Chapter 1 - The Restricted Floor
“If Brenda catches her, she won’t just fire you,” Marcus warned, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper. “She’ll blacklist you with the union. You won’t be able to clean a fast-food joint in this city, Elena. Be smart.”
“I know, Marcus. I know,” Elena whispered back, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. “Just… cover for me until lunch. I’ll keep her out of sight.”
Marcus gave a grim nod and turned back to his security monitors. Elena gripped Maya’s small, mittened hand and practically dragged her toward the freight elevator. The polished steel doors slid shut, sealing them inside the sterile metal box. Elena hit the button for the forty-ninth floor, her breath coming in shallow, terrified gasps.
The forty-ninth floor was the executive overflow level, entirely composed of storage rooms, server archives, and a massive supply closet that smelled of lemon bleach and crisp linen. It was strictly off-limits to anyone below management, which meant it was the only place Brenda Vance rarely checked.
When the elevator chimed, Elena hurried down the plush carpeted hallway. She opened the heavy oak door to Supply Room B, flicked on the dim overhead light, and quickly cleared a space between boxes of printer paper and stacks of high-end coffee pods.
“Okay, my brave ninja,” Elena said, her voice shaking as she knelt to unzip Maya’s canvas tote. She pulled out the coloring pad, a box of washable markers, and the stuffed bear, Barnaby. She arranged them neatly on the floor.
“Is this the sky castle’s dungeon?” Maya whispered, her hazel eyes wide with wonder.
“No, baby. It’s a secret fort. Just for you.” Elena smoothed down Maya’s wild dark curls, swallowing the lump of pure terror lodged in her throat. “Mommy has to go upstairs to the fiftieth floor to clean the big glass room. You have to stay right here with Barnaby. Do not open the door. Do not make a sound. Can you do that for me?”
Maya hugged Barnaby tightly to her chest. “I promise, Mommy.”
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Elena kissed her daughter’s forehead, the soft warmth of Maya’s skin giving her a fleeting burst of courage. She backed out of the room, closing the door until it clicked shut. She stood in the hallway for three long seconds, praying to a God she hadn't spoken to in years. Then, she picked up her cleaning caddy and headed for the executive stairwell.
She had no idea that the lock on Supply Room B was faulty, or that within twenty minutes, her daughter would grow tired of her crayons and push the door wide open.
