Then another.

“Caleb!” a voice yelled through his radio.

“We have a breach at the east gate!”

The radio went dead with a burst of static.

In the darkness, I moved.

I dove toward the floor, drawing my pistol.

Muzzle flashes lit up the room.

The deafening roar of gunfire filled the study.

I fired toward the desk where Caleb had been sitting.

Someone screamed.

A heavy body hit the floor near me.

“Marcus!” I shouted.

“Adrian, over here!” Marcus croaked.

I crawled toward the sound of his voice in the pitch black.

My hands found his jacket.

I pulled my pocket knife and sliced through the zip-ties on his wrists.

“Can you walk?” I whispered.

“I can crawl,” he said.

“Get to the hallway.”

More shots fired in the dark, wood splinters flying from the desk.

I fired two shots to cover our retreat.

We scrambled out the study door into the dark corridor.

The emergency lights in the hallway were blinking a dull red.

The alarm was blaring throughout the estate.

I helped Marcus to his feet.

He leaned heavily on my shoulder.