Kelly had lived near the forest her whole life. She was a part of it; it was a part of her. She had spent most of her spare hours as a girl climbing the trees and jumping from branch to branch. And never had this been more relevant than when Kelly pushed the button on the left and the louvers of an air conditioning duct flipped open above her.
"Just one chance," she thought. She crouched, her leg muscles coiled like a tiger's, and leapt into the air. She had aimed perfectly and her fingers entered through the vent holes. Hanging on by her finger muscles, Kelly pulled herself up, and then dropped as hard as she could. The panel covering the air conditioning duct popped open, swinging on its hinges.
As the door to the room slid open, Kelly vaulted into the air conditioning duct and start shimmying up. "Maybe they didn't see where I went!", Kelly hoped — a hope that was shattered when she heard a man's voice shout "She's up there! In the air conditioning! Alert security!"
Kelly approached a T-intersection in the pipe and pulled herself into the tube ahead of her just as a shot ring out, a bullet piercing the air where her body had been a moment ago. She could hear racing footfalls on the floor above her. She paused for a moment, slowing her breathing, and started to slide as quietly as possible along the duct. There had to be another way out. She had gotten out of more difficult situations. She and Michael both had.
Kelly approached another panel, its louvers open, and saw a sentry directly below, holding a rifle. If she could only get that gun! Maybe if she dropped down on him she could catch him by surprise. Was it too risky?
"Just one chance," she thought. She crouched, her leg muscles coiled like a tiger's, and leapt into the air. She had aimed perfectly and her fingers entered through the vent holes. Hanging on by her finger muscles, Kelly pulled herself up, and then dropped as hard as she could. The panel covering the air conditioning duct popped open, swinging on its hinges.
As the door to the room slid open, Kelly vaulted into the air conditioning duct and start shimmying up. "Maybe they didn't see where I went!", Kelly hoped — a hope that was shattered when she heard a man's voice shout "She's up there! In the air conditioning! Alert security!"
Kelly approached a T-intersection in the pipe and pulled herself into the tube ahead of her just as a shot ring out, a bullet piercing the air where her body had been a moment ago. She could hear racing footfalls on the floor above her. She paused for a moment, slowing her breathing, and started to slide as quietly as possible along the duct. There had to be another way out. She had gotten out of more difficult situations. She and Michael both had.
Kelly approached another panel, its louvers open, and saw a sentry directly below, holding a rifle. If she could only get that gun! Maybe if she dropped down on him she could catch him by surprise. Was it too risky?
The story continues…
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