Chapter 4 - THE MIDNIGHT SIEGE
The stench of gasoline grew stronger by the second, filling the upper floor with a suffocating chemical haze.
"We need to move now!" Ethan ordered, grabbing the baby carrier while Sarah led the way with a small flashlight she kept in her apron pocket.
They moved quickly through the dark corridors toward the master bedroom. Below them, heavy footsteps echoed on the marble flooring.
"Search the top floor!" a rough male voice bellowed from the living room. "Lady Victoria said double the pay if the kid doesn't make it out!"
Ethan's blood ran cold. Victoria wasn't just trying to cover her tracks—she wanted total revenge.
They reached the master bedroom, and Ethan pressed his hand against the hidden biometric scanner hidden behind a oil painting of the valley. The heavy steel door of the panic room clicked open smoothly.
"Sarah, get inside with Leo," Ethan commanded, handing her the baby carrier.
"What about you, Mr. Ethan?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
"I have to hit the manual fire alarm on the ground floor to alert the local fire department and police," Ethan said, pulling a heavy flashlight from his nightstand. "The panic room radio signal is jammed because they cut the main lines. I'll lock you in from the outside."
"No, it's too dangerous!" Sarah protested.
"It's the only way to get help up this hill in time," Ethan insisted. "Keep my son safe!"
Before Sarah could respond, Ethan sealed the heavy steel door from the outside, leaving Sarah and baby Leo inside the soundproof, fortified room.
May you like
Outside in the hallway, Ethan turned to face the darkness. He could hear the arsonists striking matches downstairs. With determined focus, Ethan slipped down the service hallway toward the security hub, ready to fight for his home and his family.
