Chapter 11
Before anyone could respond, the lights in the house flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the entire house plunged into total darkness.
The refrigerator stopped humming.
The electronic lock on the front door emitted a sharp, warning beep as its backup battery kicked in.
Claire gasped in the dark.
"Daniel!"
"I've got you," I said, instantly moving across the floor by memory, reaching out until my hands found her shoulders.
"Stay down. Get behind the couch."
James was already moving. I could hear the rustle of his tactical jacket and the metallic clack of his weapon clearing its holster.
"Collins, stay with Claire," James ordered, his voice remarkably calm, almost robotic in its precision.
"The main power grid for this area is five miles down the road."
"They didn't just cut a wire at the house."
"They dropped the local transformer."
"They’re coming."
I felt a rush of adrenaline pump through my veins, my old military training overriding the panic.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, but there was no signal.
"Cellular jammer is active," I reported. "No service. No data."
"They've isolated us."
"We have about three minutes before they breach the perimeter," James said, standing near the window, peering through the blinds into the moonlit woods.
"Daniel, there’s a tactical flashlight in the kitchen drawer. Grab it."
I moved quickly, keeping low to the ground.
My hands found the drawer handle, pulled it open, and wrapped around the heavy aluminum flashlight.
I didn't turn it on. The light would make me a target.
Suddenly, a low, rumbling sound echoed from the front driveway.
A heavy vehicle was approaching, driving slowly without headlights.
Through the shadows, I saw the silhouette of a massive black SUV rolling over the gravel.
It stopped twenty yards from the front porch.
The doors didn't open immediately.
They were waiting for something.
Then, my phone did something impossible.
Despite having zero bars of service, the screen lit up bright white.
May you like
A single text message appeared from an unknown, unlisted number.
Open the front door, Daniel. Let's not make this difficult for your son.
