Where there's smoke...

The best Morelli could come up with was a long shot. She had several smoke canisters tucked away under her bed to be used only in **** emergencies as a way of escape. She decided a few of the well placed canisters in certain air vents would probably be enough to create a panic situation within the mansion itself. Everyone would be heading for the exits, just in case it was a fire. That would leave her in a one on one situation with Melville down below in the dungeon. If she was successful, she could free Amanda and they could both flee the mansion together and await extraction at the nearest safe house.

She took four of the canisters and put them in a garbage bag. Her next stop was the kitchen. Everyone there would be too busy to notice her take one of the food carts out to the main hall. At least, that's what she hoped for. When she arrived at the kitchen, sure enough things were very busy, and no one took notice to her. She slipped the bag of canisters underneath the cart's covering. Then she made her way to four strategic locations. The reception room, the grand ballroom, and the two antechambers where the exhibits were kept. She stealthily set them inside the air conditioning vents, and pulled the pins. Since they were not being thrown, they would delay releasing their smoke for about ten minutes. She had that long to get back up to the servant's quarters, and make her way down to the dungeon to confront Melville. Once the last one was placed, she hurriedly pushed the now empty cart back to the kitchen, and took off for the servant's quarters.

As she made her way up the stairs, she could hear the crowd below in a half state of surprised panic, and many voices asking them not to panic, but to leave the mansion in an orderly manner. She smiled to herself. The plan had worked! Well, at least so far. The hard part was yet to come. That was dealing with Melville, who had no idea what was going on.