Chapter 7 - Shattered Glass
Shards of heavy safety glass rained across the plush nursery carpet as a gloved hand gripped the windowsill, hoisting a dark silhouette into the room. Thomas spun around in sheer shock, dropping the digital jammer as a heavy combat boot slammed directly into his chest, sending the butler flying backward across the room. He crashed hard against the mahogany vanity, hitting his head squarely on the edge before collapsing motionless onto the floor.
Eleanor gasped, shielding her face from the falling debris as dust settled heavily in the air.
The figure stepped fully into the warm light of the nursery, peeling off a tactical helmet to reveal the sharp, sweat-slicked features of Marcus, David’s head of private security whom Margaret had supposedly fired six months ago.
"Are you and the boy alright, ma'am?" Marcus asked urgently, his eyes scanning the hallway outside before turning back to Eleanor.
"We're... we're okay," Eleanor breathed, her knees trembling as the sheer adrenaline began to fade, leaving her weak and dizzy. She looked down at Thomas's unconscious form, then back to Marcus. "How did you get up here? The front gates were locked down."
"Mr. Vance anticipated a total communication blackout the moment he dropped that envelope," Marcus replied quickly, stepping over the butler's body and pulling a secure satellite radio from his tactical vest. "He had me scale the perimeter wall ten minutes ago. We don't have much time, Mrs. Vance. Margaret's personal security detail just breached the ground floor from the East Wing."
Eleanor’s grip tightened around the old letter still clutched in her hand. "We can't run, Marcus. Not with Leo. And David is still downstairs. We have to help him."
"Mr. Vance is already moving toward the panic room in the sub-basement where the primary hard drives are kept," Marcus said firmly, handing Eleanor a heavy, reinforced tactical jacket. "Put this on, grab the baby, and stay right behind me. We're getting out through the service tunnel."
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As Marcus kicked open the adjoining bathroom door to reveal the hidden concrete shaft leading down into the estate's subterranean infrastructure, a sudden, deafening explosion shook the entire foundation of the house, plunging the nursery into absolute darkness.
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