I followed Michael Ashworth's slow, labored steps through a long corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly into the depths of the enormous estate. Despite his frailty, determination radiated from his hunched frame as he moved forward, refusing any assistance I offered.
"Sir, are you certain we shouldn't wait until morning?" I asked, concerned by his increasingly ragged breathing.
Michael shot me a stern glance. "Time waits for no man, Liam. Especially not for dying ones."
His blunt acknowledgment of his condition silenced me. We continued our journey in tense quiet, eventually reaching what appeared to be a dead end. Michael placed his palm against the seemingly ordinary wall, and to my surprise, a hidden panel slid open, revealing a state-of-the-art security system.
"Pay attention," he commanded as he entered a complex sequence of numbers, followed by a retinal scan.
The wall before us parted silently, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
