Chapter 16 - The Belly of the BeastThe rain had intensified into a torrential downpour by the time David reached the perimeter of his former estate. The towering wrought-iron gates were sealed, draped with bright yellow FBI crime scene tape that whipped violently in the wind. Two black government SUVs were parked near the entrance, their engines idling, exhaust pluming into the cold night air.
David lay flat on his stomach in the muddy underbrush of the adjacent woods, observing the patrol patterns. There were four federal agents walking the perimeter, their flashlights cutting through the darkness in rhythmic, predictable arcs.
They were looking for a fugitive. They were looking for him.
David checked his watch. 2:14 AM.
He didn't have much time. If Elias’s hit squad failed to report back, the Wraith would know David had survived the alleyway ambush. Elias would anticipate his next move.
David crept along the tree line until he reached the eastern wall of the property. When he had installed the security grid, he had deliberately left a blind spot in the camera coverage near the old oak tree whose branches hung over the stone wall. It was a failsafe he never thought he’d actually need.
With a silent grunt of effort, David hoisted himself onto the lowest branch, crawling across the slick wood until he was directly over the estate’s manicured lawn. He dropped down softly, rolling on the wet grass to absorb the impact.
He was in.
The massive, dark silhouette of the mansion loomed ahead. But David wasn't heading for the main house. He kept low, sprinting from shadow to shadow, making his way toward the glass greenhouse attached to the southern wing.
As he approached the glass structure, he froze.
The interior of the greenhouse was faintly illuminated by the glow of a tactical flashlight.
David pressed his back against the cold stone of the exterior wall, his hand resting on the grip of his Glock. The FBI agents were outside. Who was inside?
He risked a glance around the corner.
Through the rain-streaked glass, he saw two men in dark tactical gear. They were systematically ripping the greenhouse apart, overturning potted exotic plants and tearing up the floorboards.
Elias’s men.
Evelyn hadn't just sent a team to kill David; she had sent a cleanup crew to the house to ensure no stone was left unturned. She was tying up loose ends.
David’s heart hammered against his ribs. The environmental control unit was on the roof, but the only access ladder was inside the greenhouse, right where the two mercenaries were standing. He couldn't shoot them. The suppressed gunfire would be quiet, but the sound of shattering glass and falling bodies would instantly alert the FBI agents outside.
He had to use the environment.
David slipped around to the exterior utility panel of the greenhouse. He popped the metal cover open. The main power was cut, but the backup generators running the automated sprinkler and ventilation systems were still online.
He found the manual override switch for the irrigation system. He didn't just turn it on—he twisted the pressure valve to its absolute maximum limit.
Inside the greenhouse, the high-pressure sprinklers erupted with the force of a fire hose.
Water blasted everywhere, shattering delicate orchids and flooding the room in seconds. The two mercenaries shouted in surprise, completely blinded by the sudden, violent deluge. Their flashlights cut wildly through the thick mist of spraying water.
While they were disoriented, David slipped through the side door. He moved like a ghost, completely ignoring the freezing water soaking him to the bone. He bypassed the flailing men, grabbed the rungs of the iron access ladder, and hauled himself upward into the darkness of the rafters.
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He pushed open the heavy skylight hatch and pulled himself out onto the glass roof.
The cold rain hit him instantly, slicking the glass beneath his boots. He was exactly where it all began.
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