Chapter 19: The Siege of Blackwood Manor
The stealth helicopter flew low over the churning, black waters of the Atlantic, completely invisible to civilian radar.
Inside the cabin, bathed in the red glow of tactical lights, sat Charlotte Vale. She had traded her pristine white power suit for black tactical gear, Kevlar, and combat boots. She looked completely at home in the darkness. Beside her sat Marcus and eight of Solmere’s most elite, highly-paid private military contractors.
"Blackwood Manor is situated on the cliffside," Marcus briefed the team over the roar of the rotors, pointing to a holographic layout projected on the floor. "Heavy security. Infrared sensors, anti-air turrets, and fifty heavily armed Syndicate guards. They have Dr. Vance in the sub-basement interrogation room."
"What about the anti-air turrets?" one of the mercenaries asked. "They’ll blow us out of the sky before we are within two miles."
Charlotte tapped a tablet strapped to her wrist. "I’ve spent the last three hours hacking into the Syndicate’s offshore satellite array using Vanguard’s seized backdoor codes. In exactly sixty seconds, I will execute a localized EMP burst over the island. It will blind their radar and shut down their automated defenses for exactly five minutes. That’s your window to land."
Marcus grinned beneath his balaclava. "You heard the boss. Lock and load."
The helicopter banked sharply. Through the window, Charlotte saw the imposing, gothic silhouette of Blackwood Manor resting on a jagged cliff.
"Executing EMP," Charlotte announced, hitting the execute command on her tablet.
Instantly, all the exterior lights on the massive estate blinked out. The island plunged into absolute, pitch-black darkness. The helicopter swooped in like a bird of prey, hovering just feet above the manicured lawn.
"Go, go, go!" Marcus shouted.
The team fast-roped onto the grass, their weapons raised, equipped with night-vision optics. Charlotte landed right behind them, her boots hitting the earth with a solid thud.
The Syndicate guards, blinded and in total disarray from the sudden power outage, never stood a chance. Marcus and his team moved with terrifying precision. Suppressed gunshots thwipped through the air. Guards dropped into the manicured hedges without making a sound.
"Breaching the main doors," Marcus whispered into his comms.
They placed a silent thermal charge on the heavy oak doors of the manor. A blinding flash of heat melted the locks, and Marcus kicked the doors inward.
The team flooded the grand foyer. Sirens finally began to blare as the manor’s backup generators kicked in, bathing the halls in flashing emergency lights. Gunfire erupted from the grand staircase as Syndicate mercenaries realized they were under attack.
"Suppressing fire!" Marcus roared, dumping a magazine into the upper balcony.
"Marcus, secure the basement!" Charlotte yelled over the deafening gunfire, ducking behind a marble pillar. "Get Dr. Vance! I’m going for Croft!"
"Boss, wait!" Marcus shouted, but Charlotte was already moving, slipping through the chaos and heading toward the grand library where she knew the Lord of the Syndicate would be waiting.
She kicked open the double mahogany doors of the library, her weapon raised, her breathing perfectly controlled.
Inside, sitting in a leather wingback chair by a roaring fireplace, was Lord Alistair Croft. He was pouring himself a glass of scotch, completely unbothered by the sounds of his empire being slaughtered outside his door.
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"I must admit, Miss Vale," Croft said smoothly, taking a sip of his scotch. "I did not expect a billionaire heiress to lead a tactical assault. You continue to surprise me."
Charlotte aimed her weapon dead at his chest. "Where is the drive, Croft?"
