Chapter 5 - The Trojan HorseClaire stared at the man she had learned to trust, her mind racing through the terrifying implications. "You used us as bait?"
"No," Julian said fiercely, stepping closer, his cane clicking sharply against the concrete floor. "I used myself as bait. For two years, my enemies thought I was a broken cripple waiting to die. They thought my empire was up for grabs. But yesterday, my intelligence network confirmed something terrifying: the traitor who sold out Ryan and paralyzed me isn't dead. He’s planning a final strike tonight."
Suddenly, the overhead lights in the conservatory flickered and died.
An alarm klaxon began to wail through the estate—a low, rhythmic, deafening shriek that shook the dust from the ceiling rafters.
Red alert.
Julian’s expression hardened instantly into the face of a ruthless crime syndicate boss. All vulnerability vanished.
"Arthur!" Julian roared into his tactical comms link. "Status!"
，“Sir, the perimeter gates have been breached. Heavy infantry. At least a dozen armed men moving through the rose gardens. They bypassed the biometric sensors.”
Julian cursed under his breath. "They didn't bypass them. They had an inside access code."
Claire grabbed Julian’s arm. "Where is Ellie?"
"She was in the East Parlor with the kitchen staff," Julian said, his eyes scanning the dark basement. "Claire, listen to me. Take the emergency tunnel behind the server racks. It leads out to the highway. Run and don't look back."
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"I'm not leaving you!" Claire shouted over the wailing alarm.
Before Julian could answer, the heavy oak door at the top of the stairs blew inward with an explosive blast of splinters and white-hot smoke.
