Chapter 7: The Panic Room
Evelyn glided through the pitch-black hallway with practiced ease, her eyes already adjusting to the dark. She pushed open the door to Lily’s bedroom. The faint glow of a nightlight shaped like a star illuminated the little girl’s peaceful face.
"Lily. Baby, wake up," Evelyn whispered, gently shaking her daughter's shoulder.
Lily stirred, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Mommy? Why is it dark?"
"We’re playing a game of hide-and-seek, sweetie. Remember the special room we practiced going to?" Evelyn kept her voice light, betraying none of the lethal intent coursing through her veins.
Lily nodded, clutching her stuffed rabbit. Evelyn lifted her and carried her to the massive walk-in closet. She pushed aside a rack of winter coats, placing her palm flat against a hidden biometric scanner on the back wall. The scanner flashed green, and the wall slid open with a quiet hiss, revealing a reinforced steel panic room.
It was stocked with food, water, a dedicated ventilation system, and direct communication lines to Vance. Evelyn set Lily down on the plush cot inside.
"I need you to stay in here and keep Mr. Rabbit very quiet," Evelyn said, kissing Lily’s forehead. "No matter what noises you hear outside, you do not open this door. Only Mommy or Uncle Vance can open it. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Mommy," Lily whispered bravely, her wide eyes reflecting total trust.
"I love you more than anything," Evelyn said fiercely. She stepped backward, the heavy steel door sliding shut and locking with a heavy, impenetrable thud.
With Lily completely secure, the maternal warmth vanished from Evelyn’s face, replaced by a chilling, predatory calm. She stepped out of the bedroom just as she heard the distinct sound of glass shattering downstairs, followed by the heavy, synchronized footsteps of trained killers entering her living room.
There were six men inside the house, moving in a tight diamond formation. They wore night-vision goggles and heavy body armor.
Evelyn slipped onto the second-floor balcony that overlooked the grand foyer. She had designed this house. She knew every shadow, every creaky floorboard, every blind spot. She drew her suppressed pistol and took aim at the trailing mercenary.
Pfft. Pfft.
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Two muffled shots echoed in the cavernous space. The rear guard dropped instantly, two rounds perfectly placed in the narrow gap of armor at the back of his neck. He hit the marble floor with a heavy thud.
The squad leader barked an order in Russian, and the remaining five men instantly raised their rifles toward the balcony, scanning frantically. But Evelyn was already gone, having melted back into the shadows of the western corridor. The hunt had officially begun, and these men were about to learn that they were the prey.
