Chapter 3 - THE SLEDGEHAMMER Anna found a yellow-handled sledgehammer in the renovation area.
It was heavy.
Too heavy.
Her hands trembled as she carried it back.
Behind her, the mansion continued celebrating.
Champagne glasses clinked.
People laughed.
A violinist played a romantic melody.
Nobody knew that a child was trapped inside the walls.
Anna stood before the plaster.
She took a breath.
Then swung.
CRACK!
The sound exploded through the corridor.
The music stopped.
Guests turned.
A senator stepped into the hallway.
"What the hell is she doing?"
Anna swung again.
CRACK!
Plaster cracked.
Dust erupted into the air.
Security guards rushed toward her.
"Ma'am, put that down!"
"No!"
She swung again.
CRACK!
"There's a child in there!"
The hallway went silent.
Someone laughed nervously.
Someone else began recording with a phone.
Anna raised the hammer again.
She wasn't thinking about her job anymore.
She wasn't thinking about the Astor name.
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She was thinking about a child counting the seconds in the darkness.
And she knew she had to reach him before someone stopped her.
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