CHAPTER 6: THE HACKED GRID
CHAPTER 6: THE HACKED GRID
Total darkness.
The heavy, mechanical thud of the mansion's cooling systems shutting down echoed through the walls. The smart house wasn't just losing power; it was being systematically disabled from the outside.
My phone screen illuminated my face. No signal. The cellular jammers were already active.
“Rachel?”
A voice boomed through the house’s intercom system. It wasn't Mark’s voice. It was smooth, synthesized, and utterly devoid of emotion.
“You played a very clever game with the federal lockdown, Mrs. Whitaker. But the smart grid belongs to us now. Open the basement vault, leave the encryption keys on the kitchen island, and you might survive the night.”
I didn't answer. I backed out of the server room, navigating the dark corridors by memory. My physical vulnerability was still real—my body ached from Mark's assault—but this house was my domain. I knew every wire, every blind spot, and every structural secret.
The automated window shutters began to slam shut one by one, sealing me inside the dark belly of the mansion. They weren't keeping people out this time.
They were trapping me inside with whatever was coming.
I reached the main foyer just as the front door handle began to click. The electronic lock glowed yellow—the system override code had been bypassed.
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The door swung open, letting in the cold Chicago wind.
Two silhouettes stood in the frame, wearing dark tactical gear and night-vision goggles. They didn't carry suitcases. They carried silenced submachine guns.
