Chapter 13 - The Siege of the Estate
Senator Thomas Sterling's private estate in the ultra-exclusive suburb of Lake Forest was a sprawling limestone mansion surrounded by towering wrought-iron gates,
manicured hedges,
and state-of-the-art biometric security perimeters.
By mid-afternoon,
the heavy rain had cleared away,
leaving behind a cold,
gray mist that clung stubbornly to the manicured lawns and towering oak trees lining the winding private driveway.
Adrian's black Audi,
flanked by two unmarked tactical vans carrying Marcus and an elite strike team,
rolled smoothly past the shattered security gates where the electronic guard booth had already been neatly neutralized without firing a single shot.
The vehicles pulled up directly in front of the grand mahogany double doors of the main entrance,
bringing an ominous,
suffocating silence to the opulent estate.
Adrian stepped out of the Audi,
wearing his black wool overcoat over his tactical shirt,
his face carved from cold,
unyielding stone as he looked up at the towering floor-to-ceiling windows of the senator's private study on the second floor.
Marcus deployed his operatives around the perimeter,
securing every possible escape route while cutting all incoming and outgoing telecommunication signals to ensure absolute isolation from the outside world.
We have full control of the estate's perimeter,
Boss,
Marcus reported through the encrypted comm-link,
his voice crisp and steady.
No one gets in,
and no one gets out alive unless you give the direct order.
Good,
Adrian replied coldly,
walking up the broad stone steps toward the grand mahogany doors.
Let's go see how much Senator Sterling values his political career compared to his miserable life.
Adrian raised his right hand and delivered two heavy,
echoing strikes against the polished wood with the butt of his heavy steel-reinforced glove,
shattering the ornate brass deadbolt with a single,
May you like
brutal blow that reverberated through the silent,
terrified mansion.
