“Elena bypassed the main breaker in the garage,” Marcus said, his heavy boots crunching on glass as he backed toward us. “She used the administrator override from the master suite. The security feed is completely dead.”

“Which means Caleb has our positions,” I said, shifting Clara’s weight to my left shoulder.

My right hand held my custom Beretta, the metal warm against my palm.

“We go through the drainage tunnel to the sub-basement,” I said. “The panic room is under the south wing.”

“That is three hundred yards of open corridor,” Daniel said, reloading his clip with a metallic click. “They have the high ground.”

“We do not have a choice,” I said.

Nora emerged from the shadows, holding Lila tightly against her chest.

Lila was silent, her small hands clutching Nora’s collar, her wide eyes reflecting the faint light from the stairs.

“Hold onto me, Lila,” I said, touching her hair briefly.

“Daddy, it is loud,” she whispered into Nora’s neck.

“I know, sweetheart,” I said. “Keep your eyes closed.”

A flash grenade bounced down the concrete steps, its metal casing clinking against the stone.