The reinforced door groaned, and the sound of heavy boots echoed. Kellan knew he couldn't rely on police.
[Threat Level: RED. Recommended Action: Immediate Evasion. Utilize Sub-Optimal Structural Weakness for Exit.]
Kellan's Optimal Insight pointed to a section of the floor beneath his desk—a long-forgotten access panel. A loud crash signaled the door's immediate failure. Two hulking figures—their muscles unnaturally large—stomped into the room.
Kellan slid the panel aside just as the first brute's massive foot slammed down where his head had been. He dropped into the dark void beneath the floorboards.
He could hear their heavy breathing and frustrated curses above him. Kellan focused his system on his distant grandmother.
[Target: Evelyn Thorne (Grandmother) - Location: Rose Petal Florist. Threat Level: CRITICAL. Surveillance detected near location. Primary target is now collateral damage.]
The System's alert was a chilling wave of pure dread. Marcus Vance wasn't just trying to kill him; he was using his grandmother as bait.
[Optimal Path: Evasion is secondary. Immediate movement to Rose Petal Florist required.]
Kellan used his phone to quickly text Seraphina Vane a single, coded word: "APEX-THREAT." Crawling through the sub-floor, guided by the faint glow of the System's escape route, Kellan felt a terrifying urgency.