The 11th Floor: Awakening by Charles Culver Read Free Book Online

before. How did he know my name?” asked Amanda. “I think I believe you now.”

Chapter 15
     
    With a ding, the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, providing a view of a completely empty lobby.
    After looking around to make sure they wouldn’t be surprised upon stepping out, Luke said to Amanda, “Whatever you do, don’t let them get close to you. Do you hear me? Stay behind me and keep your eyes and ears open.”
    Amanda nodded and responded with a whispered, “Okay.”
    The two of them slowly snuck across the lobby toward the front desk. If someone was waiting for his arrival, he didn’t want to give him advance notice of his approach.
    About halfway through the lobby, he noticed that the door to the manager’s office was slightly ajar. Through the crack, he could see movement inside the office. Studying the door, he could discern only one person inside the office.
    He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to visualize the best approach for this situation. In his mind, he pictured jumping over the counter and busting through the door, taking those inside by surprise. In the back of his mind, he heard the doctor’s voice, telling him he knew what he could do. The voice was so real, almost like the doctor was standing beside him talking directly into his ear.
    At that moment, he opened his eyes and said to himself, “Let’s see what I can do.”
    Luke ran toward the front desk and leaped into the air like Superman. He soared through the air, over the front desk, and slammed into the office door. He hit the door with so much force that it broke off the hinges, and fell to the floor.
    Amanda didn’t even attempt the maneuvers that Luke had just pulled off. She ran around the front desk and now stood behind the counter and at his side.
    “How did you do that? I’ve never seen anyone do anything like that. Not even Michael Jordan could have pulled off that kind of jump.”
    “I imagined I could. Like I said, dream world, remember?”
    Luke looked into the office. Lying on the floor near the opposite wall was the old man he saw from upstairs, but his head was gone, just like the office building incident.
    “Crap, I was hoping to prevent that.”
    “Prevent what?” Amanda asked, moving around Luke to see into the office.
    She screamed, “What happened to his head?”
    “Luke here knows what happened. Don’t you, Luke?” asked a voice from inside.
    The voice sounded familiar. Goosebumps formed on his arms. He moved into the doorway and looked to the right. In the corner of the room was a plain wooden desk. Sitting behind the desk was Nate, with a snow globe in front of him.
    “You’re right on time, Luke,” said Nate. “And I see you helped deliver the girl to us.”
    Alarmed, Luke looked back to grab Amanda. Before Luke could reach her, Lou appeared from behind and grabbed her around the chest with one arm and pulled her close to him. As she was about to scream, he cupped her mouth with his other hand.
    “You bastards, let her go!” screamed Luke.
    “I have a proposal for you, Luke,” said Nate. “Listen carefully.”
    Luke looked back and forth from Nate to Amanda.
    “I will kill this girl right in front of you and you will watch her suffer. After she’s dead, I will kill you,” Nate said with a grin. “Unless you join us.”
    “Fuck you!” yelled Luke.
    “Now, now. Let me finish,” replied Nate. “In case you haven’t noticed, Luke, you’re special. You’re the only one of your race to be able to move in and out of our world. In fact, the only one we’ve seen able to do this in well over 300 years. It’s a rare talent. This is your destiny and we could use a man of your talents.”
    “So if I join you, you’ll let her go?”
    “Sadly, that’s not part of the offer. In order to join us, you have to kill her yourself, to prove you’re worthy.”
    Luke looked back at Amanda. She struggled to break free of Lou’s grasp, but he was way too strong for her. She let out a