Chapter 8: The Breach of the Thorne Estate
The night after the hearing, the Thorne estate became a fortress of silence. Marcus knew they were coming. The Vanguard could not afford to let the trial reach its verdict.
At exactly 2:00 AM, the perimeter alarms were bypassed. The electronic gates were forced open, and six figures in tactical gear glided across the lawn like shadows. They were professionals, trained to leave no trace. They moved toward the main wing, thinking they were executing a silent retrieval mission.
They didn't see Marcus standing in the darkness of the study. He wasn't armed with a gun, but with the master control for the house’s environmental system.
"Khloe," he whispered into his comms.
May you like
"System active," she replied from the safe room, her voice eerily calm. "Let them into the gallery. It’s the perfect containment."
The intruders breached the gallery doors, weapons raised, searching for a target. Suddenly, the high-pressure steel shutters slammed down, hermetically sealing the room. The lights transitioned from warm hues to a blinding, disorienting strobe.
