Chapter 10 - The False Victory
The violent blast knocked Graham and me forcefully to the bunker floor.
Before the thick dust could even settle, Graham raised the shotgun and fired twice into the breach.
Two mercenaries dropped immediately, their armor completely shredded by the heavy buckshot.
I fired my pistol, hitting a third mercenary squarely in the shoulder before he could raise his rifle.
The remaining three attackers scrambled backward, seeking cover behind the ruined bedroom furniture.
A chaotic, deafening firefight erupted, turning the luxurious apartment into a literal warzone.
Graham fought with a savage, unrelenting fury I had never seen before.
He managed to suppress the attackers long enough for the building's automated security sirens to finally trigger.
The deafening alarm echoed through the entire city block, signaling an immediate police response.
The mercenaries realized they had lost the element of surprise and were running out of time.
They quickly dragged their wounded comrades toward the service elevator and retreated into the night.
Silence slowly returned to the destroyed penthouse, broken only by the distant wail of approaching police sirens.
Graham dropped his empty shotgun and pulled me into a fierce, desperate embrace.
We checked the triplets, who were completely terrified but miraculously unharmed behind the steel crates.
We had survived the brutal assault, and the police would secure the building within minutes.
Graham kissed my forehead, promising that he would hire a private army to protect us forever.
I finally allowed myself to believe we were safe.
We had won the battle and protected our children from the monsters in the dark.
I walked over to the ruined bunker doorway to assess the damage to the master bedroom.
I stepped carefully over the debris, my heart finally slowing down to a normal pace.
Then I noticed a small, folded piece of thick black paper resting carefully on my destroyed pillow.
It had not been there before the attack.
I picked it up with trembling fingers and unfolded the crisp cardstock.
The handwritten message inside made my blood run completely cold.
“I did not send those men to kill you tonight, Emily.”
“I sent them to distract Graham while I took the one thing you actually care about.”
I spun around in sheer panic and looked toward the corner of the bunker where the children had been hiding.
May you like
Leo and my daughter were sitting safely on the floor, crying softly.
But my other son was entirely gone.
