Chapter 9 - The Dead-Man's Switch
The small red light on the detonator blinked rapidly in the dim emergency lighting of the office.
Julian stared at the mechanical switch securely pressed down by Bennett's bloody thumb.
If Bennett died, or even simply lost consciousness and relaxed his grip, the entire mansion would instantly turn to ash.
"You really thought I wouldn't have an absolute fail-safe, boss?" Bennett taunted, coughing up a spatter of dark blood.
Julian's mind worked furiously, calculating the exact distance to the door and the blast radius of military-grade explosives.
There was absolutely no way he could carry Camille, Elsie, and a seventy-pound bleeding dog out of the blast zone in time.
"Let them walk out the front door, Bennett," Julian negotiated, keeping his voice dangerously even.
"You and I can settle this right here, but the woman and the child have nothing to do with our business," Julian offered.
Bennett shook his head slowly, his eyes glazing over slightly from severe blood loss.
"They have seen too much, and I am not leaving any loose ends," Bennett whispered maliciously.
Camille suddenly stood up, her hands entirely covered in Rex's warm blood.
She walked purposefully toward the shattered desk, her face a mask of terrifying, icy calm.
She picked up one of the fallen mercenary's discarded tactical knives from the floor.
"Julian, keep your gun aimed perfectly at his head," Camille ordered in a voice completely devoid of fear.
Julian was utterly shocked by her commanding tone, but he did not dare break his focus.
Camille knelt smoothly beside Bennett, hovering the sharp blade directly over his forearm.
"What are you doing, you crazy bitch?" Bennett panicked, trying to shift his weight away from her.
"My husband taught me exactly how cartel interrogators sever the median nerve to permanently paralyze a hand," Camille said coldly.
Bennett's eyes widened in absolute horror as he realized exactly what she was about to do.
"If I cut this nerve, your thumb will instantly lock into a permanent state of muscular contraction," Camille explained clinically.
"You will never be able to release that switch, even after you bleed to death," she threatened.
Bennett started to aggressively violently thrash, terrified of being trapped in his own paralyzed body.
"Don't move, Bennett, or I'll put a bullet through your eye before she cuts you," Julian roared, stepping closer.
Bennett swallowed hard, staring at the fiercely protective mother holding a knife to his flesh.
"Okay, okay, I will slowly lock the safety pin on the switch," Bennett surrendered, his arrogance finally broken.
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He carefully used his other hand to slide the metal safety pin securely into the detonator, permanently locking the button in place.
Julian instantly stepped forward and delivered a brutal, crushing kick directly to Bennett's jaw.
