Chapter 4 - The Midnight Siege
The heavy steel ram smashed into the front door with a deafening crash that echoed through the empty house.
The ancient wood splintered instantly, and the men flooded into the hallway like dangerous shadows.
I quietly ordered Knox to hide inside the reinforced hallway closet and shut the door behind him.
My military training completely took over, erasing all fear and replacing it with cold, calculating focus.
I slipped out of the study window and dropped silently into the overgrown backyard grass.
The rain was pouring down heavily now, masking the sound of my footsteps as I moved along the side of the house.
I watched through the kitchen window as the armed men began tearing the house apart, searching for the lockbox.
I needed to thin their numbers before they discovered Knox hiding in the closet.
I crept to the back door, gently opened it, and slipped into the dark kitchen.
One of the men was standing near the refrigerator, casually inspecting a flashlight.
I closed the distance in a fraction of a second, wrapping my arm securely around his neck in a perfect sleeper hold.
He struggled briefly before going completely limp, and I lowered him silently to the linoleum floor.
I took his spare radio and clipped it to my belt, listening to their encrypted chatter.
The squad leader was ordering his men to check the upstairs bedrooms for the hidden safe.
I moved into the hallway just as a second man descended the wooden staircase.
He raised his weapon, but I swept his legs out from under him before he could pull the trigger.
His head struck the heavy wooden banister, and he was instantly knocked unconscious.
I quickly zip-tied his hands behind his back and dragged him into the dining room shadows.
Suddenly, a voice crackled aggressively over the stolen radio on my belt.
The squad leader demanded a status report from the kitchen, his tone filled with growing suspicion.
I remained perfectly silent, gripping my pistol tightly and waiting for his next move.
Heavy footsteps slowly approached the dining room from the main living area.
The squad leader stepped into the doorway, sweeping his tactical flashlight across the darkness.
He stopped moving and aimed his weapon directly at the corner where I was hiding.
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He slowly reached up and pulled off his black tactical mask, revealing his face in the dim light.
It was Chief Deputy Miller, the second-in-command of the local police department.
