The man in front of you is an enemy invader. You have to disable him. He’s holding me captive. You have to disable him so I can get away.

She watched Baldy’s visage. Watched confusion and doubt chasing themselves across his features as he tried to figure out what was true and what wasn’t.

Lang saw that she was staring at someone behind him and turned.

Enemy. He’s an enemy,Elizabeth silently screamed.Disable him.

Baldy blinked.

“Tony, what are you doing here? Is your shift over?”

So his name was Tony.

His mouth opened and closed as he stared at his boss, puzzlement on his face.

Elizabeth frantically continued to send him false information.

The man in front of you is an enemy. He’s here to attack The Mansion. Disable him.

Tony pulled out a gun and pointed it at Lang.

“What are you doing, you fool?” the crime boss shouted.

In the next moment, Tony pulled the trigger, and Lang went down.

From in back of the shooter, another man appeared, and this time, it was the guy named Southwell who had taken Matt away.

“Watch out,” Elizabeth shouted at Tony. “There’s another invader.”

The man whirled just as Southwell discharged his own weapon.

When Tony went down, Southwell jumped back. And as Elizabeth stared at the scene, she caught the scent of smoke wafting toward her. It could have been a malfunctioning fireplace, but she didn’t think so.

She glanced at Mrs. Vivian and saw the woman’s eyes wide and panicked.

“The house is on fire. Help me get untied.”

The woman didn’t move.

Help me! You have to help me.

Matt stared at the flames, knowing he didn’t have much time now. As he hurried to the steps, he heard gunfire upstairs.

Oh Lord, had Lang shot Elizabeth or what?

Matt had put his foot on the first riser when he saw a figure at the top. It was Southwell, the man who had locked him in the cell down here—no doubt coming to finish him off. But he stared into thedarkness and apparently couldn’t see what had happened in his absence.

Matt jumped to the side, waiting for the man to come down. When he reached the basement floor, Southwell started for the cell, then stopped short when he apparently spotted the burning doorframe. Matt leaped on his back, taking him down to the cement.

Southwell grunted, struggling, and Matt knew he had to finish this quickly. He was in bad shape, and there was no way he could match this guy in a physical fight.

Smoke was filling the basement now, and both men began to cough.

The thug flipped Matt over and tried to bring his gun hand up.

Mustering every shred of power he had left, Matt tried to send a thunderbolt toward the guy, but it was like a firecracker that failed to go off.

Just as the man yanked his arm free, he went rigid above Matt.