Chapter 212 Just in Time

Lila stood rigidly, the fire extinguisher clutched to her chest like a weapon, aimed squarely at the door. Suddenly, the scratching sound of the lockpick ceased. It was followed immediately by the heavy, muffled thud of a body hitting the floor. Then, a deathly silence. Lila and Elizabeth exchanged a glance. Both saw the sheer terror and confusion mirrored in the other's eyes. They wondered what had just happened outside. A few seconds later, a rhythmic knocking came from the door. Under current circumstances, the sound offered no comfort. Instead, it sounded like a death warrant. Elizabeth clamped a hand over her mouth, not daring to make a sound. Lila held her breath, her grip on the extinguisher tightening until her knuckles turned white. She did not make a sound, her gaze fixed with laser intensity on the wooden barrier. The person outside seemed patient, unperturbed by the silence within. A moment later, a low, familiar male voice drifted clearly through the door. "Lila,