flash

The sidewalk café hummed with the usual indifferent rhythm of the metropolis—silverware clinked, espresso machines hissed, and patrons guarded their plates like fortunes. But at the small table near the curb, time seemed to grind to a violent, absolute halt. / Chapter 16 / 20

Chapter 16 - The Fortification of the EstateTime was of the essence. Within an hour of Marcus's discovery, the Napa Valley estate transformed from a peaceful family home into an impenetrable fortress.

Harrison didn't panic; he pivoted immediately into tactical commander mode.

"Marcus, activate the automated perimeter floodlights and set up thermal tripwires along the northern tree line," Harrison instructed crisply as he unlocked the estate's hidden armory in the basement.

David walked down the concrete stairs, pulling a tactical vest over his sweater. "I'm staying with you, Harrison. I'm not hiding in a panic room while my brother fights my battles."

"You have two children upstairs who need their father alive, David," Harrison retorted, handing him a loaded sidearm. "You defend the second-floor stairwell. I'll take the main courtyard."

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The rain drummed a frantic rhythm against the glass of the narrow brick building above Mrs. Carter’s alterations shop in Brooklyn. Dominic Moretti stood frozen on the threshold, his boots planted on the worn welcome mat, his lungs refusing to draw breath.

The rain drummed a frantic rhythm against the glass of the narrow brick...

"We do this together," David replied firmly, locking the slide of his pistol with a sharp metallic click. "The past is dead. We protect the future."

Outside, the sun dipped below the horizon, plunging the sprawling vineyards into pitch-black darkness.

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