A rush of cold, musty air hit my face.

I stepped into the narrow gap, the beam of my flashlight cutting through the darkness.

Elena was slumped on the dirt floor of the hidden alcove, her hands bound tightly with thick industrial zip-ties.

A strip of heavy gray tape was sealed across her mouth, her eyes wide and bloodshot with terror.

But it was what lay next to her that made my blood run cold.

Bolted directly into the main stone foundation of the estate was a heavy plastic case.

It was wired with dozens of red and blue cords that fed directly into the mortar joints of the walls.

In the center of the device, a small digital display glowed in the darkness.

“Elena,” I whispered, kneeling beside her.

I ripped the tape from her mouth, and she let out a dry, ragged gasp.

“Adrian, don’t touch it,” she sobbed, her voice barely a whisper. “He set it to destroy everything.”

I used my pocketknife to slice through the zip-ties on her wrists.

Behind me, Caleb let out a dry, rattling laugh.