Chapter 49 - The Empty Fortress
The Directorate’s Alpha Team arrived at Julian’s mountain estate by helicopter, dropping silently onto the property at 2:00 AM. There were twelve men, outfitted in state-of-the-art tactical gear, carrying suppressed assault rifles.
They stacked up against the heavy front doors, attaching a silent breaching charge to the locks.
Pop.
The doors swung open. The house was pitch black and entirely silent. The squad leader signaled his men to fan out, communicating via hand gestures. They moved through the lavish living room, their laser sights cutting through the darkness.
"Clear," a soldier whispered over the radio.
"Upstairs," the leader commanded.
They crept up the marble staircase, heading straight for the master bedroom and Lily's room. The squad leader kicked Lily's door open, sweeping the room with his rifle. It was empty. The bed was made.
"Target is not here. The house is abandoned," the leader reported into his comms.
Suddenly, the heavy steel shutters on all the windows slammed shut simultaneously, sealing the house with a deafening metallic crash. The front doors locked automatically.
"What the hell is that?" a soldier shouted, aiming his rifle at the ceiling.
May you like
A pre-recorded voice echoed through the house's intercom system. It was Julian's voice, calm, cold, and utterly detached.
"You are trespassing in my home. I built this house to keep monsters out. But it functions just as well to keep them locked inside."
