Chapter 9 - Awakening
The descent to the panic room was a bloodbath. Bennett fought like a demon, taking out five more of Rossi's men, shielding Lily and Mia with his own body. They reached the reinforced steel door in the wine cellar just as a heavy squad rounded the stairs.
Bennett laid down suppressing fire. "Lily! The keypad! The code is our anniversary!"
Lily froze. "I don't know it! Bennett, I don't know it!"
Bullets chipped the stone walls around them. Bennett was pinned, returning fire, unable to reach the panel. "Yes, you do! Feel it, Lily! Trust your hands!"
Lily stared at the glowing blue keypad. Her breathing turned ragged. Suddenly, a flash of blinding pain hit her head. Memories flooded in—a warm summer day, champagne, Bennett smiling, a silver ring sliding onto her finger. August 14th.
Her fingers flew across the keypad: 0-8-1-4.
The heavy steel door hissed open.
"Go!" Bennett yelled, shoving them inside before throwing a flashbang into the stairwell and diving in after them. The door slammed shut, locking with a massive hydraulic thud, plunging them into absolute, impenetrable silence.
Safe.
Lily collapsed against the cold steel wall, gasping for air. She looked across the dimly lit bunker at Bennett, who was bleeding from a graze on his shoulder, reloading his weapon to prepare for the long night ahead.
The mental dam broke. Five years of darkness shattered, replaced by the brilliant, overwhelming light of her truth.
"Bennett," she choked out.
He looked up, exhaustion lining his face.
She walked over to him, tears falling freely, and reached out. This time, she didn't pull away. She cupped his scarred cheek.
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"You wore a black tie on our wedding day," she whispered. "And you told me... you told me I was the only light in your dark world."
Bennett dropped his gun. He pulled her into his chest, burying his face in her neck, a ragged sob finally tearing free from his chest. "You're back."
