Chapter 10 - The Attack At Blackwood Estate
Nero attacked before the intruder reached Lily.
The Doberman erupted from the darkness and slammed into the masked man.
The security feed shook as the man fired a suppressed pistol.
The bullet struck the wall.
Alexander watched helplessly from the warehouse.
Lily appeared at the end of the hallway.
Nora, her nanny, pulled her backward.
"Run."
Alexander shouted at the screen even though they could not hear him.
The masked attacker kicked Nero away and fired again.
The dog disappeared from camera view.
Lily screamed.
Then Edmund emerged from a side room holding an antique shotgun.
He fired into the ceiling.
The attacker turned.
Edmund fired again.
This shot struck the man's shoulder.
The intruder crashed against a table.
Nora locked Lily inside the master bedroom.
Edmund advanced carefully.
The attacker fled through a window.
Alexander grabbed his phone.
This time Edmund answered.
"Alexander."
"Is Lily safe?"
"Yes."
"Nero?"
A pause followed.
"Alive."
Alexander closed his eyes briefly.
"Lock down the estate."
"Already done."
"Trust nobody wearing a uniform unless Marcus personally confirms them."
Edmund understood.
"Go get Sarah."
Alexander ended the call.
The attack had revealed something important.
The syndicate was desperate.
People who believed they had complete control did not send assassins after children.
Marcus removed the surveillance drive.
"We take this."
Alexander nodded.
It proved conspiracy, illegal monitoring, and attempted murder.
They moved toward the office where Sarah had been held.
It was empty.
Silas had transferred her.
A trail of blood led toward the rear corridor.
Alexander's heart stopped.
He touched it.
Fresh.
Marcus examined the pattern.
"Not enough to be a serious wound."
Alexander followed the drops.
They ended beside a freight elevator.
The elevator indicator showed basement level three.
Marcus frowned.
"The building plans only show one basement."
Alexander remembered Edmund's journal.
Tunnels.
He pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
Marcus found a keycard reader.
Alexander took the golden coin from his pocket.
Its number was 417.
Beside the reader was a keypad.
He entered 0417.
The elevator doors opened.
Darkness waited below.
Alexander stepped inside.
Marcus joined him.
The doors closed.
For the first time that night, Alexander understood the true scale of the enemy.
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Calder Warehouse was not their headquarters.
It was merely an entrance.
