Chapter 23 - The Blackout
Before Olivia could even begin packing, the penthouse was plunged into absolute, suffocating darkness.
The lights didn't just flicker; they died instantly. The hum of the central air conditioning ceased. Even the glowing digital clocks on the appliances went black. The backup generators, which were supposed to engage automatically within three seconds, remained completely silent.
"Get down!" Miller roared, drawing his service weapon and pulling Olivia to the floor.
The two tactical officers moved swiftly, taking up defensive positions near the main elevator bank and the heavy oak front door. The silence in the penthouse was terrifying, broken only by the sound of Miller racking the slide of his pistol.
"They cut the hardlines," Miller whispered, his eyes adjusting to the ambient light filtering in from the city outside. "They disabled the fail-safes. This is a highly coordinated breach."
Olivia didn't wait for instructions. Her maternal instincts overrode her fear. She crawled across the expensive hardwood floor, ignoring the scrapes on her knees, and scrambled down the hallway toward the nursery.
She pushed the door open to find David awake, whimpering quietly in his crib.
"Shh, baby, mommy's here," Olivia whispered, scooping the heavy toddler into her arms and holding him tightly against her chest. She moved to the back of the closet, pressing her hand against a hidden biometric scanner. A heavy steel door slid open, revealing the panic room she had insisted on building with the settlement money.
Suddenly, a loud, metallic crash echoed from the front of the penthouse. The heavy oak front door had been blown off its hinges.
"Federal agents! Drop your weapons!" one of the tactical officers shouted.
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His command was immediately drowned out by the deafening roar of suppressed automatic gunfire.
"Get in the room, Olivia!" Miller shouted from the hallway, providing covering fire. "Lock the door and do not open it for anyone but me!"
