Chapter 10 - The Tactical Frequency
The synthesized voice crackled through the stolen radio, sending a shiver down Lily's spine as she clutched her toy stethoscope like a talisman. Jax pressed the transmission button with a blood-smeared thumb, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly baritone that mimicked the tone of the unconscious operative.
"Package is secured at sector four. Need immediate extraction at the east service gate," Jax spoke into the receiver, praying the background sound of his own heavy breathing wouldn't give him away.
A brief pause filled the static, followed by a crisp acknowledgment. “Copy that, sector four. Fall back to the perimeter wall. Transport is standing by.”
Jax clicked the radio off and shoved it into his pocket. He turned back to Sarah, who was shivering uncontrollably on the damp grass. The cold night air was sapping the last of her strength, and her lips were taking on an alarming bluish tint.
"They are moving toward the east gate," Jax muttered, slipping his arms back under Sarah's limp form. "We need to move now, before they realize sector four is clear."
"Can we use their car, Jax?" Lily asked, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her stained pink dress.
"No, the service gate is a trap. We're going the opposite way—straight through the old drainage culvert behind the greenhouse," Jax said, his voice laced with grim determination.
They navigated the twisting labyrinth of the maze, guided only by the pale moonlight filtering through the high canopy of ancient oak trees. Every shadow seemed to stretch and twist into a threat, but Jax’s iron resolve kept them moving forward. As they reached the edge of the botanical gardens, the massive glass structure of the estate's Victorian greenhouse loomed before them, its panes reflecting the distant orange glow of the burning manor.
Jax pushed open a rusted iron service door leading beneath the greenhouse foundation, descending into the damp, subterranean brick tunnel that served as the estate's storm drainage system.
"In. Go, Lily," Jax urged gently, lowering the little girl into the dark concrete opening.
He carefully positioned Sarah inside the mouth of the culvert, resting her head on a dry patch of concrete before crawling in after them and pulling a heavy iron grate shut behind them.
Inside the narrow tunnel, the sound of marching boots echoed from the surface above. Flashlight beams cut through the rusted slats of the grate, sweeping across the dark brickwork just inches above their heads.
May you like
"They're searching the greenhouse," Sarah whispered, her eyes fluttering open as she clutched Jax's arm. "Jax... the flash drives are in the lining of my blazer."
---
