Chapter 19 - The Siege Begins
The California estate was instantly transformed into a fortress. Heavy steel shutters slammed down over the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the solarium, plunging the house into artificial twilight. Julian paced the command center he had established in his study, watching the dozens of high-definition security feeds alongside his private security chief, a former Navy SEAL named Vance.
"We have twenty armed men patrolling the perimeter, Mr. Thorne," Vance reported, his eyes scanning the monitors. "The local police have set up a two-mile blockade down the mountain. If she tries to drive up here, they will intercept her."
"She won't drive up the main road," Julian said, staring intensely at the thermal imaging cameras covering the dense, wooded hills behind the estate. "She hired a professional tactical team to break her out of federal custody. They aren't going to knock on the front door. They will treat this like a military objective."
As if on cue, the power to the entire estate abruptly cut off. The monitors went black for a terrifying three seconds before the emergency backup generators roared to life, bathing the study in a harsh, pulsing red light.
"They just blew the local substation," Vance growled, unholstering his weapon. "They are trying to blind our external sensors."
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Julian felt a surge of adrenaline completely overwrite his fear. He turned to the heavy steel door of his panic room, where Lily was safely locked inside with her nanny. He had sworn to protect his daughter, and he would burn the entire world down before he let Elena touch her.
Suddenly, a massive, concussive explosion rocked the foundation of the house. The heavy oak front doors were violently blown off their hinges, sending smoke and debris billowing into the grand foyer. The tactical team had arrived, heavily armed and moving with lethal precision. Julian racked the slide of his shotgun, stepping out of the study to defend his castle.
