Chapter 3 - The Midnight Strike
The police offered protective custody, but Arthur’s letter had explicitly warned against trusting the authorities—Clara’s syndicate had bought off half the city.
Mrs. Gable and Lily were relocated to a discreet safe house on the outskirts of the city, guarded by two trusted officers Vance handpicked. But billion-dollar syndicates do not let money slip away easily.
At 2:00 AM, the power in the safe house was cut.
Mrs. Gable jolted awake. She didn't hesitate. Years of anticipating the worst had trained her well. She scooped a sleeping Lily out of bed and rushed her into the narrow, reinforced panic closet hidden behind the master bathroom mirror.
"Grammy?" Lily rubbed her eyes in the dark.
"Shh," Mrs. Gable whispered, pressing a finger to the girl's lips.
Gunfire erupted downstairs. It was silenced, metallic, and terrifyingly precise. Heavy boots thudded on the wooden stairs. The two police officers had been neutralized in seconds.
"Find the girl," a deep, Russian-accented voice ordered from the hallway. "Clara wants her taken care of before the markets open."
May you like
Mrs. Gable held her breath, gripping a heavy cast-iron fireplace poker. The bedroom door was kicked open. Flashlights swept the room. But just as the mercenaries approached the bathroom, a deafening explosion shattered the silence outside.
Arthur Sterling had left one more protective measure in place.
