Chapter 32 Chapter Thirty-Two

Hours earlier, in the basement, Catherine had made a desperate attempt to free her hands.But the more she struggled, the tighter the rope became.Fingers are gradually numb.She kept staring at the pointer on the boiler.The pointer has reached 250 degrees.When the pointer rises to 400 degrees, the boiler will explode.We must find a way to escape from here.She thought, there must be a way!Her eyes fell on the brandy bottle that Atanas had dropped on the floor.She stared at it so hard that her heart began to pound harder and harder.There is a chance!As long as she can... Catherine leaned against the pillar, dropped her body, and stretched her feet towards the bottle.out of reach.She slid down the edge again, and the splinters from the post sank into her back, an inch from the bottle.Catherine's eyes filled with tears.Try again, she thought, just try again.She toppled her body down again, her back was covered with wooden thorns, and then exhausted all her strength, and with another sudden force, one of her feet touched the bottle.Be careful not to kick it far.Slowly, slowly, she looped the rope tied around her heels around the neck of the bottle.Cautiously, she drew her foot back and brought the bottle closer.Finally, the bottle got around.

She looked up at the thermometer, the pointer had climbed to 280 degrees.She tried to control herself not to panic.Slowly, inch by inch, she moved the bottle behind her back with her feet, and her fingers were within reach of the bottle.But her fingers were numb and she couldn't hold the bottle, and the rope pinched her wrist bloody.The blood on the fingers was even slippery. The basement was getting hotter and hotter.She tried again, and the bottle slid aside.Catherine glanced at the thermometer, it was already 300 degrees.And the pointer seems to be desperately going up.Steam began to spurt from the boiler.She tried again, trying to grab the bottle.

Got it!Bound hands gripped the bottle.Holding the bottle tightly, she raised her arms and slid down the wooden post, smashing the bottle to the concrete floor.The bottle is intact.She burst into tears in frustration.Tried again, still not working.The pointer is rushing up relentlessly. 350 degrees!She took a deep breath and smashed the bottle with all her strength.She heard the shattering of the bottle.Thank goodness!She hastily grasped the shattered neck of the bottle with one hand, and with the other began sawing the rope.The glass cut both wrists, but she ignored it. With a snap, she felt a rope break.Then came another.Suddenly, one of her hands was free.She quickly untied the rope on her other hand and the rope buckles that bound her ankles.The pointer has climbed 380 degrees.The boiler was constantly blasting out bursts of steam.Catherine struggled to her feet.Atanas had knocked the basement door back.There was simply no time to escape the building before the explosion.

Catherine sprinted to the boiler and yanked desperately at the wood chips plugging the safety valve.The splinters were tightly packed there, not moving a muscle. 400 degrees! She must make a decision now.She ran towards the door leading to the defense space in the distance.Pulling the door open, she jumped inside and slammed the thick, heavy door shut.On the wide air-proof space, she curled up in a ball, out of breath. Five seconds later, there was a loud explosion and the whole house seemed to shake.She lay in the dark, panting desperately.At the same time, the whirring of flames could be heard outside the door.She's safe and it's over.No, not yet.She thought, I still have to do something.

An hour later, firefighters found her and they escorted her outside.Alan Hamilton stood there, and Catherine galloped into his arms.He hugged her tightly. "Catherine, dear, I'm so frightened! How do you..." "Later," said Catherine, "we must catch Atanas Stavic."