Chapter 5 - The Whispering Halls
Marcus Hale’s voice sounded through the intercom. "Boss. I have the internal comms audit."
Victor unlocked the door, allowing his security chief to step into the suite. Marcus held a digital tablet displaying a series of encrypted text logs transmitted over the estate's private guest Wi-Fi network twenty minutes prior.
"The signal originated from the east service wing," Marcus reported, his disciplined face grave. "The transmitter used an administrative passkey assigned to the head housekeeper, Mrs. Gable."
Hannah blinked in surprise. "Mrs. Gable? She’s worked here for ten years!"
"Mrs. Gable’s son owes three million dollars to a Marcone gambling house in Atlantic City," Victor said, his voice dropping into a register of cold, terrifying certainty. "They bought her loyalty."
Suddenly, the lights inside the master suite flickered twice and died, plunging the room into pitch blackness.
The heavy roar of the wind outside whipped against the stone walls as the estate’s auxiliary emergency generator failed to kick in.
"Primary power loop was cut from inside," Marcus barked, drawing his sidearm in the dark.
"Stay with Hannah and the baby," Victor commanded softly.
Victor drew a sleek black sidearm from his shoulder holster. Moving with silent, fluid grace, he stepped out into the dark hallway, his dark suit blending seamlessly into the shadows.
A quiet floorboard creaked near the end of the corridor.
Through the dim moonlight filtering through the high corridor skylight, a tall figure in dark tactical gear slipped toward the master suite door, holding a silenced pistol.
Victor lunged from the shadows like a shadow.
He clamped his broad hand around the intruder’s wrist, twisting the weapon upward. A silent shot embedded itself harmlessly into the plaster ceiling. Victor slammed the intruder against the oak wall paneling, driving a heavy elbow into the man’s ribs.
The intruder grunted, dropping a small electronic keycard onto the carpet, before throwing a flash pellet onto the floor.
A blinding white light exploded in the hallway.
May you like
When the glare cleared three seconds later, the intruder had sprinted down the service stairs, leaving a trail of wet snow footprints leading toward the rear kitchen exit.
Victor didn't pursue him into the storm. He knelt down in the dark corridor and picked up the dropped electronic keycard.
