair... was empty.

Frank cursed violently. "She was here."

Footsteps echoed from behind.

Theo spun around and immediately raised his gun. A lone speaker made some cracking noise above.

Ethan’s voice poured into the room like poison.

"So close brother..."

Theo’s teeth ground together so hard his jaw ached. "Where is she? Where is she, Ethan?"

Ethan laughed. "What fun would it be if I told you."

Theo roared. "Show yourself."

"Oh I will," Ethan cooed, "I am waiting. But you will not like what you see."

Theo fired three wild shots at the speaker, shattering it into pieces.

His breath came out uneven as air refused to fill his lungs.

Frank grabbed his shoulder. "We will find her. Keep moving."

Theo nodded once...As they turned to leave, a large screen on the wall flickered alive.

Danielle appeared on the screen...