Chapter 7 - The Traitor's Voice
I pressed harder on Vance's wound, ignoring his loud groan of pain.
"He wants total control of the syndicate," Vance explained, coughing weakly.
I quickly used medical tape to secure a pressure dressing over his ribs.
"He knew the storm would cut us off from the rest of the family's soldiers," Vance continued.
I suddenly realized that the dinner party insult had not just been cruel mockery.
It had been a calculated scout of the estate's internal defenses.
I left Vance resting against the wall and moved back to check on Adrian.
Adrian's fever had broken slightly, but he was still incredibly weak.
I needed to find a way to call for backup before the associate found us in the dark.
I remembered the emergency shortwave radio in the locked study upstairs.
"Stay here," I whispered to Vance, grabbing the pistol.
I crept up the grand staircase, staying perfectly flat against the wall to avoid the creaking steps.
I slipped into the study and turned on the battery-powered radio.
Static filled the quiet room immediately.
I pressed the transmission button and blindly called out for any of the Cross family guards.
A voice immediately crackled through the speaker, sounding relieved.
"This is the perimeter rescue team, we hear you loud and clear," the voice said.
May you like
I was about to give them our exact location inside the house.
Then I realized the voice on the radio belonged to the man who had insulted me at dinner.
