Chapter : A House Under Siege

The sirens screamed through the mansion like a chorus of war drums. Red lights strobed along the hallway walls as I jolted upright, Wallace’s cryptic note clutched in my hand. My heart punched against my ribs, but my mind was already calculating, racing, bracing.

Lucien was the first to move. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me behind him as Caleb’s footsteps thundered down the corridor.

“They’ve breached the south wing,” Caleb repeated breathlessly. “Security cameras cut out, and the gate was forced open. No ID pinged.”

“How many?” Lucien demanded.

“Two, maybe three—armed, masked. They moved like professionals.”

“Which way are they headed?”...