Chapter 5 - The Web of DeceptionEmma acted without thinking. She slammed her shoulder into the high-voltage breaker panel beside her, throwing the main switch. The closet and the surrounding corridor were instantly plunged into absolute darkness.
BANG.
A gunshot shattered the silence, striking the wall above William’s head.
"Run!" William roared, lunging forward to tackle Marcus into the darkness.
Emma grabbed Ethan’s hand and bolted down the service hallway, the sound of a scuffle echoing behind them. Tears welled in her eyes, but she kept moving, navigating the pitch-black corridor by memory. She knew every inch of the estate—every door, every crawlspace, every hidden utility hatch.
She pulled Ethan into the mansion’s commercial kitchen, locking the heavy fire doors behind them. Pushing a stainless-steel prep table against the door, she grabbed a kitchen radio from the counter.
"Is anyone on this channel? Help!" she shouted into the receiver.
Static hissed back, followed by a cold, familiar voice over the intercom system.
"Emma... give up," Victoria’s voice echoed throughout the estate speakers. "William is subdued. The police will never receive your calls because the jammers cover a five-mile radius. Hand over the boy and the drive, and I’ll ensure you walk out of here alive with a very generous severance package."
Ethan squeezed Emma’s hand tightly. "Don't trust her, Emma."
Emma looked down at the nine-year-old boy, then at the silver flash drive in his hands. She plugged the drive into a utility laptop sitting on the head chef’s desk. The screen flickered to life, requesting a security prompt.
It wasn't asking for a password or a fingerprint. It was asking a simple security question set by Evelyn years ago: "What was the name of our safe place?"
Emma remembered the quiet moments she spent with the late Evelyn before her passing. Evelyn had often brought Ethan to a small greenhouse on the edge of the property whenever the stress of the city got too much.
May you like
Emma typed: The Winter Garden.
The screen flashed green: ACCESS GRANTED.
