Chapter 24 - Fire and Glass
The sound of gunfire echoing through her own home was a nightmare Olivia thought she had permanently escaped. Inside the panic room, the thick steel walls muffled the chaos, but she could still feel the vibrations of the heavy boots and falling bodies outside.
She huddled in the corner, holding David tightly, rocking him back and forth to keep him quiet. The room was equipped with independent oxygen scrubbers, an emergency communications line, and external security monitors. She flicked on the monitor screen.
Through the infrared cameras hidden in the ceiling, she watched the terrifying scene unfold.
Six men dressed in unmarked black tactical gear were swarming her living room. They moved with lethal, military precision. Captain Miller and his two officers were pinned behind the heavy marble kitchen island, exchanging fire with the intruders. The beautiful penthouse was being torn to shreds; glass shattered, expensive artwork was destroyed, and the walls were riddled with bullet holes.
"They're heavily armored," Miller yelled over his radio, his voice crackling through the panic room's emergency speaker. "We need SWAT backup at the penthouse immediately! We are taking heavy fire!"
One of the mercenaries broke away from the main firefight, advancing systematically down the hallway toward the nursery.
Olivia watched the screen in absolute horror as the man kicked open the nursery door. He scanned the empty room, his weapon raised. Then, his eyes locked onto the subtle seam of the panic room door hidden in the closet.
The man reached into his tactical vest and pulled out a block of C4 explosive.
"Arthur!" Olivia screamed into the intercom. "He’s at the panic room door! He has explosives!"
May you like
Before the mercenary could plant the charge, Miller lunged out from the hallway cover, tackling the massive man to the floor. A brutal, desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued. Olivia watched helplessly as Miller fought for his life, ultimately managing to disarm the mercenary and knock him unconscious with the butt of his pistol.
Sirens began to wail in the distance. The remaining mercenaries, realizing their window of opportunity was closing, immediately retreated, throwing smoke grenades to cover their escape.
